Game Notes  |  Watch Live  |  Live Stats  |  Live Audio  |  Twitter Updates  |  

NORFOLK, Va. - Two teams involved in a five-way tie for first place in the MEAC meet Thursday on national television when Norfolk State hosts No. 20/18 Bethune-Cookman for Educators Appreciation Night sponsored by The Virginia Lottery. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU, with a start time of 7:30 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.

NSU and Bethune-Cookman both enter the game with 4-1 MEAC records. North Carolina A&T, Morgan State and South Carolina State are all also 4-1 entering the season's final three games.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
NSU (4-5 overall, 4-1 MEAC) won for the fourth time in its last five games and remained tied for first place in the MEAC with a dramatic 12-10 win at Florida A&M last Saturday. The Spartan defense registered two goal-line stands, one in the game's final minute, to preserve the win. Florida A&M's Damien Fleming tried to score on a quarterback sneak from the Spartans' 1-yard line in the game's final 15 seconds but was stopped short of the goal line by NSU's defensive line. FAMU, which had used all of its timeouts, could not get off another play before time expired.

Malik Stokes threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Isaac White with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter to give NSU a 12-10 lead. The play was set up by NSU linebacker Deon King, who forced and recovered a fumble on the Rattlers' 5-yard line.

NSU allowed an opposing offense to score one touchdown or less for the fourth straight game. The Spartans are third in the nation and second behind Bethune-Cookman among conference teams in total defense, allowing 254 yards per game. The linebacker quartet of King, Marcell Coke, Lynden Trail and Lamar Neal has been a big reason for that success, combining for 271 tackles, 24.5 for loss.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Bethune-Cookman (7-2, 4-1 MEAC) bounced back from its first conference loss with a 34-20 home victory over North Carolina Central last Saturday in Daytona Beach, Fla. Anthony Jordan scored three rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter to help the Wildcats rally from a 20-13 deficit. 

Michael D. Jones rushed for 117 yards and B-CU quarterback Larry Brihm ran for 104 for the Wildcats, who amassed 334 yards on the ground. Brihm and Jones also rushed for one touchdown apiece. The Eagles, meanwhile, could only manage 200 total yards against the Wildcats' defense, which leads the MEAC in fewest yards allowed (243.7).

Jordan has rushed for nine touchdowns this year for B-CU, which ranks third in the conference in rushing offense (194.8). Quarterback Quentin Williams, who has split time this year with Brihm, has passed for 1,072 yards. Jhomo Gordon is B-CU's top receiver, with 376 receiving yards and four TDs.

Defensive linemen LeBranden Richardson and Erik Williams have combined for 11 sacks to spearhead the stingy Wildcats' defense.

NOTE TO FANS
Due to classes and other University activities on Thursday, there will be no tailgating allowed for this game. On-campus parking will be very limited. A shuttle service from the Marie V. McDemmond Center will be available beginning at 6 p.m. Reserved parking will be available for President's guests only. All other campus parking is based on availability.

THE SERIES
• This will be the 25th all-time meeting between NSU and B-CU. The Wildcats lead the series, 16-8. 
• NSU is 4-13 against the Wildcats since moving to Division I, a record which includes last season's 27-24 Spartan victory in Daytona Beach. 

QUICK HITS FROM FAMU
• The win over FAMU was just NSU's second-ever, with both coming in Tallahassee. 
• NSU improved to 10-29 all-time against the MEAC's Florida teams (FAMU, B-CU) with the win.
• The win guaranteed NSU at least a .500 MEAC record and keep them tied for first in the league.
• Malik Stokes threw his first TD pass of 2014, a go-ahead 8-yarder to Isaac White in the fourth quarter.
• Brandon Walker registered his first career sack.

STANDINGS WATCH
The final month of the MEAC season figures to be a wild one, as there are no teams remaining with unbeaten conference records following Bethune-Cookman's 20-14 loss at South Carolina State on Oct. 25. There are five teams with one MEAC loss, including NSU. The Spartans, Bethune-Cookman, N.C. A&T, Morgan State and S.C. State are all 3-1.

Making matters more confusing is that N.C. A&T does not play NSU or B-CU. B-CU also does not play Morgan State.

AN EMERGING RIVALRY
NSU and Bethune-Cookman have had their share of spirited, dramatic and memorable matchups in recent years, many of which have occurred since Pete Adrian, former B-CU defensive coordinator, came to NSU in 2005.
• NSU handed B-CU its only league loss and prevented the Wildcats from winning the MEAC title outright last year with a 27-24 win in Daytona Beach, Fla. The win was NSU's first-ever in Daytona Beach.
• Bethune-Cookman beat NSU the last time the teams tangled on national TV. The Wildcats kept NSU from an unbeaten MEAC ledger - though NSU still won the MEAC title outright - with a 14-6 victory at Dick Price Stadium in 2011.
• The teams played the longest game in Spartan history in 2005, which B-CU won 63-61 in four overtimes. The game is also the highest-scoring in NSU history.