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NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State football team (1-3, 0-1 MEAC) looks to even its conference record when it caps a two-game homestand by hosting Howard University (0-4, 0-2) this Saturday at 2 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.

The game has been designated Education Appreciation Day and is also NSU's breast cancer awareness game.

Game 5: Howard (0-4, 0-2 MEAC) at Norfolk State (1-3, 0-1 MEAC)
Saturday, Oct 1. • 2 p.m. • Dick Price Stadium (30,000)
Radio: WGH Star 1310 AM, WNSB 91.1 FM (Pre-game - 1:30 p.m.); Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon; Color: Maguell Davis
Series History: 26th meeting - Howard leads 16-6 (3 NSU wins vacated)
First Meeting: Howard 49-28 (Oct. 31, 1981)
Last Meeting: NSU 15-12 (Oct. 3, 2015)

1st and 10
1. The Spartans look to break a three-game losing streak this week and improve to 1-1 in the conference when they host Howard University for Education Appreciation Day sponsored by the Virginia Lottery.
2. The Spartans lost a 34-31 decision to North Carolina Central last week. Trailing by 17 entering the fourth quarter (27-10), NSU cut its deficit to one score on two occasions, but could not overcome the Eagles.
3. Quarterback Greg Hankerson scored on a 4-yard TD run and threw a 25-yard scoring pass to Marcus Taylor in the Spartans' 21-point fourth quarter. Hankerson rushed for a team-high 79 yards and ran for 186 in the loss.
4. Larry Bishop III scored on a 1-yard TD run in the second quarter for NSU and Cameron Marouf kicked three field goals, tying his career high.
5. Howard dropped its fourth straight game last week, a 28-24 heart-breaker at Morgan State on Saturday night. The Bears scored the game-winning touchdown with 30 seconds left in the game.
6. The Bison rushed for 216 yards, led by 80 and a touchdown by William Parker and 78 yards by Carlton Rainey. Jordan Griggs kicked three field goals for the Bison.
7. Howard, which went 1-10 last season, has lost seven straight games dating to a win over Savannah State last Oct. 31.
8. The Bison were predicted to finish 10th in the 11-team MEAC this season in the preseason poll of head coaches and sports information directors. Tight end Justin Chaney was a preseason All-MEAC second-team selection.
9. NSU has won five of the last six games between the teams on the field (not including three vacated Spartan wins from 2009-11). Howard's last victory in the series came in 2012, the teams' last meeting in Norfolk, when the Bison prevailed 37-36 in overtime thanks to a blocked extra point.
10. The Spartans have two connections to Howard's coaching staff. Defensive coordinator Rayford Petty was formerly defensive coordinator at NSU from 1999-2001. HU defensive backs coach Ron Bolton also coached at NSU from 1997-2001 and was also a star defensive back for the Spartans from 1968-71  before embarking on an 11-year NFL career with the Patriots and Browns.

Quick Hits from N.C. Central
       Some news and notes from the loss to North Carolina Central last Saturday:
•  The loss was NSU's fourth straight against North Carolina Central, all by 11 points or less.
•  QB Greg Hankerson scored on a 4-yard TD run in the fourth quarter, his second straight game with a rushing score and the fifth in his 15 games as Spartan quarterback.
•  LB T.C. Livingston had a career-high 15 tackles to lead NSU.
•  WR Marcus Taylor had career highs of eight catches for 94 yards.
•  This marked the first time since 2012 that NSU lost its MEAC opener.
•  FB Larry Bishop III scored his first touchdown as a Spartan with a 1-yard run in the second quarter.
•  K Cameron Marouf tied his career high with three made field goals.
•  FB Conley Smith, who tore his ACL in the spring, saw his first action of the season.
•  WR Chuma Awanna and OL Dominic Jordan (RG) started for the first time in their careers.
•  WR Kinan Humphrey, who doubles as NSU's third-string quarterback, caught his first career pass, a 6-yarder in the second quarter.