NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State football team (4-5 overall, 2-4 MEAC) caps its MEAC and home schedules this Saturday when the Spartans host Morgan State (3-7, 2-4) for 1st Responders and Military Appreciation Day at 1 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.
MEDIA COVERAGE
• TV/Live Video: ESPN 3 (live)
• Radio: WNSB 91.1 FM (12:30 p.m. pre-game): Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon/Color: Glen Mason
• Twitter Updates:
@NSUSpartans /
@NSU_FB
OPENING KICKOFF
• The game is also Senior Day for seven Spartans who will be in uniform today - LB
James Byers, DB
Aaron Chandler, LB
Quintreil Chung, LB
Michael Kwegyir-Attah, OL
Wes Jones, DL
Deshaywn Middleton and WR
Marcus Taylor.
• NSU snapped its four-game losing streak with a convincing 29-17 win over Howard last Saturday at Dick Price Stadium.
• MSU also snapped out of a skid last Saturday, breaking a three-game losing streak with a 9-0 win over Delaware State in Baltimore.
LAST MEETING
• Norfolk State scored 15 unanswered points to earn a 45-32 win in a back-and-forth affair to close the 2017 season at Morgan State on Nov. 18, 2017.
•
Aaron Savage scored on an 11-yard TD run, his second score of the day, with 9:55 left to play.
Juwan Carter hit fellow freshman
Isaiah Winstead on a 24-yard TD pass with 2:02 remaining to put the game away.
• The Spartans scored on offense, defense and special teams in the win.
Chuma Awanna recovered a fumbled MSU punt and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.
Aaron Chandler scored on a 30-yard INT return in the second, and
J.T. Wahee returned an intercepted two-point conversion attempt for two more defensive points for NSU in the third.
• The Spartans won although the Bears held a 438-276 edge in total yards.
SERIES HISTORY
• The Spartans have had more success against Morgan State than any other MEAC program. NSU is 18-11 all-time in the series with three other wins vacated.
• On the field, the Spartans have won the last 11 meetings between the teams. Morgan State last beat NSU on Nov. 4, 2006, a 29-20 victory at Dick Price Stadium.
NSU BY THE NUMBERS
7 - Number of seniors who will be in uniform for today's game.
12 -
Marcus Taylor scored the 12th touchdown of his career last week on a 37-yard TD reception.
111.3 - Number of passing yards per game the NSU defense has surrendered the last three games.
256 - Yards passing last week for QB
Juwan Carter, his most since a 318-yard day vs. Delaware State on Sept. 29.
A WIN OVER MSU WOULD...
A win this week over Morgan State would...
• Be the Spartans' fifth victory of the year, which would be the program's most since winning nine in 2011.
• Give the Spartans their 12th straight victory on the field over the Bears.
• Keep alive the Spartans' hopes of a winning season. NSU needs to win its two remaining games to accomplish that feat for the first time since 2011.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Morgan State snapped a three-game losing streak with a 9-0 win over Delaware State in the Bears' home finale last Saturday in Baltimore. Joshua Chase ran for 145 yards, including a 75-yard TD in the second quarter, and Morgan State smothered the visiting Hornets.
MSU held DSU to just 182 yards of total offense, including just 65 yards on 37 rushing attempts. Linebacker Rico Kennedy led the charge defensively with five tackles, three for loss, and two sacks.
Chase, a junior, leads MSU with 514 rushing yards. The Bears have played two quarterbacks, with Dion Golatt Jr. earning the start last week. The Bears average just 16.2 points per game, but their defense keeps them in most games, yielding just 25.5 points per contest.
