NORFOLK, Va. - Norfolk State (1-4, 0-1 MEAC) wraps up a two-game homestand this Saturday when the Spartans play host to defending MEAC champion North Carolina A&T (3-1, 1-0) on CHKD Health Awareness Day at 2 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.
 
The Spartans dropped their third straight game last Saturday, a tight back-and-forth 30-28 decision to Florida A&M at Dick Price Stadium. N.C. A&T has won two straight after a 37-0 win over Delaware State on Sept. 26.
 
SERIES HISTORY
• North Carolina A&T leads the series with NSU, 31-9, with two Spartan wins vacated (2010, '11).
• The Aggies have won the last five meetings on the gridiron between the two teams.
 
LAST MEETING
• In the last series meeting, the host Aggies scored the final 16 points of the game to break open a close contest and come away with a 37-20 win over Norfolk State on Nov. 3, 2018 at Aggie Stadium.
• Josh Nardone pulled NSU to within 21-20 with a 25-yard field goal with 2:21 left in the third quarter.
• But Malik Wilson returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, and the Aggies outscored NSU 10-0 in the fourth quarter.
• Marquell Cartwright rushed for 183 yards and Martin ran for 130 for the Aggies, who held a 310-62 edge in rushing. Juwan Carter passed for 186 yards and a score for NSU.
 
NSU BY THE NUMBERS
18 - Combined receptions by NSU tight ends Anthony Williams (11) and Shawn McFarland (7) this year.
84 - Length in yards of Kevin Johnson's school-record-long touchdown run at Montana State on Sept. 21.
250 - Career tackles for NSU linebacker Nigel Chavis, who ranks third in the MEAC with 42 stops and has made at least 10 in three straight games.
100% - The Spartans remain perfect on the season in scoring inside the opponent's red zone, with 13 scores in 13 trips.
 
A WIN OVER N.C. A&T WOULD...
A win this week over NCAT would...
• Give the Spartans their first win over N.C. A&T on the field since 2011 (the win was later vacated).
• Be the Aggies first road MEAC loss since 2016.
• Break NSU's three-game losing streak.
 
NSU VS. RANKED TEAMS
NSU is 4-32 all-time against teams ranked in the STATS FCS (formerly Sports Network) Top 25 poll, including a 56-21 loss to No. 8 Montana State this year. The Spartans were 0-2 in such games last year, with losses to then No.2 James Madison and No. 17 North Carolina A&T. NSU's last win over a ranked team was a 28-21 win over No. 25 N.C. Central on Oct. 21, 2017.
 
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
North Carolina A&T enters this week's game nine days removed from a 37-0 win over Delaware State on Sept. 26 in Greensboro. Jah-Maine Martin rushed for 108 yards and four touchdowns in the victory. The A&T defense, meanwhile, held DSU to 100 total offensive yards in the shutout effort. Martin has been a force in the early going this year for the Aggies. He leads the conference with 543 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Behind Martin and a stingy defense, the Aggies are out-rushing their opponents on average by a 205-75 margin per game.
 
The Aggies also have a talented receiver group led by senior Elijah Bell, who had nine catches for 101 yards against DSU. Defensive lineman Jermaine McDaniel is among the team's defensive standouts, with a MEAC-high five sacks.
 
N.C. A&T also has wins over Elon and Charleston Southern this year and a loss to Duke.