NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State (1-3, 0-0 MEAC) opens its MEAC slate of games this Saturday against the Rattlers of Florida A&M (2-1, 0-0). Kickoff on Youth Day is 4 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.
The game is the first of two straight home contests for NSU, following two straight and three of the first four away from Norfolk. The Spartans are coming off their second consecutive loss, a 56-21 setback at No. 8 Montana State last Saturday. Florida A&M is 2-1 on the year following a come-from-behind 27-21 home win over Southern last week.
SERIES HISTORY
• FAMU holds a 14-3 series edge over the Spartans, including a 17-0 victory on Oct. 6, 2018, in Tallahassee in the last series meeting (full box on page 22).
• NSU's 35-28 win over FAMU in 2017 was the Spartans' first-ever win over the Rattlers in Norfolk.
• NSU is 1-7 all-time against the Rattlers in Norfolk.
LAST MEETING
In a battle of two teams which entered unbeaten in MEAC play, Florida A&M scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull away for a 17-0 win over Norfolk State on Oct. 6, 2018 at Bragg Memorial Stadium. FAMU used one of three first-half interceptions, by Orlando McKinley, to set up a 22-yard Yahia Aly field goal, the only score by either team in the half.
The Spartans appeared ready to take the lead when
Juwan Carter hit
Justin Smith on a 51-yard bomb down to the Rattlers' 1 late in the third. But NSU was hit with four penalties that pushed the Spartans out of field goal range. Later, a missed 42-yard NSU field goal helped FAMU keep the lead. Ryan Stanley threw a 13-yard TD pass to Chad Hunter with 9:59 remaining to push the Rattlers' lead to 10-0. After an NSU punt, Bishop Bonnett's 14-yard TD run with 2:34 remaining sealed the win.
The Spartans outgained FAMU 291-240, but committed 15 penalties and three turnovers.
NSU BY THE NUMBERS
16 - Career-high tackles last week for safety
Nhyre' Quinerly, his first double-digit tackle effort of the season.
84 - Length in yards of
Kevin Johnson's school-record-long touchdown run at Montana State last week.
850 - Number of rushing yards allowed by the Spartans in their last two games against FBS Coastal Carolina (401) and No. 8 ranked FCS Montana State (449).
100% - The Spartans remain perfect on the season in scoring inside the opponent's red zone, with 10 scores in 10 trips.
A WIN OVER FAMU WOULD...
A win this week over FAMU would...
• Give NSU a 1-0 MEAC start for the third straight year.
• Be the Spartans' second win in the last three years over FAMU.
• Improve NSU to 2-7 all-time against FAMU at Dick Price Stadium.
SCOUTING THE RATTLERS
Florida A&M improved to 2-1 on the season with a 27-21 win over Southern University last Saturday night in Tallahassee. Quarterback Ryan Stanley threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Smith with 3:32 to play to cap a 97-yard scoring drive, rallying the Rattlers past the Jaguars.
It was a big night for that pair, as Stanley passed for 355 yards and two touchdowns. Smith caught nine passes for 201 yards and the winning score. Stanley leads the MEAC in passing yards per game, at 227.3. He was a preseason All-MEAC second-team selection. Smith (77.0) is third in the conference in receiving yards per contest.
The Rattlers opened the season with a 62-0 loss at UCF, but rebounded for a 57-20 win over Fort Valley State two weeks ago. FAMU is not eligible for the MEAC title in 2019, but all games against the Rattlers count in the conference standings.
