NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State makes its final road trip of the 2026 season Saturday, visiting Morgan State at Hughes Stadium for a noon kickoff.
Both teams are 0-3 in MEAC play. One of them will leave Baltimore with its first conference win.
About the Spartans
Norfolk State (4-6, 0-3 MEAC) has lost three straight, and the margins have narrowed each week.
The Spartans fell 22-7 at South Carolina State, then 36-33 to Delaware State at Lincoln Financial Field after building two 17-point leads, then 29-28 to North Carolina Central at William "Dick" Price Stadium on Nov. 7. Three conference losses by 15, three and one point.
Vick framed it plainly this week: six points separate Norfolk State from a 7-3 record.
Takeaways are the national story. Norfolk State's 21 turnovers gained lead all of FCS, tied with North Carolina Central and Northern Arizona. The Spartans' 13 interceptions rank fourth nationally and first in the MEAC.
Norfolk State also ranks second nationally in punt returns, 12th in team sacks, and 14th in both total defense and rushing defense. In the conference the Spartans sit second in total defense, rushing defense, scoring defense, scoring offense, total offense and passing yards allowed — behind South Carolina State in every one.
By the numbers (FCS national ranks through Nov. 7)
| Category |
National |
MEAC |
Value |
| Turnovers Gained |
1st |
1st |
21 |
| Punt Returns |
2nd |
1st |
24.17 |
| Passes Intercepted |
4th |
1st |
13 |
| Team Sacks |
12th |
2nd |
2.60 |
| Total Defense |
14th |
2nd |
307.7 |
| Rushing Defense |
14th |
2nd |
112.2 |
| Defensive Touchdowns |
14th |
T-1st |
2 |
| Scoring Offense |
33rd |
2nd |
31.5 |
| Passing Yards Allowed |
33rd |
2nd |
195.5 |
| Scoring Defense |
45th |
T-2nd |
24.5 |
Jason Wonodi leads the nation in punt return touchdowns with three, and his 22.6-yard average ranks second in the FCS. He is 12th nationally in combined kick return yardage at 522.
Jalyn Daniels has rushed for 754 yards, 28th nationally and second in the MEAC, with six touchdowns. Elyjah Mitchell leads the conference in receptions per game at 4.70 and ranks second in receiving yards with 557. Brevin Caldwell is third in the league in receptions per game. Da'Jean Golmond leads all MEAC quarterbacks in yards per completion at 11.90.
Brenden Thompson paces the defense, ranking third in the conference in total tackles and fifth in sacks.
Up front. Fifth-year center Tyler Leinberger remains the highest-graded offensive lineman in the MEAC according to Pro Football Focus. His 77.5 offensive blocking grade ranks eighth among all FCS offensive linemen and third among FCS centers, and his 80.1 pass-blocking mark is his strongest grade. Leinberger earned midseason All-America recognition from Phil Steele.
What Coach Vick Is Saying
On where the season actually stands: "We're really six points away from being a 7-3 team — a contending team. That's something we can hang our hats on and something we can build upon. I'm looking at the positives as well as the negatives."
On the conference losses: "We've had the lead in two games. We've been in control of both our games outside of South Carolina State. In conference, it's not anything too different — the competition is pretty much the same. If you make mistakes, you're probably going to lose the game. If you do the right things, you're going to win. The teams that beat us really didn't beat us. We beat ourselves."
On taking responsibility for the finish against North Carolina Central: "I made a mistake in that situation. I should have been more on top of it. That's my job as a leader. I won't beat myself up about it, but we're going to learn from it. We're going to understand the things we have to highlight week in and week out, and we're going to get better as a football team."
On his team: "The players played an amazing game, barring some situations. They're not going to be perfect, but they play really, really hard. That's a winning football team. I have a lot of respect for them and I'm excited about how they're going to finish this season."
On the final road trip: "We've got to finish strong. On the road or at home, find a way to win, find a way to get it done. Travel like pros. When we get there, take care of our bodies, catch some extra film, cross the T's and dot the I's. Get up Saturday morning, have a good breakfast, get to the stadium and get a good feel for what's going on out there."
On what Saturday means for the seniors: "For some of them, that's going to be their last game on the road. They'll never play another game on the road again. So let's come together, appreciate the circumstance, appreciate how far we've come, look back on the hard work we've put in, and go out there and give it 110 percent effort and find a way to win."
On what he wants to see over the final two weeks: "Passion, energy, effort, heart, character — all the reasons why they love the game, why we play the game, why we practice so hard, why we show up early. The things we love about football, I want to see it show up. And I know it will."
About the Bears
Morgan State (5-5, 0-3 MEAC) has dropped four straight after a 5-1 start, with all three conference losses coming in that stretch — to Howard, South Carolina State and at Delaware State on Nov. 7.
Damon Wilson is in his fifth season in Baltimore. He spent 12 years as the head coach at Bowie State before arriving at Morgan State in 2022, and his best season with the Bears was a 6-6 finish in 2024.
Morgan State's profile is the inverse of Norfolk State's in a few places. The Bears protect the football as well as anyone in the conference, ranking 12th nationally with just eight turnovers lost and seventh in fumbles lost. They are also first nationally in both blocked kicks allowed and blocked punts allowed, and lead the MEAC with four blocked kicks of their own.
The Bears lean on the pass. Quarterback Cameron Edge leads the conference with 1,974 passing yards and 14 touchdowns, ranking 37th nationally, and Morgan State's 64.9 percent completion rate is the best in the MEAC. Justin Perry leads the league with 578 receiving yards, and Joseph Towler tops the conference with six receiving touchdowns while averaging 18.4 yards per catch, 18th nationally.
The ground game has been a struggle. Morgan State ranks 110th in FCS in rushing offense at 101.3 yards per game and 113th in time of possession at 27:10. The Bears also rank 118th nationally in passing yards allowed.
The return matchup is worth watching. Morgan State's Keith Jenkins Jr. ranks fifth nationally in all-purpose yards at 140.2 per game and fourth in combined kick return yardage with 646, including a kickoff return touchdown. He and Wonodi give the game two of the most productive return men in the subdivision.
Series History
Norfolk State leads the all-time series. The programs first met in 1965 and have played 39 times.
The series turned decisively in Norfolk State's favor over the last four decades. Morgan State won the first seven meetings from 1965 to 1971, shutting out the Spartans three times, but Norfolk State has gone 24-7 since, including an eight-game winning streak from 2007 to 2017 — the Spartans' longest run against any MEAC opponent.
Recent history belongs to the Bears. Morgan State has won three straight, all of them close: 32-28 in 2023, 38-37 in 2024 and 35-28 last season at William "Dick" Price Stadium.
Close games have historically favored Norfolk State. The Spartans are 7-1 all-time against Morgan State in games decided by three points or fewer and 11-2 in games decided by seven or fewer, though both 2024 and 2025 fell into that second category.
Recent meetings
| Year |
Result |
| 2025 |
Morgan State 35, NSU 28 |
| 2024 |
Morgan State 38, NSU 37 |
| 2023 |
Morgan State 32, NSU 28 |
| 2022 |
NSU 24, Morgan State 21 |
| 2021 |
NSU 31, Morgan State 20 |
Norfolk State's largest win in the series was 48-0 in 2019. Morgan State's was 63-0 in 1967.
Familiar Faces
Strength against strength. Norfolk State leads the FCS in turnovers gained with 21. Morgan State has committed just eight turnovers all season, 12th-fewest nationally and the best mark in the MEAC. The Spartans' takeaway defense meets the conference's most careful offense.
Two of the best return men in FCS. Wonodi leads the nation in punt return touchdowns; Jenkins ranks fifth nationally in all-purpose yardage. Both are capable of changing a game without the offense touching the field.
How to Follow
- Video: ESPN+
- Radio: WNSB Hot 91.1 FM
- Live Stats: morganstatebears.com
- Social: Follow Norfolk State Athletics for in-game updates and postgame reaction
UP NEXT
Norfolk State closes the 2026 season at home on Saturday, Nov. 21, hosting Howard at noon on ESPN+. It is Senior Day at William "Dick" Price Stadium.
