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GAME TIME
The Morgan State Bears (0-7, 0-3) will look to get in the win column when they travel to take on the Norfolk State Spartans (5-2, 1-0) on Saturday, Oct. 30. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+ and WEAA, 88.9FM.
GAME COVERAGE
ESPN+ will be streaming the game live.
RADIO: WEAA, 88.9 FM is the flagship station for the Morgan State Bears ... Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with Renard Stubbs in the booth. The game will be broadcast live on 88.9 FM and streamed on WEAA.org, HSRN.com and on SIriusXM 386 and 988 on the SiriusXMmobile app.
LIVE STATS: www.nsuspartans.com
SOCIAL NETWORKS
Fans can keep up-to-date with all MSU Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/MorganStBears and @MorganStateFootball. You can also become a fan of the Bears on Facebook at Facebook.com/MorganStateBears.
TICKETS
Single game football tickets for all five (5) of Morgan State's home dates this season at Hughes Stadium are now on sale. Variable pricing for single game tickets will be used this year with single game tickets starting at just $20 per person. To purchase tickets, fans can visit www.ticketmaster.com, or call (443) 885-1522 (weekdays from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
THE SERIES
• The matchup marks the 42nd meeting between the two schools.
• Norfolk State leads the series against Morgan with an overall record of 29-12 since the teams first played in 1965.
• The Spartans have won 12 of the last 13 meetings since 2007.
• NSU posted a 48-0 win on Nov 2, 2016 at William 'Dick' Price Stadium.
• MSU posted a 44-27 road win on Nov. 17, 2018 at Norfolk State.
LAST TIME VS. NORFOLK STATE
November 2, 2019 -- Juwan Carter threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score in Norfolk State's 48-0 rout of Morgan State at William "Dick" Price Stadium.
• Carter hit Da'Kendall James with an 80-yard touchdown pass on the Spartans' second play from scrimmage, added a 25-yard TD pass to Justin Smith and capped the first half with a 14-yard touchdown run for a 31-0 lead.
• Carter threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Tylan McElhenie midway through the third quarter and finished 16 of 28 for 314 yards passing.
• Rayquan Smith ran for 142 yards and Kevin Johnson added a touchdown run for Norfolk State. Devyn Coles had two of the Spartans five interceptions. Nhyre' Quinerly ran an interception 48 yards into the end zone early in the fourth.
• Morgan State was held to 153 yards of offense. DJ Golatt completed five of 16 passes for 58 yards and was picked off three times.
THE COACHES
• Morgan State – Tyrone Wheatley (Michigan, '08) was announced as the Bears' 22nd head football coach on February 21, 2019 and previously spent two seasons as the running backs coach for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars. Wheatley also worked at Syracuse University from 2010-12, and then with the NFL's Buffalo Bills from 2013-14. CAREER RECORD (3-16, 3rd Season, 2nd on the sideline).
• Norfolk State - Dawson Odums (NCCU, enters his first year at the helm of the Norfolk State Spartans. Odums has more than 20 years of collegiate coaching experience. Most recently, Odums enjoyed a stellar 10-year run at Southern University where he had a winning record in each of his eight full seasons at the helm of the program. CAREER RECORD (5-2, 1st Season at NSU; 69-46 overall).
A WIN WOULD ...
...give Tyrone Wheatley his fourth win as MSU's head coach.
... improve the Bears' record to 13-29 against Norfolk State since 1965.
... mark Morgan's first conference win since defeating N.C. A&T 22-16 on Nov. 9, 2019 at Hughes Stadium.
... mark the Bears first win against Norfolk State since Nov. 17, 2018.
... snap Morgan's 7-game losing streak.
QUICK HITS
• The 2021 Morgan State Bears will be under the leadership of head coach Tyrone Wheatley. Wheatley enters his third season at the helm and the 2021 campaign will mark his second season on the sideline due to the program not competing during the 2020-21 athletic season.
• Senior Neil Boudreau, a 6-3, 220-pound QB from Irvine (Calif.) completed 22-of-35 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown last Saturday vs. N.C. Central.
• Veteran WR Wesley Wolfolk had a big day vs. Tulane where he posted a game-high six catches for 110 yards and scored two TDs. He has 16 receptions for 231 yards and 4 TDs so far this season.
• Sophomore RB Jabriel Johnson (Baltimore, Md.) had a solid game vs. N.C. Central (Oct. 23) where he finished with 15 carries for 82 yards (5.5 avg).
• Junior Alfonzo Graham (6-0, 225) scored on a 40-yard run vs. S.C. State (Oct. 16) for his first career TD.
• LB Lawrence Richardson leads the Bears with 44 tackles (27 solo) and has two interceptions.
• LB Elijah Williams recorded 11 tackles and had a quarterback hurry against Sacred Heart ... it was the most tackles by a Bear since Ian McBorrough had 16 at Howard in 2019.
• DL Christian Teague is a force on the Bears' defensive line. The 6-4, 240-pounder from Hagerstown, Md. has racked up 37 tackles, 6 TFL, a sack and three QB hurries ... he led the Bears with six tackles and two tackles for loss vs. N.C. Central (Oct. 23).
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to all 2020 fall athletes. Many seniors have decided to take advantage of this, and because they will return to the field in 2021.
A GLANCE AT THE SPARTANS
• Norfolk State finished the 2019 season with a 5-7 overall record and posted a 4-4 mark in MEAC play
• NSU was picked to finish No. 2 in the MEAC Preseason Coaches Poll. 14 Spartans earned recognition on the 2021 Preseason All-MEAC Football Team and QB Juwan Carter was tabbed the preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
• The Spartans enter this Saturday's contest against the Bears looking to extend its 5-game winning streak, most recently beating Howard 45-31 in Washington, D.C. The Spartans rolled up 536 total yards and QB Juwan Carter threw for 332 yards (26-for-29) and a TD.
• Carter is one of the top QBs in the FCS. He leads the league in passing averaging 231.9 per game, pass efficiency (163.7) and total offense (274.6).
• WR Justin Smith leads the MEAC in receiving yards (615) and ranks No. 2 in receptions (34) with six TDs. WR Da'Quan Felton is also ranked among the league's best with 18 catches (No. 5) for 304 yards (No. 9) with a TD.
• LBs Tyler Long and Marquis Hall are two of the top defenders in the conference. Long is T-No. 6 with 40 tackltes (22 solo) and Hall is ranked No. 10 with 33 stops. De'Shaan Dixon has been a QB's menace.. he leads the conference with 6.5 sacks and tanks No. 3 with 7.0 tackles for loss.
• NSU leads the league in scoring offense (35.9), total offense (448.6) and rushing offense (216.7).
• NSU leads the league with nine INTs and 19 sacks.
A LOOK AHEAD
• The Morgan State Bears will look to get in the win column when they host Delaware State on Thursday, Nov. 4. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. and will be nationally televised on ESPNU.
• Morgan State leads the series against Delaware State with an overall record of 37-27.
• The Bears have won 10 of the last 12 meetings since 2008, including a string of 8-straight (2010-2019).
• In their last meeting, MSU posted a 34-3 win on Oct. 12, 2019 at Hughes Stadium.
• DSU posted a 35-22 win on Oct. 24, 2009 in Dover, Delaware.
BEARS RED ZONE DEFENSE
If opponents have wanted to score touchdowns against Morgan State they've had to do so from a distance.
• Morgan ranks second in the league in red zone defense – 15 touchdowns allowed on 28 opponent's trips inside their 20-yard line.
• The Bears currently rank No. 49 in the nation in red zone defense.
SWARM TO THE BALL
If there's one thing defensive coordinator Antonio James emphasizes to his defense, it's run to the ball.
• There's no question that the Morgan defense takes to his coaching very well as seven (7) different players have at least 25 tackles this season.
• The only other team in the MEAC that has seven or more players with at least 25 tackles is North Carolina Central with eight (8).
MILESTONES ON THE HORIZON
WR Wesley Wolfolk
• Wolfolk (616) is 84 reception yards shy of 700 for his career at Morgan State. He leads the team with four TD receptions this season and has recorded seven (7) in his career. He is 27 reception yards shy of passing Raymond Chester (593) on the school's all-time career pass reception yards list. Wolfolk's two TD catches versus Tulane (Sept. 11) are tied for the most receiving TDs (game) in the conference and his 110 reception yards is one of 10 100-yard performances in the league.
RB Jabriel Johnson
• The sophomore is ranked No. 4 in the league in rushing (330; 4.0 avg). His 106 yards vs. Saint Francis-Pa. (Oct. 2) is one of five 100-yard performances in the league.
QB Neil Boudreau
• Boudreau is ranked No. 5 in the league in passing with 889 yards (127 avg). His 206 passing yards vs. Saint Francis-Pa. (Oct. 2) and 3 TD passes with 17 completions vs. Tulane (Sept. 11) are season highs.
PRESEASON PICKED 5TH
Morgan State was picked to finish fifth (5th) in the MEAC standings, according to the poll of the conference head coaches and sports information directors.
• South Carolina State University has been picked to win the MEAC Football Championship as the Bulldogs topped the league's annual preseason poll for 2021.
PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS
• The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference announced the selections for the 2021 Preseason All-MEAC team Friday, with three players representing Morgan State. Offensive lineman Marvin Atuatasi, defensive lineman Merinio Dendoe and linebacker Devan Hebron were the three Bears named to the list, which is voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors.
• The three preseason All-MEAC performers are part of a group of 12 starters returning for the 2021 Morgan State football season.
BEARS OPEN 122ndt SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 122nd season of football and will open the 2021 campaign under head coach Tyrone Wheatley, set to enter his third year at the helm and second year on the sideline.
RETURN MEN
The 2021 Morgan State Bears return 12 starters - four (4) on offense and eight (8) on defense.
CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS
The Bears enter the 2021 season looking to post their first winning season since going 6-5 in 2009. MSU's 7-6 record in 2014 was vacated.
NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
The Bears will open the 2021 campaign against four non-conference opponents. MSU opens the season in the 'Battle for Greater Baltimore' at home against Towson (Sept. 4), followed by a pair of road trips versus Tulane (Sept. 11), and Sacred Heart (Sept. 18). The Bears will have a bye week before hosting Saint Francis (Oct. 16). The Bears will cap the season with a road matchup with Univ. of Albany (Nov. 13) followed by a season finale home game versus Georgetown (Nov. 20).
BEARS OPEN 43rd SEASON IN MEAC
The Bears will open its 43rd season in the MEAC when they travel to D.C. to take on Howard for the conference opener on Oct. 8.
• The Bears opened the 2019 MEAC schedule with a 27-17 loss against North Carolina Central (Sept. 28) at Hughes Stadium.
• The Bears kicked off its first season in the MEAC in 1971. Morgan State withdrew from the conference at the end of the 1979-80 fiscal year, before returning to the MEAC in 1984.
MSU LEGEND EARL "PAPA BEAR" BANKS
Earl "Papa Bear" Banks was a legendary head coach at Morgan State University,
• In 1960, Banks took over the head coaching position at Morgan State from 2011 Trailblazer Award winner, Edward Hurt.
• In his 14 seasons as head coach, he would lead the Bears to six CIAA titles, one CIAA Northern Division championship and one Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title. Banks had an overall record of 96-31-2 after he retired from coaching 1973 and produced three undefeated seasons from 1965 through 1967.
• He guided Morgan State to four bowl games, winning the 1965 Orange Blossom Classic and the 1966 Tangerine Bowl.
• He was named the American Football Coaches Association's recipient of the 2018 Trailblazer Award. The award was presented, posthumously, at the 2019 AFCA Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more.
• Follow us on social media:
Facebook: /MorganStateBears
Twitter: @MorganStBears
Instagram: /MorganStateBears
ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
