Morgan State University Athletics

Boxscore

Morgan State quarterback Bradshaw Littlejohn accounted for 295 yards of offense and six touchdowns to lead the Bears to an impressive 58-28 win over Norfolk State during the Spartans' homecoming festivities at Dick Price Stadium in front of 16,488 fans.

The Bears improved its record to 4-5 overall and 3-3 in the MEAC offense as they sliced through the Spartans defense for 513 yards of total offense. The last time MSU posted 58 or more points was in 1967 when they defeated Norfolk State 63-0.

The Bears exploded in the first quarter of the games by scoring the first 30 points of the game and held a 44-7 lead at halftime. MSU capitalized on eight Spartan turnovers as the Bears defense had one of its best performances of the season.

MSU's first score of the day came when wideout Kelvin Dickens recovered a Littlejohn fumble and ran 42 yards to paydirt with 11:26 left in the first quarter. The Bears defense forced NSU into a quick 3-and-out and MSU's offense scored on the ensuing possession when Nathan Keever stepped-up and booted in a 35-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead with 8:23 left in the quarter.

Littlejohn then helped the Bears light up the scoreboard as he threw three TDs on three straight possessions, two of which were set up by Spartan turnovers. The MEAC Player of the Year candidate found Tommy Manus for a 14-yard score, then 25 and 50-yard strikes to Dickens. Littlejohn passed for 183 yards in the first half.

NSU chipped into the lead when Brandon Brooks connected with Howard Gilmore with 8:43 left in the first half to make the score 30-7. The Bears answered quickly, when Littlejohn took a QB draw up the middle, broke a tackle and then sprinted 66-yards for a touchdown. He ended the first half scoring by throwing a strike to Manus on a 10-yard TD pass to give the Bears a 44-7 halftime lead.

The Spartans made it interesting briefly in the third quarter. Gilmore caught a 33-yard touchdown from Dontrell Leonard, who took over late in the second half after Brooks threw two interceptions. Later in the third, Daryl Jones scored on a 3-yard run to pull NSU within 44-21.

But on the next possession, Littlejohn drove the Bears 65 yards in seven plays, capping it with his own 15-yard scoring run, to give the Bears a 51-21 lead with 5:51 left in the third quarter. MSU defensive back Keion Gray added an 81-yard interception return for a score in the fourth. Jones later scored again for the Spartans, this time from 1 yard out, to close the scoring.

Littlejohn, who played only three quarters, ended 13-of-22 for 205 yards through the air, and ran eight times for 90 yards.

“He wasn’t a surprise,” NSU head coach Willie Gillus of Littlejohn. “He’s the best offensive player in the conference. We just couldn’t slow him down.”

Leonard had for 257 of NSU’s season-high 327 passing yards, but threw four interceptions. Emery Sammons had nine catches for 139 yards for NSU, and Gilmore added six catches for 94 yards and the two TDs. But NSU was held to a season-low 43 yards rushing in 28 attempts and fumbled five times, losing two.

Jason Jackson, the MEAC’s leading rusher, had 29 carries for 167 yards for the Bears. Dickens had five receptions for 102 yards, and Manus had six grabs for 75 yards.

Defensively, Shannon Maynard had 10 tackles to lead the Bears, while Vincent Brown had 9 tackles including a 26 yard interception return. MSU finished with a season-best six interceptions.

Morgan State will travel to take on South Carolina State (7-2, 4-1) on Saturday in Orangeburg, SC. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.