RB Chad Nelson led the Bears with 130 yards including a 32-yard touchdown run.
Boxscore
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Morgan State running back Chad Simpson put on an outstanding performance in his home state of Florida, but it was not enough.
Simpson, a junior transfer from the University of South Florida, finished with a game-high 130 yards on 20 carries to lead the Bears, but Florida A&M withstood a late 4th quarter surge to escape with a 24-23 narrow victory in front of 24,190 fans in attendance for the Rattlers Homecoming celebration at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
The game, played on a clear and sunny day, marked Florida A&M's 18th victory in the series and 11th straight Homecoming victory since falling 24-20 to Morgan State in 1994.
Morgan State (4-5, 3-3) seemed poised for the upset. After a 20 yard field goal by Wesley Taylor the Bears trailed 24-21 with 9:06 remaining in the 4th quarter.
Following the ensuing kickoff quarterback Mario Melton marched the Bears down the field with clutch passes to Robert Surret and Mark McKenzie to put the ball in Rattler territory. On 1st down from the FAMU 30, Nelson darted through the middle of the line and shook three defenders on his way to finishing at the 5.
Simpson ended up carrying the ball the next four plays. He was stopped just shy of the endzone on 1st and goal. On 2nd and goal it looked as though the ball crossed the line, but was marked short. On 3rd down Simpson seemed to have scored after diving over the pile into the endzone -- again he was marked short. On 4th and goal, Simpson was stuffed at the line by Vernon Wilder and a host of Rattlers with 2:21 left in the game.
"I figured the kid (Simpson) jumped in the end zone on third down," said MSU coach Donald Hill-Eley. "He clearly was in the end zone. They said he wasn't; I don't know."
FAMU was unable to move the ball off the 1-yard line. Running back Anthony Edwards was stuffed in the endzone for a safety as the Bears trimmed the lead to 24-23 with 1:11 remaining.
After the Bears got the ball back, defensive back Gregory Clark picked off Melton at the Morgan 38 to help the Rattlers hold in the end.
Florida A&M put together back-to-back scores in the second quarter to give the Rattlers a 21-14 lead at the break.
Standout quarterback Albert Chester put on passing display, throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for another as the Rattlers improved their overall record to 5-3 and 3-2 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The Bears defense came out in the second half and put the clamps on the Rattlers offense and ended up knocking two of FAMU's best players, Chester and electric receiver Roosevelt Kiser, out of the game early in the 3rd quarter.
During the Rattlers first possession of the 2nd half, linebacker Darius Leak forced Chester to cough the ball up and was recovered by Jarrell Guyton on the A&M 35. The play marked the Bears' second takeaway of the contest and more notably Chester never returned to the ballgame.
On FAMU's next possession Leon Camell entered the game at quarterback and moved the Rattlers to midfield before the Rattlers were bit with its third turnover of the game.
Defensive end Temi Omotade hurried Camell into tossing a 30-yard pass that was picked-off by cornerback Herman Hayes. On the next play from scrimmage, Simpson burst off the leftside a 40-yard run to midfield. Again the Rattlers were able to survive the turnover as the Bears offense stalled and the 3rd quarter was over in a flurry.
Morgan trailed 21-14 as the teams entered the 4th quarter.
Leak had a productive day as he finished the game with a season-best 14 tackles (7 solo). Guyton was also a big factor for the Bears defensive unit as the junior tallied six tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and recovered a fumble.
Melton connected with Rhonnie Sykes on a throwback pass and the big tight end was able to avoid a tackler at the 5 to put Morgan State on the board. Jonathan Skeete's extra point knotted the ballgame at 21-21 with 12:40 to go in the contest.
Melton completed 8-of-18 passes for 111 yards and added 68 yards on 10 carries.
Morgan State will attempt to rebound from the loss when they travel to another Homecoming, this time when they take on the Spartans of Norfolk State. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.
BEAR BITS:
Morgan State recorded its first punt block since 2005 against Delaware State.
Morgan State's defense held the Rattlers to 88 rushing yards. It marked the fourth consecutive game the Bears have held an opponent to under 100-yards rushing.
After blistering the Bears for 104 all-purpose yards and a touchdown, Roosevelt Kiser left early in the 3rd quarter with just one grab.
Morgan State's offensive line helped pave the way for 319 yards of offense and limited the Rattlers to zero sacks.
