MSU vs. Delaware State Gamenotes
2009 MORGAN STATE FOOTBALL
Game Seven
Saturday, October 24 - 1 p.m. (ET)
Morgan State (5-1, 3-0 MEAC) vs. Delaware State (1-5, 1-3 CAA)
Dover, Del. – Alumni Stadium (7,000)
Live Coverage
Radio: WEAA Radio (88.9 FM) in Baltimore, Md. (Mark Gray (Play-by-Play) and Kelvin Bridgers (Color Analyst).
BEAR FACTS
2009 Record: 5-1 (3-1 MEAC)
Head Coach: Donald Hill-Eley
Alma Mater/Year: Virginia Union/1991
Record at Bear/Year: 41-44/8th
Career Record/Years: Same
Football SID: Leonard L. Haynes IV
Office Phone: 443-885-3831
E-Mail: lhaynesiv@aol.com
Ticket Info: 443-885-3830
SERIES FACTS
Games Played: 52
Series Record: MSU leads 30-22
First Meeting: MSU won 47-0 (1944)
Last Meeting: MSU won, 20-3 at Hughes Stadium (Oct. 25, 2008)
Current Streak: MSU 1
Hill vs. MSU: 4-3
Setting the Scene
The Morgan State football team continues its 112th season of football on Saturday, Oct. 24 when they travel to take on Delaware State during the Hornets Homecoming festivities in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference showdown at Alumni Stadium in Dover, Delaware. The contest will be broadcast live on WEAA, 88.9FM.
The Bears (5-1) are tied for first place in the MEAC and will enter Saturday's game coming off their fifth win of the season when they dropped Howard 14-7 in Baltimore last Thursday night in an ESPNU televised contest. DSU was routed by Michigan 63-6 in Ann Arbor. The Hornets fell to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the MEAC.
MSU's win last Thursday night improved head coach Donald Hill-Eley's all-time record to 41-44 two games into his eighth season at the helm. Hill's 41 wins since 2002, is good enough for third-best all-time record behind legendary coaches Edward P. Hurt and Earl. C. Banks. Kick-off is slated for 1:00 p.m. (EST). The game will be streamed LIVE on the internet at MorganStateBears.com.
Series Notes: MSU and Delaware State meet for the 53rd time ... The two schools are 100 miles apart from each other... MSU leads the series 30-22 and won the last game in overtime 20-3 on October 25, 2008 in Hughes Stadium ... The last time the Hornets defeated MSU was on Oct. 22, 2005 at Alumni Stadium (41-14) ... During the 2008 matchup, RB
Devan James ran for 103 yards and scored two touchdowns, and QB
Carlton Jackson completed 5-of-12 passes for 50 yards ... The Hornets are in search of its second conference victory of the season ... The Bears recorded a 47-0 shutout win against DSU in 1944 ... MSU offensive coordinator Lawrence Livingston was O-Line coach at DSU in '08 ... Donald Hill-Eley has a 4-3 record against DSU since he was named MSU's head coach in 2002 ... DSU head coach Al Lavan holds a 3-2 record against MSU ... DSU got paid $550,000 to forfeit a MEAC game (NC A&T) to give Michigan a tuneup ...
BEARS VS. HORNETS BATTLES
This week's game between Morgan State and Delaware State will mark the 53rd time the two teams will meet on the gridiron. MSU holds a 30-22 edge in the series and have lost three of the last four, but have won 4 of the last 7. The Bears nearly pitched a shutout during a 20-3 win in their last meeting at Hughes Stadium on Oct. 25, 2008. Under coach Hill, the Bears have posted a 1-2 road record against the Hornets, and the last time the DSU defeated MSU at Alumni Stadium was on Oct. 20, 2007 when the Hornets held on to a 25-17 victory.
OCTOBER CHALLENGES
The Bears have played 32 football games in the month of October under head coach Donald Hill-Eley, posting an 21-12 (.636 pct.) record. The Bears have also won 3 out of 4 overtime contests in the month of October under Hill's direction...two of which were against Howard - a 31-30 OT win at Howard on Oct. 18, 2008 and 36-33 win in Hughes Stadium on Oct. 13, 2008.
MSU LOOKING TO START 6-1 FOR 1st TIME SINCE 1979
Morgan State is looking to start the season 6-1 for the first time since 1979. Former MSU head coach Clarence Thomas began his sophomore season with a 6-1 record and his Bears ended up winning the conference championship and finished the season with a 9-2 record. The Bears ended up losing to Alabama A&M 27-7 in the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
DEVAN JAMES RETURNING TO FORM
Devan James started off the 2008 season against Towson with 26 carries for a game-high 178 yards. James had 112 yards on 25 carries in the season-finale against Hampton. James has been an absolute threat on the field. The Pompano Beach, Fla. product went over 1,000 yards for his career following a 219 yard explosion against Howard. James finished 2nd in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in rushing, 3rd in all-purpose yards (115.3/g) and was selected to the 2008 All-MEAC First Team. He started for the first time this season in the Bears win against Towson and tallied 81 yards on 19 carries, scored his first TD of the season against N.C. A&T, and posted a season-best 103 yards on 22 carries versus Howard.
He currently ranks No. 6 in school history with 2,054 career rushing yards. James suffered an abdominal strain during the preseason.
UP NEXT
MSU will host Florida A&M for a Halloween conference matchup on Saturday, October 31, 2009. Kickoff is set for 4:00 pm ET at Hughes Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. The game will mark the 21st meeting between the teams since 1930. FAMU leads the series 16-4, despite dropping last season's matchup in Tallahassee by a score of 13-10.
