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GAME TIME
• Morgan State looks to snap a 3-game losing streak when they travel to Dover (Del.) to face the Delaware State Hornets on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Alumni Stadium. The game will be broadcast by WEAA, 88.9FM.
• The Bears enter the 2017 season under the leadership of Fred T. Farrier who had the interim tag removed and assumed the full-time position as MSU's head football coach.
• MSU fell to 1-8 with a 41-28 loss last weekend at Bethune-Cookman. Delaware State suffered a 35-21 loss at Savannah State last Saturday and fell to 1-8 overall and 1-6 in the conference.
LIVE STATS & VIDEO
www.dsuhornets.com
TICKETS
Season ticket plans—which include a ticket to all five home games, including homecoming start at only $95. Premium seats are now available for purchase by calling 443.885.1522 or visiting MSU Student Center Athletics Ticket Office during business hours (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or visit morganstatebears.com/tickets.
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.
RADIO
WEAA, 88.9 FM is the flagship station for the Morgan State Bears ... Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with Kelvin Bridgers in the booth. The game will be broadcast live on 88.9 FM and streamed on WEAA.org.
THE SERIES
• Saturday's matchup marks the 62nd meeting between the two schools.
• Morgan State leads the series against Delaware State with an overall record of 35-26.
• The Bears have won 8 of the last 9 meetings against Delaware State since 2008, including a string of 7-straight since 2010.
• The last time Delaware State beat the Bears was on Oct. 25, 2012 when the Hornets walked out of Hughes Stadium with a 28-23 victory.
QUICK HITS
• After Week 10, the Bears rank No. 6 in the FCS in total TFL (78) and T-No. 24 in team sacks (24).
• Eric Harrell's 87-yard TD run at Bethune-Cookman was the longest run by the Bears since Travis "Juice" Davidson raced 70-yards against Savannah State in 2012.
• R-junior QB Elijah Staley's (6-7, 240) three touchdown passes vs. Savannah State was the most by a Bear quarterback since Chris Andrews tossed three TDs against Howard on Sept. 24, 2016.
• MSU's season-high 48 points vs. Savannah State was the most points scored by the Bears since defeating Delaware State at Hughes Stadium by a score of 69-7 on Nov. 22, 2014.
• Senior WR Amonta Poteat set career highs with seven catches and 99 receiving yards against Florida A&M.His previous highs was six catches vs. Holy Cross in the 2016, and his previous high in receptions yards was earlier this season when he had 47 yards on five catches at Towson.
• Rico Kennedy has emerged playmaker. The sophomore LB leads the team in total tackles (58) and ranks No. 1 in the MEAC with 16.5 TFL, and is No. 7 in sacks (5.5).
• Fred T. Farrier's Bears are predicted to finish 8th in the MEAC's 2017 Preseason Order of Finish.
A GLANCE AT THE HORNETS
• Delaware State finished 2016 with an overall mark of 0-11 and finished 0-8 in MEAC play under head coach Kenny Carter.
• D'Vonn Gibbons passed for 162 yards and a score and added 126 yards rushing and two touchdowns to help Savannah State overcome five turnovers in its 35-21 win over Delaware State last Saturday night. Delaware State (1-8, 1-6) went 0 for 9 on third-down conversions, had just 254 total yards and committed five turnovers. Keenan Black had 216 yards passing with three touchdowns, but threw four interceptions.
• Head coach Kenny Carter's (The Citadel, '90) offense is ranked No. 9 in the MEAC averaging 275.7 yards of total offense (61.0 rushing; 214.7 passing). They have scored 2 rushing TDs and 12 passing. The Hornets average 2.1 yards per rush and 6.6 per pass, including 13.0 per catch.
• DSU's offense is led by a pair of QBs in Jack McDaniels (6-3,205) and Keenan Black (6-2, 185). McDaniels has completed 89-of-161 passes (55.3%) for 1,060 yards, with 3 TDs and 6 INTs in nine games; while Black has thrown for 837 yards (59-129-9INts) and has tossed nine TDs in seven games.
• RB Nyfease West is averaging 27.9 rushing yards per game with a TD. The 5-11, 200 pound r-freshman has 251 yards on 70 carries (3.6 avg). He also has 19 receptions for 218 yards, including a TD catch.
• Taronn Selby (5-9, 170), Fatu Sua-Godinet (6-0, 180) and Trey Gross (6-3, 200) lead the Hornets air attack. Selby has 30 catches for 432 yards (14.4 avg) and two TDs, while Sua-Godinet has 27 catches for 353 yards and two TDs. Gross, a freshman from Annapolis (Md.), has 339 yards on 21 receptions, and leads the team with 5 TDs.
• DSU is allowing 433.1 yards of total offense (rushing 158.3; passing 274.8). The Hornets have also forced 13 turnovers (7 INTs; 6 FRs). Opponents are averaging 6.3 yards per play. The Hornets have recorded 77 TFL.
• DSU's D is led by sophomore linebacker Brian Cavicante and freshman linebacker Devin Adams. Cavicante, (6-0, 220) ranks No. 9 in the league with 64 tackles, 9 TFL and two sacks, while Adams (6-2, 230) has 49 stops with 8.5 TFL and two sacks.
LAST TIME OUT VS. DELAWARE STATE
DOVER, Del. (Oct. 1, 2016) - The Bears held off Delaware State 20-17 in this in their 60th meeting in the series. Even in the sometimes pouring rain this afternoon, the Bears took care of the football a lot better than they had earlier in the season, only turning the ball over once on a Chris Andrews fumble. Andrews did do some damage, completing 16-of-31 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Delaware State made things interesting late in the fourth quarter when Daniel Epperson threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Aris Scott with 37.9 seconds left in regulation to help draw the Hornets within 20-17. But the ensuing onsides kick failed for Delaware State and Andrews took a knee to seal the Bears' 7th straight victory and the 8th of nine meetings over the Hornets.
NOTABLE NATIONAL NOTES
Here are a few 2017 FCS national statistics of note on offense, defense and special teams that pertained to the Bears:
• Rico Kennedy currently ranks in the No. 2 in the FCS in tackles for loss (16.5) and Malachi Washington ranks T-No. 5 (16.0). Tra' Revell is tied for T-No. 2 in the nation with 3 blocks.
• The Bears rank No. 6 in tackles for loss (78).
• The Bears rank T-No. 4 in blocked kicks (5).
• The Bears rank T-No. 24 in sacks (24).
• The Bears rank T-No. 27 in sacks allowed (12).
• The Bears rank No. 38 in punt returns (9.26).
• The Bears rank T-No. 46 in first down defense (168).
TWO-HEADED RUNNING ATTACK
Leading the Bears out of the backfield are Herb Walker Jr., who set the school's single season rushing record 1,408 yards, and Eric Harrell.
• Harrell currently ranks among the league's rushing leaders. The Orlando native ranks No. 5 in the MEAC with 593 yards on 102 carries (5.8 avg) with 5 TDs. He posted a career-high 218 yards yards on 19 carries, including a pair of TDs last Saturday versus Bethune-Cookman (Nov. 4).
• Walker has 468 rushing yards (2 TDs) and ranks No. 10 in the MEAC. He recorded his 8th career 100-yard rushing game with a season-high 109 yards against Savannah State (Oct. 14).
• Morgan State currently ranks No. 3 in the MEAC in rushing yards per game (149.6).
THIRD-DOWN CONVERSIONS
The Bears are ranked among the best in the MEAC in terms of third down conversions.
• Morgan State went 7-of-13 third-downs conversions versus Savannah State (Oct. 14) and converted 5-of-14 at Bethune-Cookman (Nov. 4).
• The Bears converted a season-best 12-of-19 third-downs at Florida A&M (Oct. 28).
• The Bears are 51-of-144 (.354 pct) on third down this year through the first nine games (ranked No. 3 in the MEAC).
• Last season, the Bears converted 31.4 percent of their tries on third down, which was No. 7 in the MEAC.
PUTTING UP BIG NUMBERS
Morgan State has rolled up some big figures over the course of the last few games.
• Bears went from posting 608 yards (202.7 avg) in its first three games of the season, to recording almost 1,500 yards (1,460 – 486.7) in its last three games.
• Morgan State posted a season-high 508 yard output against Howard (Oct. 21).
• Bears rank No. 4 in the league by averaging 346.7 total yards of offense per game.
ABOUT MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is celebrating its 150th year of excellence in higher education. A Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution, Morgan offers 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.