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GAME TIME
The Morgan State Bears will look to go in the win column when they host the #20/23 Florida A&M Rattlers on Saturday, Oct. 26. Morgan State fell to 1-6 (1-3 MEAC) on the year with last Saturday's 24-10 loss at South Carolina State. FAMU is 6-1 (4-0) following a 34-31 overtime thriller Sunday versus North Carolina A&T in Tallahassee. Kickoff at Hughes Stadium is scheduled for 3 p.m EST. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. The game will also be broadcast on WEAA, 88.9 FM.
GAME COVERAGE
ESPN3: SportsFever...Phil Shoener will call play-by-play, Emory Hunt will handle color analysis.
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.morganstatebears.com | Click Here
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
Season ticket plans—which include a ticket to all five home games, including homecoming start at only $95. Premium seats and the football/basketball Bear Pass are both 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.
THE SERIES
• Saturday matchup marks the 30th meeting between the two schools.
• The Rattlers lead the overall series 22-7 since 1943.
• FAMU QB Ryan Stanley led the Rattlers to a 38-3 win against the Bears in Tallahassee. Stanley passed for 163 yards (14 for 22) and three touchdowns, and the No. 1 ranked team in the BOXTOROW HBCU FCS Coaches and Media Poll followed its bye week with a resounding victory.
• MSU's last win against the Rattlers was in Nov. 14, 2015 when the Bears won 21-7 at Hughes Stadium.
• The Rattlers have one the last three meetings since 2016.
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 (1-6, First Season).
• Florida A&M – Willie Simmons (Clemson, '03), is in his 2nd season as head football coach at Florida A&M. his alma mater. He left Prairie View A&M after coaching three seasons, where he went a combined 21-11. He also had an impressive three-year stint as the offensive coordinator at Alcorn State, winning the 2014 SWAC and SBN Black College National Championships). FAMU RECORD (12-6 2nd Season), CAREER RECORD (33-17 5th Season).
A WIN WOULD ...
... give Tyrone Wheatley his second win as MSU's head coach.
... mark the Bears' first win against FAMU since a 21-7 victory at Hughes Stadium on Nov. 14, 2015.
... snap the Rattlers 3-game winning streak vs. MSU since 2016.
... mark MSU's eighth win against the Rattlers ... FAMU would hold a 22-8 series record.
QUICK HITS
• The 2019 Morgan State Bears are under the leadership of first year head coach Tyrone Wheatley.
• Senior backup QB DeAndre Harris (6-4, 210) completed 13-of-26 passes for 140 yards and an interception, and sophomore DJ Golatt threw for 127 yards, including an INT and a TD pass to Josh Chase at South Carolina State.
• MSU's ground game was held to -5 rushing yards and the Bears' QBs were sacked seven times.
• WR Wes Wolkfolk (6-2, 215) led the Bears with six receptions for 50 yards and WR Deontaye White added 96 yards on five receptions.
• Senior WR Manasseh Bailey grabbed four passes for 49 yards and currently ranks No. 7 on the school's all-time receiving yards list (1,569 yds).
• R-senior LB Rico Kennedy (6-3, 235) leads the MEAC in tackles (68; Ranks No. 17 in FCS), No. 2 in TFLs (11.0), and is
No. 8 in sacks (3.0).
• Senior LB Ian McBorrough was an All-MEAC First Team selection as one of the league's premier pass rushers in 2018. He currently ranks No. 5 in the MEAC in total tackles (58).
• Sophomore PK Nicholas O'Shea ranks T-No. 4 in the MEAC in field goals (9-12, .750).
• MSU had 25 pass completions at S.C. State -- it was the most pass completions since posting 25 vs. S.C. State in 2014.
A GLANCE AT THE RATTLERS
• Florida A&M finished the 2018 season with an overall mark of 6-5 and was 5-2 in MEAC play. The Rattlers capped the season on a 3-game losing streak, including a 33-19 loss to Bethune-Cookman in the Florida Classic.
• Willie Simmons' (Clemson, 2002) offense ranks No. 2 in the league averging 398.4 yards of total offense (613 rushing; 2,176 passing). They have scored 9 rushing TDs and a league best 19 passing. The Rattlers average 31.1 points per contest (No. 2).
• The Rattlers stand at 6-1 (4-0 MEAC) on the season following a 34-31 overtime thriller versus North Carolina A&T in Tallahassee.
• FAMU's offense is led by two-time All-MEAC performer Ryan Stanley. The 6-3, 210-pound senior QB from Pembroke Pines (Fla.) product has completed 144-of-236 passes (61%) for 1,928 yards (ranks No. 1), with 15 TDs and 4 INTs. He leads the league in total offense with 1,940 total yards.
• Junior RB Bishop Bonnett (69 att, 221 yds, 1TD) will pace the Rattlers' ground attack and also has game-breaking skills as a receiver (7 rec., 64 yds).
• Sophomore WR Xavier Smith and freshman David Manigo will be major factors in the Rattlers' air attack. Smith, 6-0, 180, leads the league with 49 catches for 701 yards (14.3 avg/c), including a 6 TDs. Manigo (39 rec., 532 yds, 4 TDs) also ranks among the league's receiving leaders ranked. No. 3.
• Defensively, FAMU has been led by senior standout SS Terry Jefferson (5-9, 180) who has accounted for 42 tackles (21 solo), 3 TFLs and a sack. Markquese Bell (6-3, 215) has posted 31 tackles with 3 tackles for loss, an interception and 10 pass defenses (No. 10 in FCS). Senior DL Demontre Moore (6-3, 300) has also been a factor and currently has 20 tackles, 4.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks.
• FAMU is allowing 382.9 yards of total offense (rushing 847; passing 1,833). The Rattlers have also forced 13 turnovers (9 INTs; 4 FR). Opponents are averaging 5.6 yards per play. The Rattlers have recorded 44 tackles for loss.
• The Rattlers currently ranked No. 1 in the MEAC in 3rd down conversions (46.7%; No. 11 in FCS) and rank No. 2 in the in time of possession averaging 31:02.
• Junior Chris Faddoul ranks No. 2 in the nation by averaging 47.1 yards per punt...just behind Bucknell's Alex Pechin (49.5 avg.).
• For the first time this season — the Florida A&M Rattlers were recognized in the STATS FCS Top-25 poll, slotted at No. 20, and are No. 23 in the FCS Coaches Top-25 poll
• FAMU took over the top spot in the SBN Black College Football Poll and BOXTOROW COACHES Poll.
A LOOK AHEAD
• Morgan State will travel to face Norfolk State on Saturday, Nov. 2. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.
• The teams will meet for the 32nd time since the teams first met in 1965. The Spartans lead the series 20-11.
• Morgan State will travel to face Norfolk State on Saturday, Nov. 2. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.
• The teams will meet for the 32nd time since the teams first met in 1965. The Spartans lead the series 20-11.
• Norfolk State (2-6,1-3) opened the season with a 24-21 loss at Old Dominion (Aug. 29) and beat Virginia State 44-21 (Sept. 7). The Spartans suffered 4-straight losses (at Coastal Carolina, at #8 Montana State, vs. Florida A&M and #15 N.C. A&T), before posting a 35-22 loss at Bethune-Cookman (Oct. 19).
• NSU will be coming off a bye week when they host Morgan State for Homecoming in Norfolk.
PRESEASON PICKED 8TH
Morgan State was picked to finish eighth (8th) to MEAC defending champion and Preseason #1 North Carolina A&T and #2 Bethune-Cookman.
PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS
• Ten (10) Morgan State football players were named to the 2019 MEAC preseason team, which was voted on by the conference head coaches and sports information directors. Senior linebacker Rico Kennedy and sophomore tight end Xavier Gravette were first-team selections. Senior linebacker Ian McBorrough, junior defensive back Donte Small and junior offensive lineman Stefan Touani were second-team picks, while senior running back Josh Chase, redshirt-junior offensive lineman Bruce Trigg, redshirt-senior Dominick "D.J." Trigg and redshirt-sophomore defensive lineman Devan Hebron and sophomore Nicholas O'Shea were selected to the third-team.
• The 10 preseason All-MEAC performers are part of a group of 17 starters returning for the 2019 Morgan State football season.
BEARS OPEN 121st SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 121st season of football and will open the 2019 campaign under head coach Tyrone Wheatley, set to enter his first year at the helm.
RETURN MEN
The 2019 Morgan State Bears return 42 letterwinners, including 17 starters - 7 on offense, 8 on defense and 2 on special teams.
CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS
The Bears enter the 2019 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 2019 campaign against three non-conference opponents. MSU opens the season against Bowling Green (Aug. 29), followed by road trips versus James Madison (Sept. 14), and Army (Sept. 21). The Bears will also host Virginia Lynchburg (Nov. 16) in a non-conference contest.
BEARS OPEN 42nd SEASON IN MEAC
The Bears will open its 42nd season in the MEAC when they host North Carolina Central for the conference opener on Sept. 28.
• The Bears opened the 2018 MEAC schedule with a 21-18 loss against South Carolina State (Oct. 6) at Hughes Stadium. *Morgan State's 16-13 upset win at #4 N.C. A&T (Sept. 22) was recorded as a non-conference matchup.
• 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 BANKS RECIPIENT OF AFCA'S 2018 TRAILBLAZER AWARD
Earl Banks, former head coach at Morgan State University, 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.
• 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.
MSU UPGRADES HUGHES MEMORIAL STADIUM
Morgan State University's W.A.C. Hughes Memorial Stadium is currently undergoing a major overhaul of its football field and running track.
• The $2.5 million renovation project, which began on May 28, includes the replacement of the stadium's existing field with a new premium playing surface and the upgrade to a new high-performance, all-weather track.
• BeynonSports was selected to oversee the project and installation which is slated to be completed in time for the start of the fall football camp in early August.
• "The latest phase of upgrades to Morgan's athletic facilities is part of our systematic approach to improving and elevating key assets that we have on campus," said Director of Athletics Edward Scott, Ph.D. "The investment in our facilities represents the University's continued commitment to providing Morgan's coaches and student-athletes with a high caliber athletic experience and the best resources available."
• The upgrade to the playing field comes at an opportune time, as new head football coach Tyrone Wheatley launches a new chapter in the program's history and seeks to field a winning team. The Bears play their first home game this season on the new field against North Carolina Central University on Saturday, September 28, 2019.
CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The Bears will be joining the rest of the nation in celebrating 150 years of college football.
• As part of the celebration, Morgan State will wear 150 patches on all of its jerseys throughout the year.
• For more information on College Football turning 150, visit cfb100.org.
• Fans can also follow the celebration on social media by following @CFB100 on Twitter and Instagram and by searching CFB100 on Facebook.
• Army has been an integral part of College Football since the first Army-Navy Game on the Plain at West Point in 1890.
FOLLOW US 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.
