D
Vaughn Wilson
24
Winner FAMU FAMU 7-1 , 5-0
12
MORGAN STATE MSU 1-7 , 1-4
Winner
FAMU FAMU
7-1 , 5-0
24
Final
12
MORGAN STATE MSU
1-7 , 1-4
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
FAMU FAMU 7 17 0 0 24
MSU MORGAN STATE 7 3 0 2 12

Game Recap: Football | | Keith Henry Special to MSU Athletic Communications

Rattlers Stop Morgan State, 24-12

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BALTIMORE, Md. (Oct. 26, 2019) -- The Morgan State Bears started well and had opportunities late in the game. But they couldn't capitalize in their 24-12 loss to #20/23 Florida A&M at Hughes Stadium this evening.
 
The Bears started off on the good foot when Harris floated a pass to freshman running back E'Munn Parker in the flat, who ran it 27-yards for a touchdown with 9:21 left in the first quarter. The extra point by Nicholas O'Shea helped the Bears go up 7-0. 
 
Florida A&M (7-1, 5-0 MEAC) responded when Davonne Kendrick ran it into the end zone from three yards out. The extra point by Yahia Aly was good to tie the game at 7 with 5:26 remaining in the first quarter.
 
On the next Morgan State possession, senior running back Josh Chase was stopped on fourth and one at the FAMU 34 with 1:56 left in the first quarter. The Rattlers came back on the following possession to take a 10-7 lead on a 50-yard field goal by Aly with 14:56 left in the second quarter.
 
A backwards pass by redshirt sophomore DJ Golatt Jr. was dropped, resulting in a fumble which was recovered by Florida A&M defensive back Terry Jefferson and he ran it back 50-yards for a score with 12:26 left in the second quarter. Aly's extra point was good, extending the Florida A&M lead to 17-7.
 
Rasean McKay was intercepted by redshirt sophmore cornerback Marquise Thorns with 7:30 left. Morgan capitalized with a 22-yard field goal from O'Shea with 3:13 left in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 17-10.
 
FAMU responded with a touchdown pass from McKay to Terrell Jennings with 33 seconds left in the first half. Aly's extra point gives FAMU a 24-10 advantage. 
 
The Morgan State (1-7, 1-4 MEAC) defense pitched a second half shutout. But the Bears offense couldn't capitalize on their side of the ball. That fact bothered Morgan State head coach Tyrone Wheatley.

"Defense put us in some really great positions," said Wheatley. "We have to be able to come out and capitalize on some things and not stall. We had some play calls on the offensive side where if I had a chance to go back, I would've changed them. I should've kept [Manasseh] Bailey in a little bit more and got him going. I really could've pushed the ball to him a little bit more. We have to put points on the board when our defense is playing that well."
 
Bailey blocked the kick of Elijah Jones for a safety, cutting the Rattler lead to 24-12 with 14:50 left in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Jordan Cofield returned the kickoff to the FAMU 29. But they couldn't produce anything out of that possession.
 
The defense went to work again and limited the Rattlers to another field goal try. But Aly's 46-yard field goal was short with 9:08 left in the game. Morgan State took over on downs at their own 29. One play later, Harris comes in and his pass was picked off by Isaiah Land. Land returned it to the Morgan State 29-yard line. But the Bears' defense limited FAMU to another field goal opportunity. The 36-yard field goal try by Aly went wide right with 6:43 left.                                                                                                                                  
 
But Morgan couldn't score in their last possession and was forced to punt. The Bears never saw the football again for the rest of the game. 
 
"Once again, it's always going to be sustainability with us," said Wheatley. "Meaning yes, we'll get off to a great start. But then, our guys have to stay focused. They have to stay locked in. It's nothing that the other teams are really doing to us. It's just self-affliction. You have to continue to bang it home with our guys to get them to understand that you can't get too high or too low, you got to stay even. That's something that comes through coaching and with time. We'll get to the point where we could sustain it, add upon it and finish games."
 
Morgan State hits the road next week for their next encounter. They head to Norfolk, Virginia to take on the Spartans during their homecoming. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. at William "Dick" Price Stadium.
 
 
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