Morgan State Notes  |  DSU Notes |  MEAC Notes  |   Purchase Tickets |
 MEAC Teleconference Audio  |     GAMEDAYGuide   
 Facebook.com/MorganStateBears   |    @MorganStBears

GAME TIME
The Morgan State Bears will look to earn their first win of the season when they play host to Delaware State for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 12. Morgan State fell to 0-5 (0-2 MEAC) on the year with last week's 31-20 loss at Bethune-Cookman. Delaware State is 1-4 (0-3) after suffering a 38-24 loss to South Carolina State in Dover. Kickoff at newly renovated W.A.C. Hughes Stadium is scheduled for 1:00 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: 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's matchup marks the 64th meeting between the two schools.  
• Morgan State leads the series against Delaware State with an overall record of 36-27.
• The Bears have won 9 of the last 11 meetings against Delaware State since 2008, including a string of 7-straight (2010-2016).
• MSU posted a 9-0 win in their last meeting on Nov. 10, 2018 at Hughes Stadium when RB Josh Chase carried the ball 18 times for a career-high 145 yards and the game's lone touchdown. DJ Golatt Jr. made his first start of the season. He completed 9 of 23 passes for 113 yards and was intercepted in the third quarter. It marked the Bears first shutout since a 12-0 win against Delaware State on October 24, 2011.

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 (0-5, First Season).
•  Delaware State – Rod Milstead (Delaware State, '92), Rod Milstead enters his second season at the helm of the Delaware State University football program. Before DSU,  Milstead spent  was head football coach at La Plata High School in Maryland from 2015 to 2018 and in 2013 he was offensive line coach at North Carolina Central University. CAREER RECORD (4-12 2nd Season).

A WIN WOULD ... 
... give Tyrone Wheatley his first win as MSU's head coach.
... mark the Bears' second straight win against DSU since a 9-0 victory at Hughes Stadium on Nov. 10, 2018.
... mark the Bears 7th straight victory versus DSU at Hughes Stadium since 2009.
... improve MSU's home record vs. DSU to 19-7 since 1951 (the series began in 1945).
... mark MSU's first victory since a 44-27 win against Norfolk State on Nov. 17, 2018.

QUICK HITS
• The 2019 Morgan State Bears will be under the leadership of first year head coach Tyrone Wheatley. 
• Senior backup QB DeAndre Harris (6-4, 210) completed 10-of-18 passes for 104 yards last Saturday at Bethune-Cookman, and sophomore QB DJ Golatt threw for 81 yards (9-of-19) and was intercepted. 
• DeAndre Harris moved ahead of Allen Rose (2,726) on the school's all-time career passing yards list -- he currently ranks No. 8 with 2,848 yards.
• In his third game of the season, senior RB Josh Chase (5-11, 210) accounted for a season-high 124 yards on 25 carries at Bethune-Cookman.
• Sophomore TE Xavier Gravette (6-4, 225) recorded 5 receptions for a season -high 85 yards, and senior WR Manasseh Bailey (6-1, 195) had four receptions for 54 yards and blocked a punt and recovered it for a TD in the fourth quarter at Bethune. 
• Senior WR Manasseh Bailey ranks No. 9 in school history in career receiving yards (1,414 yds) and needs just 12 yards to move ahead of Andrew King (1,425 yds) for No. 8 all-time.
• R-senior LB Rico Kennedy returns as a leader for the Bears defensive unit. The 6-3, 235-pounder leads the MEAC in tackles (52)  and TFLs (10.5), and is T-No. 4 in sacks (2.5). 
• 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. 2 in the MEAC  in total tackles (36).
• Sophomore PK Nicholas O'Shea ranks No. 4 in the MEAC in field goals (6-8, .750).
• The 20 points put up against Bethune-Cookman were the most by the Bears since scoring 21 points at Army on Sept. 21.

A GLANCE AT THE HORNETS
•  Delaware State finished the 2018 season with an overall mark of 3-8 and was 2-5 in MEAC play. The Hornets capped the season with a 41-67 win against Virginia-Lynchburg and finished the year winning three of their last four games.
•  Rod Milstead (Delaware State, '92), enters his second season at the helm of the Delaware State football program. was a standout offensive lineman for the Hornets from 1988 to '91 before an eight-year career in the National Football League. He helped lead Delaware State to the 1989 MEAC championship and a share of the conference title in 1988 and '91. Milstead was a member of San Francisco's 1995 Super Bowl champion squad. The Niners captured the title with a 49-26 win over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX in Miami, Fla.
•  The Hornets stand at 1-4 (0-3 MEAC) on the season following a 38-24 Homecoming loss versus South Carolina State. 
•  DSU's offense will be triggered by  6-5, 210-pound freshman QB Tylik Bethea (Madison, Fla.). He has started the last four games and has  completed 63 of 136 passes for 708 yards with  five touchdowns and three interceptions.
•  Junior Shayne Smith (Philadelphia, Pa.) opened the season as the Hornets' starting QB, suffered a (non-throwing) hand injury in the DSU's season opener at Delaware on Aug. 31.
•  Senior RB Bryant Dallas (70 att, 216 yds, 2TDs | Marietta, Ga.) will lead the Hornets' ground attack.
•  Junior WR Kwannah Kollie will also be one to watch. The Staten Island, N.Y. product has been a favorite target for Bethea and has emerged as one of the top receivers in the league. He leads the team with 24 catches for 308 yards and has four TDs .
•   Defensively, DSU has been led by senior standout LB Brian Cavicante (Portsmouth, Va.)  who has accounted for 29 tackles (18 solo), 4.0 TFLs and a sack and blocked kick. Senior DB Jahad Niebauer   (Harrisburg, Pa.) has also been a factor and currently has 28 tackles and 6.0 tackles for loss.
• The Hornets currently ranked No. 2 in punt returns  (17.4 avg), No. 3 in kickoff returns (21.2 avg), No. 4 in total defense (3514 avg) and No. 4 in rush defense (137.2 avg).
• Brandon Carswell (gr.) has 2.5 sacks to rank fourth in the MEAC and also ranks tops in the MEAC and ranks T-No. 1 among all FCS players with two blocked kicks.

A LOOK AHEAD 
• Morgan State will face South Carolina State on Saturday, Oct. 19. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m. at Dawson Bulldog Stadium. The game will mark SCSU's Homecoming.
• The teams will meet for the 40th time since the teams first met in 1971. The Bulldogs lead the series 32-6-1.
• SCSU (3-1,1-0) opened the season with a 28-13 upset win at #8 Wofford (Aug. 31), followed by a 34-0 win against Lane (Sept. 7).  They fell at USF 55-16 and rebounded with a 38-24 win at Delaware State.,  The Bulldogs host Florida A&M this Saturday in an ESPN3 broadcast contest.

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.