MSUNSUSCORE
20
Morgan State MSU 0-8 , 0-4
31
Winner Norfolk State NSU 6-2 , 2-0
Morgan State MSU
0-8 , 0-4
20
Final
31
Norfolk State NSU
6-2 , 2-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
MSU Morgan State 7 6 7 0 20
NSU Norfolk State 0 17 7 7 31

Game Recap: Football | | MSU Athletics Communications

Bears Fall In The End to Norfolk State, 31-20

NORFOLK, Va. (Oct. 30, 2021) – Juwan Carter completed 26-of-40 passes for 368 yards, including three touchdowns to help Norfolk State hold off Morgan State 31-20 on Saturday afternoon at William 'Dick' Price Stadium.
 
The Spartans improved to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play and won its sixth consecutive game. The Bears dropped to 0-8 (0-4) for the first time since 1991.
 
Morgan made the Spartans high octane offense earn this one.
 
Morgan scored on its first drive of the second half when Alfonzo Graham bounced outside for a 34-yard touchdown run. The Bears led 20-17 with 10:29 remaining in the third quarter. It matched the most points scored by the Bears since Week Two versus Tulane (Sept. 11).

Graham accounted for 211 all-purpose yards and led the Bears in rushing with five carries for 56 yards.
 
The Spartans responded late in the third quarter when J.J. Davis scored on a 3-yard TD run to complete a 9-play, 62 yard drive that consumed almost 4 minutes off the clock. Norfolk led 24-20.
 
The Bears were marching and looking to regain the lead when a pivotal moment happened. Boudreau was under a heavy rush when he tossed a pass that was picked off by Christian Ruffin and returned 25 yards to the Morgan 30 with 7:21 left in the game.
 
J.J. Davis ripped off a 20-yard run to give the Spartans first and goal from the 10. Carter tossed a 3-yard TD pass to Anthony Williams with 5 minutes to play to extend the Spartans lead to 31-20. 
 
The Spartans added another takeaway in the closing minute as R.J. Coles notched his second interception of the season to seal the win.
 
Morgan used a bit of razzle dazzle when Alfonzo Graham took a handoff from Neil Boudreau and then connected with Kenneth Miller for a 68-yard pickup to put the Bears deep in Spartan territory. Six plays later, Jabriel Johnson put the icing on the cake with a 2-yard score to give the Bears a 7-0 lead with 6:32 remaining in the first quarter. 
 
The Bears had their second drive of the game ended when Boudreau's pass was batted down at the line, leading to a Morgan punt. 
 
On the ensuing play from scrimmage, J.J. Davis leaked out of the backfield and caught a swing pass in the flat and outraced the Bears defense down the sideline 86-yards for a touchdown. Josh Nardone's extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 10:49 remaining in the half.
 
Norfolk struck the scoreboard again after an excellent punt by Boudreau pinned the Spartans down on their own 1 yardline.
 
Carter engineered an 11-play, 99-yard drive and connected with Ademola Faleye for a 15-yard touchdown. The Bears trailed 14-7 with 3:38 remaining in the half.
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The Bears picked up big yardage on 3rd and 1 from midfield, followed by a facemask penalty that moved the ball just outside of the Norfolk redzone. Boudreau tossed a 7-yard TD pass to Thomas Marcus, however, the ensuing point after attempt by KC Akubuo was blocked. The Bears trailed 14-13 with 48 seconds to go.
 
Norfolk finished the first half scoring when Nardone kicked a 21-yard field goal to give the Spartans a 17-13 lead at the break.
 
The Spartans offense racked up 341 yards in the first half and held a 16-to-8 advantage in first downs.

Christan Teague led the Bears defense with 11 tackles and a sack. Jae'Veyon Morton, Erick Hunter and Lawrence Richardson had 10 tackles apiece.Elijah Williams added six tackles and a sack.

The Bears will look to break into the win column when they host the Delaware State Hornets on Thursday night in a 7:30 p.m.  The game will be televised by ESPN2.



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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.
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