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GAME TIME
Morgan State will face the Richmond Spiders in the 2023 season opener on Saturday, September 2nd. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Robins Stadium in Richmond, Va. The game will air on FloFootball and NBC Sports Washington. The game will also be broadcast by WEAA, 88.9FM.

GAME COVERAGE
FloSports (online) Click Here | NBC Sports Washington will air the game live. Bob Black will call the play-by-play with color analyst Chris Anderson and Karlie Smith will handle sideline reporting.

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.richmondspiders.com 

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 $120. 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 click 2023 MSU Ticket Information.

THE SERIES
• The matchup marks the second meeting between the two schools.
• The teams first met on Nov. 29, 2014 in the first round of the FCS playoffs. The Bears suffered a 46-24 loss to the No. 16 ranked Spiders at Robins Stadium.

THE COACHES
• Damon Wilson enters his 2nd season as Morgan's head coach. He previously spent 13 seasons as the head coach at Bowie State University where he achieved three straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference championship 2010-12
• Russ Huesman enters his seventh season as head coach of the University of Richmond football program and his 15th season overall as a collegiate head coach.

A WIN WOULD ... 
... give Damon Wilson his fifth win as MSU's head coach.
... mark the Bears first win against Richmond, improving their record against Richmond to 1-1 in the series.
... mark the Bears first road win since defeating Delaware State (37-7) on Nov. 12, 2022.

QUICK HITS
• The 2023 Morgan State Bears will be under the leadership of second year head coach Damon Wilson. Wilson, the 23rd coach in school history, previously served 13 seasons as the head football coach at Bowie State. There, he achieved three straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference championships, in 2021, 2019 and 2018; five NCAA playoff berths; and three CIAA Coach of the Year honors.
• The battle for starting QB will be decided between Carson Baker (67-128, 752 yards, 7 TDs and 3 INTs thru seven games), Duce Taylor (41-119, 560 yards, 4 TDs) and ODU transfer Dominique Anthony and freshman Tahj Smith.
• Despite the loss of All-MEAC RB Alfonzo Graham, the Bears will look for Jabriel Johnson and Norfolk State transfer J.J. Davis and Myles Miree to carry the load this season.
• The Bears return veteran wideouts Andre Crawley (22 rec., 336 yds, 2 TDs), Daymond "DJ" Hamler (25 rec., 256 yds) and Tyler Wilkins (12 rec., 139 yds, 2 TDs).
• Morgan has a number of offensive lineman as they enter the 2023 season ... The Bears have 19 OL listed on the roster and will be led by veteran All-MEAC G Marvin Atuatasi (6-1, 305) and T Dexter Carr Jr. (6-3, 295).
• DL Elijah Williams, a Preseason All-American, emerged as a force on the defensive line for the Bears last season. The New Jersey product registered 60 total tackles (33 solo, 27 assisted) last season, including a league-high 19.0 tackles for loss (ranks No. 5 in FCS) and nine sacks (T-No. 13 in FCS). 
• DB Jae'Veyon Morton is on the official watch list for the 2023 Black College Football Player of the Year Watchlist, the Black College Football Hall of Fame ... The 2022 All-MEAC selection started in every game (11) and his season totals include 34 tackles (25 solo, 9 assisted), 10 pass breakups (T-No. 24 in FCS), and three picks.
• RS Keith Jenkins Jr. was one of the top return specialists in the nation as a freshman last year ... The speedster finished the season with two kickoff returns for touchdowns (T-No. 2 in the FCS) ... he is expected to add some time in the backfield this fall.

A GLANCE AT THE SPIDERS
•  The Richmond Spiders won five of its final six regular season games to finish 6-2 in the CAA, tied for third in the final 2022 conference standings. Richmond knocked off three top 25 opponents in 2022 en route to its best finish since 2016. The Spiders earned a berth in the FCS Playoffs, where they defeated Davidson 41-0 in the First Round, before falling to Sacramento State 38-31 in the Second Round. Richmond placed 11th in the season-ending Stats Perform FCS Media Poll and 12th in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
•  Richmond was picked to finish third overall in the Coastal Athletic Association Football preseason poll and six (6)Spiders were honored with preseason All-Conference honors: OL Ryan Coll, DL Marlem Louis, LB Tristan Wheeler and DB Aaron Banks. DB Bryson Parker and DL Jeremiah Grant were named honorable mentions.
• The Spiders will look to fill the void left behind by talented signal-caller Reece Udinski who was recently signed to play for the CFL's Montreal Alouettes. In 2022, Udinski stood out as a record-breaking quarterback, completing a career-best 378-of-515 passes with a completion percentage of .734, the second-highest in the FCS. The QBs battling for the starting nod are r-junior Jackson Hardy (6-4,224),  r-sophomore Kyle Wickersham (6-3,225, r-freshman Ashten Snelsire (6-3,210), and freshman Camden Coleman (6-3,220).
• Spider captain OL Ryan Coll was named First Team All-CAA last season as well as a Second Team AP All-American and Fourth Team FCS All-American by Phil Steele.
•  The Spiders to the third-highest producing offense in the CAA and helped Richmond rank fourth in the CAA in average scoring with 31.3 points per game and pick up 5,513 yards of total offense last season.
•  Richmond allowed the second-fewest opponent points per game in the CAA with 20.1 and yards per game with 333.4.
•  DL Marlem Louis, a 2022 First Team All-CAA selection, finished last season ranked third in the CAA with 8.5 sacks and fifth in average tackles for loss per game with 1.27. He totaled 35 tackles including 14.0 for loss (-80), two forced fumbles, five quarterback hurries and one pass breakup. 
• Last year, Richmond stood alone in the FCS with a quartet of receivers boasting 50 or more receptions, with the fourth being Nick DeGennaro. DeGennaro hauled in 51 catches for 522 yards a a TD in 2022 and is geared for a big year in 2023. The Spiders will also look for big things from Isaiah Wilson (6-2, 182) who joined Richmond this offseason from East Tennessee State where he recorded 60 catches for 755 yards and four touchdowns. Jerry Garcia Jr. (5-10, 177) caught seven passes for 118 yards and a touchdown last season and will also be one to watch for the Spiders this fall.

A LOOK AHEAD 
• Saturday, Sept. 9th will mark the fourth meeting in the series that began with a 66-6 loss at Akron on Sept. 15, 2012.
• The Zips hold an 4-0 advantage in the series vs. MSU.
• MSU's last game against Akron was on Sept. 8, 2018 at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field under Bears head coach Ernest T. Jones ... Sophomore quarterback Kato Nelson, threw for 232 yards and three TDs to lead Akron to a 41-7 win over Morgan.  The Bears' quarterbacks had a rough day in the office. Junior DeAndre Harris threw for 73 yards and completed 7-of-14 passes, while DJ Golatt Jr. didn't have it any easier. The redshirt-freshman was held to 5 yards passing (1 of 8). Both quarterbacks tossed an interception apiece.

PRESEASON PICKED 4TH 
Morgan State was picked to finish fourth (4th) in the MEAC standings, according to the poll of the conference head coaches and sports information directors.
North Carolina Central has been picked to defend its MEAC Football Championship as the Eagles topped the league's annual preseason poll for 2023. 

PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS
Six (6) Bears were named to the MEAC preseason team at the 2023 MEAC Football Press Luncheon in Norfolk, Va. Senior linebacker Lawrence Richardson, senior defensive back Jae'Veyon Morton,  junior defensive lineman Elijah Williams, and sophomore return specialist Keith Jenkins Jr. were first-team selections. Senior offensive lineman Marvin Atuatasi and junior linebacker Erick Hunter were second-team picks.
 
BEARS OPEN 124th SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 124th season of football and will open the 2022 campaign under head coach Damon Wilson, set to enter his first year at the helm.

RETURN MEN 
The 2023 Morgan State Bears return 16 starters - 8 on offense, 8 on defense and 1 on special teams.

CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS 
The Bears enter the 2023 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 2023 campaign with two of its first three non-conference matchups coming on the road. MSU opens the season at Richmond (Sept. 2), followed by a game at Akron (Sept. 9). The Bears will host Towson (Sept. 16) and Albany (Sept. 23), before traveling to face Yale (Sept. 30). The Bears round out non-conference play when they host Stony Brook (Oct. 7) for homecoming. 

BEARS OPEN 48th SEASON IN MEAC
The Bears will open its 48th season in the MEAC when they host Norfolk State for the conference opener on Oct. 8 ... it will also mark Morgan's Homecoming.
• The Bears opened the 2022 MEAC schedule with a 24-21 loss against Norfolk State (Oct. 8) at Hughes Stadium.
• 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 "PAPA BEAR" BANKS
Earl "Papa Bear" Banks was a legendary head coach at Morgan State University, 
• 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.
• He 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.


FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS 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 high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 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.