Morgan State Notes | Towson Notes | MEAC Notes | CAA Notes | 
Purchase Tickets
MEAC Video Conference | GAMEDAYGuide
Facebook.com/MorganStateBears | 
@MorganStBears
GAME TIME
Morgan (1-1) will welcome the Towson Tigers (0-2) to Hughes Stadium in a non-conference matchup on Saturday, Sept. 16 in the 'Battle for Greater Baltimore'. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. at Hughes Stadium in Baltimore, Md. The game will air on ESPN+. The game will also be broadcast by WEAA, 88.9FM.
GAME COVERAGE
ESPN+ will air the game live. Phil Schoener will call the play-by-play with color analyst Gene Clemons.
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
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
• Saturday will mark the 28th meeting in the series that began with a 34-7 Morgan Sate win at Towson on Sept. 1, 1979.
• The Tigers hold an 21-6 advantage in the series vs. MSU.
• The Tigers have won 9 of the last 10 meetings against Morgan State since 2005, including the last four matchups.
• Towson handed the Bears a 29-21 loss at Johnny Unitas Stadium on Sept. 10, 2022.
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.
• Pete Shinnick was announced as the new head coach of Towson football on Dec. 11, 2022. He became the fifth coach in program history.Shinnick comes to Towson after starting the program at West Florida, leading the Argonauts to the 2019 NCAA DII national title and the 2017 NCAA DII title game.
A WIN WOULD ...
... give Damon Wilson his sixth win as MSU's head coach.
... mark the Bears' first win against Towson since a 12-9 victory at Hughes Stadium on Sept. 26, 2009.
... improve the Bears' record to 7-21 against Towson since 1979.
... mark the Bears first win at Hughes Stadium since beating South Carolina State on Oct. 29, 2022.
... mark MSU's second consecutive home-opener win at Hughes Stadium (2022 vs. Sacred Heart; W, 24-9)
... mark the Bears' second consecutive home-opener win since a 24-9 win on Sept. 17, 2022 against Sacred Heart
... mark MSU's first non-conference home win since defeating Virgnia-Lynchburg 44-10 on Oct. 21, 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 Bears played three QBs in their heartbreaker at Akron. Carson Baker started the game, before ODU transfer Dominique Anthony came in and threw a TD. Duce Taylor led the Bears completing 9 of 18 passes for 102 yards, including two TDs.
• 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. Davis leads the Bears with 31 carries for 117 yards (3.8 avg) and Johnson pounded out 64 yards on 14 carries, including the Bears go-head touchdown to seal the Week 1 win at Richmond.
• 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). He currently leads the MEAC in sacks (4) and tackles for loss (4).
• 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 All-MEAC selection ranks No. 3 in the MEAC in passes defended (3) and collected an INT in Week 2 at Akron.
• 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 TIGERS
• Towson finished the 2022 season with an overall mark of 6-5 and went 4-4 in conference play. They capped the season with a 27-7 impressive win against Hampton.
• Towson was predicted to finish ninth in the CAA Preseason Poll with 85 points. William & Mary is the preseason favorite with 195 points, including 13 first-place votes, followed by New Hampshire at second and Richmond in third.
• Three Tigers were recognized in the 2023 CAA preseason awards. D'Ago Hunter was selected Preseason All-CAA at kick returner. Jesus Gibbs at defensive line and Robert Javier at cornerback were selected as preseason all-conference honorable mention.
• Last year, D'Ago Hunter became Towson's first All-American since 2018, being a STATS Perform All-American Third Team at punt returner. The 2022 CAA Special Teams Player of the Year earned 1,207 all-purpose yards off 639 kickoff yards, 195 punt return yards, 262 rushing yards and 111 receiving yards. The graduate student earned All-CAA First Team at kick returner and All-CAA Second Team at punt returner, having three special teams TDs.
• It is a new look Towson team with 44 new players joining in their first year with Towson, including 28 transfers and 16 true freshmen or first-year players. The offense returns six starters while the defense returns five.
• Jesus Gibbs was selected to the 2024 Shrine Bowl 1000, being named one of the top NFL draft eligible college players in the country. The 1,000 players, selected by NFL scouts and college personnel, are in contention to play in the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl in Texas. He was also selected to the Reese's Senior Bowl Watchlist for the second consecutive year.
• Several Tigers are playing as college graduates. Towson has 21 total graduate players.
• Towson fell in its home debut as Monmouth handed the Tigers a 42-23 loss at Johnny Unitas® Stadium on Saturday night. Nathan Kent went 16-for-27 at quarterback for 200 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Monmouth had 437 yards of total offense and had the ball for 36:57 of the game while Towson had 275 yards of total offense
• MSU's last game against Akron was on Sept. 10, 2022 at Johnny Unitas Stadium ... Towson quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome helped the Tigers pull out a 29-21 victory in front of 9,784 fans. Pigrome went 14 of 25 for 157 yards, including three touchdowns as Towson rallied to beat the Bears. Carson Baker had a solid night as the Bears starting signal-caller. He went 10 of 24 for 152 yards and threw a pair of touchdowns and an interception for Morgan. Alfonzo Graham led the Bears with 89 yards on 17 carries and scored two touchdowns.
NOTABLE NATIONAL NOTES
Here are a few 2023 FCS national statistics of note on offense, defense and special teams that pertained to the Bears:
• The Bears rushing defense ranks No. 1 in turnovers gained; No. 3 nationally (51.5); T-No. 4 in interceptions (4); No. 9 in total defense (267.0); No. T-12 in turnover margin (1.50); and No. T-18 in scoring defense (17.0).
• Graduate DB Jae'Veyon Morton ranks T-19 nationally in passes defended (3 ).
• Junior LB Erick Hunter ranks No. 10 nationally in sacks (2.5).
• Junior DE Elijah Williams ranks T-No. 7 in tackles for loss (4.0) and T-No. 16 in sacks (2.0).
• Treveyon Pratt currently ranks in the FCS T-No. 13 in receiving TDs.
MSU's MARYLAND TIES
The Bears' roster has 60 players from the home state of Maryland. This includes 14 players from Baltimore and two Towson transfers in redshirt-senior LB Sam Alsheimer (Dayton) and redshirt-freshman DB Jeremiah Wynn (Cockeysville).
A LOOK AHEAD
• Saturday, Sept. 23rd will mark the 4th meeting in the series that began with a 26-0 win on Sept. 9, 2017 in Hughes Stadium.
• UAlbany leads the series against Morgan State 3-0.
• In their last meeting, the Danes recorded a 41-14 win at Tom & Casey Stadium on Nov. 13, 2021.
• On Nov. 13, 2021, Jeff Undercuffler threw for 328 yards and two touchdowns and Karl Mofor ran for 90 yards and three scores as Albany rolled to a 41-14 victory over Morgan State in nonconference play in a game that was delayed by lightning. Duce Taylor completed 10 of 17 passes for 85 yards for Morgan State, which managed only 183 yards of offense. Romello Kimbrough had two carries for the Bears, but he made them count — scoring on a 17-yard run in the third quarter and a 4-yarder in the fourth.
BEARS OPEN 124th SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 124th season of football and will open the 2023 campaign under second year head coach Damon Wilson.
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.
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.
