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GAME TIME
Following a bye week, Morgan (3-4, 0-0) will travel to face North Carolina Central on Saturday, Oct. 26. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Kelly-O'Riddick Stadium. The game will mark Homecoming for the Eagles and will air on ESPN+. The game will also be broadcast by WEAA, 88.9 FM.
GAME COVERAGE
ESPN+ will air the game live. Jason Ross will call the play-by-play with color analyst Tyoka Jackson. The broadcast will re-air via tape-delay on ESPNU at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 27, 2024.
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.
THE SERIES
• Saturday will mark the 46th meeting between the two schools. Morgan leads the series against NCCU with an overall record of 24-19-2 since the teams first played on Nov. 15, 1930.
• NCCU has won the last seven meetings since 2015, including a 16-10 victory in their last matchup on Oct. 19, 2023 in Baltimore.
• MSU posted a 21-20 Homecoming win on Oct. 18, 2014 at Hughes Stadium.
THE COACHES
• Damon Wilson enters his 3rd 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 championships.
• Trei Oliver, led the Eagles to winning a share of the 2022 MEAC title before defeating No. 5 Jackson State in the Cricket Celebration Bowl for the HBCU national championship. Oliver played at North Carolina Central as a defensive back and punter from 1994 to 1997.
QUICK HITS
• The 2024 Morgan State Bears will be under the leadership of third year head coach Damon Wilson. Wilson, the 24th 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.
• Sophomore quarterback Tahj Smith enters the season as the Bears' starter. Smith's emergence comes after a freshman season in which he appeared in five games and started in the last four games of the season. He completed 29-of-71 passes (40.8 pct) for 426 yards and three touchdowns. He was also the team's third leading rusher, accumulating 159 yards on 4.1 average carries and scoring two touchdowns.
• RS Keith Jenkins Jr. enters 2024 as a Preseason All-MEAC First Team selection and will certainly be one to watch. Appearing in 10 games throughout the season, Jenkins showcased his versatility as both a running back, a receiver, and most notably as a dangerous return specialist. He averaged an impressive average of 23.2 yards per kick return, ranking him fourth in the MEAC.
• Last season, J.J. Davis emerged as Morgan's clear-cut starting running back, playing nearly two times as many snaps as any other Bear at the position and finished with 116 carries, 584 yd, 2 TDs in 10 games played.
• Morgan has a number of offensive lineman as they enter the 2024 season ... The Bears have 19 OL listed on the roster and will be led by veteran Preseason All-MEAC First Team T Treyvon Branch. (6-3, 290).
• LB Erick Hunter, is on the official watch list for the 2024 Black College Football Player of the Year Watch List, led the MEAC with 75 tackles and ranked No. 6 in tackles for loss (9.5). In addition to his elite tackling ability, Hunter also showcased his versatility and playmaking skills. He registered 7 quarterback hurries, 3.0 sacks (No. 11), two forced fumbles, two interceptions and a pass breakup.
• DL Elijah Williams, is on the official watch list for the 2024 Black College Football Player of the Year Watch List, was a defensive standout in the trenches for the Bears in 2023. The New Jersey product registered 50 total tackles, including 31 solo tackles. His ability to penetrate the offensive line and disrupt plays was unmatched, as evidenced by his league-leading 11.0 tackles for loss.
• Morgan suffered a 32-24 home loss to Merrimack in their last outing on Oct. 12. QB Duce Taylor had a solid outing by completing 24-of-31 passes for 186 yards. RB Myles Miree scored two of the Bears' four TDs on the ground.
NOTABLE NATIONAL NOTES
Here are a few 2024 FCS national statistics of note on offense, defense and special teams that pertained to the Bears:
• The Bears rank No. 4 in passing yards allowed (122.9), No. 2 in 4th down conversion pct. defense (.143), No. 5 in total defense (267.1), T-No. 12 in fumbles recovered (6), No. 8 in first downs defense (98), No. 9 in scoring defense (17.7), rank T-No. 13 in turnover margin (0.86), T-No. 22 in turnovers gained (12), No. 19 in time of possession (32.03), No. 34 in team pass efficiency (140.9), No. 39 in interceptions (6), T-No. 34 in fewest penalties per game (5.6), and No. 46 (144.3) in rushing defense. Nana Asante ranks No. 1 in blocked kicks (3), Myles Miree ranks T-No. 30 in rushing TDs (6), Beckett Leary ranks T-No. 33 in field goal percentage (.750), and Elijah Williams ranks T-No. 13 in sacks (5).
MOVING THE BALL
Through seven (7) games, the Bears had eight (8) drives of 10-plus plays, which ended with scores and resulted in a total of 48 points. The Bears also ranked No. 1 in the MEAC in 3rd Down Conversions (44%), and No. 3 in first downs (127).
BEAR FACTS
4 - Consecutive games the Bears have rushed for 100+ yards.
7-9 - In the last three games, Morgan has gone 7-for-9 in red zone scoring, including six rushing TDs.
276 & 207 - Rushing yards for RB Myles Miree (No. 8 in MEAC this season) and RB Jason Collins (No. 12), respectively. Miree's averaging 4.1 ypc and Collins has a 6.2 ypc average.
267.0 - Average net yards allowed for the Bears defense this season, ranking No. 1 in the MEAC. Morgan's pass defense ranks No. 1 (122.9 avg/g) and their 144.1 rushing yards allowed per game stand second only to South Carolina State (112.0).
A GLANCE AT THE EAGLES
• North Carolina Central finished the 2023 season with a 9-3 overall record and were 4-1 in MEAC play and had a perfect 5-0 record at home.
• NCCU was picked to finish No. 1 in the MEAC Preseason Coaches Poll. Eight (8) Eagles earned recognition on the 2024 Preseason All-MEAC Football Team.
• The Eagles have climbed into the top 25 of the national rankings and currently sit at No. 20 in the STATS PERFORM FCS Top 25 poll and T-No. 21 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll announced Oct. 21.
• Redshirt junior QB Walker Harris is one of the top QBs in the MEAC. He has completed 87-of-137 passes for 1,116 yards, including a league-high 14 TDs.
• WR Markell Quick ranks No. 6 in the MEAC in receptions (13) and receiving yards (262) with 3 TDs ... WR Joaquin Davis ranks No. 7 with 18 receptions for 304 yards and four TDs.
• LB Jaki Brevard and DB Malcolm Reed are two of the top defenders in the conference. Brevard ranks No. 5 in tackles (44), with 6 tackles for loss and a sack. Reed has 36 stops (19 solo) and ranks No. 1 in the league in passes defended (10) with 8 pass breakups and two interceptions.
• NCCU leads the league in a number of statistical categories: No. 1 in scoring offense (39.4), rushing offense (181.7), offensive efficiency (159.3), red zone offense (97%), and opponent third down conversions (28.4).
• On Oct. 19, 2023, The Bears gave #10 ranked N.C. Central all it could handle in a nationally televised game at Hughes Stadium. Morgan came up short as they suffered a 16-10 loss to the Eagles. The Bears managed to scrap together a game-high 285 yards on 57 plays against NCCU, but struggled to get the ball in the end zone for much of the game. Morgan quarterback Dominique Anthony had a steady game and completed 17 of 28 passes for 167 yards, including an interception and a touchdown pass. NCCU's Davius Richard, the top quarterback in the league, finished with 122 passing yards on 16 of 30 completions. He was also limited to 29 yards on the ground.
A LOOK AHEAD
Following a bye week, Morgan will travel to face North Carolina Central on Saturday, Oct. 26. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at Kelly-O'Riddick Stadium. The game will mrk Homecoming for the Eagles and will air on ESPN+.
PRESEASON PICKED THIRD
Morgan State was picked to finish third (3rd) in the MEAC standings, according to the poll of the conference head coaches and sports information directors.
North Carolina Central has been picked win the MEAC Football Championship as the Eagles topped the league's annual preseason poll for 2024. Returning MEAC champion Howard was picked to place 2nd.
PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS
Eight (8) Bears were named to the MEAC preseason team at the 2024 MEAC Football Press Luncheon in Norfolk, Va. Senior OL Treyvon Branch, senior DL Elijah Williams, senior LB Erick Hunter, junior RS Keith Jenkins Jr. were first-team selections. Sophomore QB Tahj Smith, senior DL Nana Asante, senior DB Carlvainsky Decius, and sophomore DB Ja'son Prevard were second-team picks.
BEARS OPEN 49th SEASON IN MEAC
The Bears will open its 49th season in the MEAC when they travel to face North Carolina Central for the conference opener on Oct. 26.
• The Bears opened the 2023 MEAC schedule with a 16-10 loss against North Carolina Central (Oct. 19) 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.
BEARS OPEN 125th SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 125th season of football and will open the 2024 campaign under third year head coach Damon Wilson.
RETURN MEN
The 2024 Morgan State Bears return 18 starters - 7 on offense, 8 on defense and 3 on special teams.
CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS
The Bears enter the 2024 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 2024 campaign with three of its first seven non-conference matchups coming on the road. MSU opens the season at Hampton (Aug. 31), followed by a game at Towson (Sept. 6) and Ohio (Sept.14). The Bears will host Virginia Lynchburg (Sept. 21), before traveling to face Stony Brook (Sept. 28). The Bears round out non-conference play when they host Lincoln (Pa.) (Oct. 5) and Merrimack (Oct. 12).
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.
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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.
