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GAME TIME
Morgan State (5-5, 2-1) gears up for their pivotal clash against the conference leaders, South Carolina State, on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Hughes Stadium. The Bears are riding a wave of momentum, looking to extend their winning streak to three games and maintain their hopes for a coveted spot in the Celebration Bowl. The Bulldogs, boasting an impressive 7-2 record and a perfect 3-0 in conference play, find themselves on the brink of securing the MEAC title. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. at Hughes Stadium. The game will air on ESPN+ and will also be broadcast by WEAA, 88.9FM.
GAME COVERAGE
ESPN+ will air the game live. Lowell Galindo will call the play-by-play with color analyst Fozzy Whittaker. The broadcast will re-air via tape-delay on ESPNU. The broadcast will re-air via tape-delay on ESPNU at 11 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 16) and again at 5 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 17).
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 44th meeting between the two schools.
• SCSU leads the series against Morgan with an overall record of 34-8-1 since 1971.
• SCSU has won 13 of the last 16 meetings (2003-2023) against the Bears.
• In their last meeting on Nov. 11, The Bears beat the Bulldogs 20-17 by getting a 73-yard kick return for a touchdown touchdown by Jordan Toles in crunch time.
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.
• Chennis Berry (Savannah State, '94) was named head football coach at South Carolina State University on December 16th, 2023. The former Benedict College (Columbia, SC) head coach succeeded the iconic Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough, the winningest coach in Bulldog football history who retired as head football coach at the end of the 2023 season after 22 seasons at the helm and 151 wins.
QUICK HITS
• The 2024 Morgan State Bears are 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 QB Tahj Smith entered 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 also the team's third leading rusher, accumulating 159 yards on 4.1 average carries and scoring two TDs.
• 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 Treyvon Branch. (6-3, 290).
• DL Elijah Williams, is on the official watch list for the 2024 Black College Football Player of the Year Watchlist, 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... He recently broke Morgan's sack record and currently has 30 career sacks for his career.
• QB Duce Taylor threw a touchdown pass, and RB Jason Collins Jr. added a season-high 138 yards and a score to lead Morgan State to a 36-28 MEAC win over Delaware State on Saturday at Alumni Stadium. Taylor and Collins led a Bears offense that amassed 457 total yards, while the Hornets finished with 456 total yards. Taylor, who made his fourth start of the season, completed 17-of-28 passes for 218 yard.
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 T-No. 3 in blocked kicks (5), No. 8 in passing yards allowed (157.0), No. 14 in total defense (303.4), T-No. 16 in fumbles recovered (8), T-No. 13 in red zone defense (.700), T-No. 11 in first downs defense (151), No. 22 in scoring defense (20.5), T-No. 8 in 4th down conversion pct. defense (.308), T-No. 33 in turnovers gained (15), No. 13 in time of possession (32.0), and T-No.33 in fewest penalties per game (5.4). Nana Asante ranks T-No. 1 in blocked kicks (3) and Elijah Williams ranks T-No. 4 in sacks (9.5).
MOVING THE BALL
Through 10 games, the Bears had 12 drives of 10-plus plays, which ended with scores and resulted in a total of 68 points. The Bears also ranked No. 1 in the MEAC in 3rd Down Conversions (41%), and No. 4 in first downs (173; 17.3).
AGENT ZERO
Elijah Williams once again proved why he's a force to be reckoned with on the field. In the overtime thriller against Norfolk State, the senior collected a game-high seven tackles in the trenches and finished with two tackles for loss. Notably, "Agent Zero" made headlines by breaking Morgan's school sack record during an intense overtime sequence, securing a pivotal sack that cemented his legacy within the program ... he currently has 30 career sacks...and counting. Williams currently ranks T-No. 4 in the nation with 9.5 so far this season.
BEARS IN OT
• The Bears are 9-7 all-time in overtime games since the NCAA instituted the rule in 1996.
• MSU's last overtime contest was on Nov. 2, 2024 during a conference 38-37 OT win against Norfolk State at Hill Field House.
• It marked the Bears' first overtime win since defeating Sacred Heart 30-27 on Sept. 1, 2012.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
• South Carolina State finished the 2023 season with a 5-6 overall record and posted a 3-2 mark in MEAC play and went 2-3 on the road.
• SCSU was picked to finish fourth in the MEAC Preseason Coaches Poll. Seven Bulldogs earned recognition on the 2024 Preseason All-MEAC First Team. OL Nick Taiste, OL Cam Johnson, WR Justin Smith Brown, TE Keshawn Toney, B Aaron Smith, DB Jamare Benjamin. The Bears also had RS Einaj Carter selected to the Second Team.
• The Bulldogs boast a six-game win streak and maintain control of the top spot in the MEAC standings.
• QB Eric Phoenix ranks No. 1 in the league in passing (263.9 avg) and has completed 64% of his throws (160-250; No. 8 in FCS) for 2,375 yards (No. 12 in FCS), a league high 19 TDs (T-No. 15 FCS) with seven INTs ... he also ranks third on the team in rushing with 215 yards and two TDs.
• Last time out - The Bulldogs improved to 3-0 in MEAC play after knocking off the defending MEAC Champion Howard Bison in impressive fashion on the road, 38-14, inside Green Stadium. On the offensive side of the ball Bulldogs speed too much for Howard throughout the game with QB Eric Phoenix danced away from Bison defenders to rush for 27 yards in addition to a 16-of-26, 272-yard, three-touchdown passing day. SCSU recorded six sacks and intercepted four Howard passes, two by Kwantre Harry and one a 47-yard return for a touchdown by Jarod Washington.
• Junior RB Deondra Duehart ranks No. 6 in the MEAC in rushing with 467 yards on 113 carries, including seven TDs ... he's currently averaging 4.1 yards per carry.
• Graduate student LB Aaron Smith and junior DL Ashaad Hall are two of the top defenders in the conference. Smith has 56 stops and a sack, including 6.0 tackles for loss. Hall ranks No. 1 in the league in sacks (11) and tackles for loss (13) .
• SCSU ranks as the league leader in a number of statistical categories: No. 1 in total offense (416.7), No. 1 in rush defense (109.0), No. 1 in pass offense (283.1), and No. 1 in sacks (32).
• Chennis Berry was an offensive coordinator at Morgan State under head coach Donald Hill-Eley (2006-08).
A LOOK AHEAD
Morgan return to Baltimore to host the Howard Bison on Saturday, Nov. 23 in the regular season finale. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Hughes Stadium and will mark Senior Day for the Bears. The game 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.
• Follow us on social media:
Facebook: /MorganStateBears
Twitter: @MorganStBears
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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.
