BALTIMORE, Md. (Nov. 17, 2024) -- Coming into this game, Morgan State had everything to play for. A chance of at least a share of the MEAC championship.
Unfortunately for the Bears, those dreams were dashed as #23 South Carolina State came into Hughes Stadium and dominated them from wire to wire 54-7 this evening to clinch the MEAC Title & Celebration Bowl bid.
Justin Smith-Brown started things for the Bulldogs as he received a 31-yard touchdown pass from Eric Phoenix with 6:03 left in the first quarter. Kyle Gallegos extra point gave SCSU a 7-0 lead.
In the second quarter, the Bulldogs added to the score when Tyler Smith busted out an 86-yard touchdown run early in the frame. The extra point from Gallegos was no good. SCSU took a 13-0 lead with 13:12 remaining.
Close to a minute later, the Bulldogs' defense looked to contribute. Jarod Washington intercepted a Duce Taylor pass and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown. The two-point attempt failed and South Carolina State extended their lead to 19-0 with 12:36 left in the first half.
Ryan Stubblefield scored from 11 yards out about four minutes later ending a seven play, 59-yard drive for SCSU. Gallegos' kick gave the Bulldogs a 26-0 lead with 8:24 left.
Morgan (5-6, 2-2) got on the scoreboard on a Malique Leatherbury 11-yard touchdown run with 3:10 left in the first half. Sahr Gbundema's extra point made it 26-7.
The Bulldogs struck again 39 seconds before halftime when Stubblefield delivered a short six-yard touchdown pass to Caden High. Gallegos' extra point gave SCSU a 33-7 lead.
Stubblefield really got it going in the third quarter when he threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Keshawn Toney with 8:07 left. Gallegos' extra point extended the lead to 40-7.
Near the end of the third quarter, quarterback Dominique Anthony was picked off in the endzone by Diego Addison, who returned the ball 100-yards for a touchdown with 39 seconds left. The turnover not only shifted the momentum of the game but also set a new school record for the longest interception return. The extra point from Gallegos made it 47-7.
Deyandr Ruffin finished the scoring with a three-yard touchdown run with 9:02 left in the game. With the extra point by Gallegos, the lead increased to 54-7.
SCSU (8-2, 4-0) recorded 19 first downs with 430 total yards while holding MSU to nine first downs and 217 total yards.
Morgan resumes play next Saturday on Senior Day when the Bears host Howard at 1:30 p.m. inside Hughes Stadium. A win will guarantee the Bears a .500 record overall.
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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.
