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GAMEDAY
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GAME TIME
Morgan State (5-6, 2-2) gears up for a clash against Beltway rival Howard University on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Hughes Stadium. The Bears are entering the final stretch of the season with a palpable sense of optimism, poised to achieve a .500 record for the first time in years. Howard finds themselves in a challenging position as the season approaches its conclusion with a 4-7 overall record and a 1-3 mark in conference play. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Hughes Stadium and will mark 'Senior Day' for the Bears. The game will air on ESPN+ and 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 Emory "The Czar of the Playbook" Hunt. Cayla Sweazie is the sideline reporter.
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's matchup marks the 77th meeting between the two schools.
• Morgan leads the overall series 43-32-1 since 1931.
• In their last matchup, the Bison posted a 14-7 victory and claimed the MEAC crown against the Bears on Nov. 19, 2023 at Hughes Stadium.
• Morgan's last win against the Bison was a 28-24 victory at Hughes Stadium on Sept. 24, 2016.
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.
• Larry Scott is in his fourth season as Howard's head coach. The Sebring, Fla., native has spent a majority of his coaching career in the state of Florida, where he attended (1997-99) and coached (2006-12) at USF as well as Miami (2013-15) and most recently Florida (2018-2020). He played a pivotal role in guiding the Bison to a share of the 2022 MEAC Championship. He continued to elevate the team's performance, culminating in the Bison clinching the 2023 MEAC Championship and earning their first-ever Celebration Bowl appearance.
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.
• Last Saturday, #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. Morgan 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 Bears threw three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. Elijah Williams recorded 2.5 tackles for loss -- a broke the school record with 50.5 career tackles for loss.
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. 7 in passing yards allowed (160.6), No. 20 in total defense (315.3), T-No. 17 in fumbles recovered (9), No. 23 in red zone defense (.735), No. 14 in first downs defense (171), No. 46 in scoring defense (23.5), T-No. 6 in 4th down conversion pct. defense (.308), T-No. 40 in turnovers gained (16), and No. 9 in time of possession (32.3) . Nana Asante ranks T-No. 1 in blocked kicks (3) and Elijah Williams ranks T-No. 5 in sacks (11.0).
MOVING THE BALL
Through 11 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. 3 in the MEAC in 3rd Down Conversions (58%), and No. 4 in first downs (182; 16.5).
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 31 career sacks...and counting. Williams currently ranks T-No. 5 in the nation with 11.0 so far this season.
• In Week 11 vs. #23 South Carolina State,Williams etched his name into Morgan University's football history by breaking the longstanding school record for tackles for loss. The previous record, held by Jarrell Guyton, who achieved an impressive 49.5 tackles for loss from 2005 to 2008. Williams recorded 2.5 tackles for loss during the game, pushing his career total to an impressive 50.5.
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 BISON
• Howard finished the 2023 season with a 6-6 overall record and posted a 4-1 mark in MEAC play and captured the MEAC Title and played in the Celebration Bowl.
• Howard was picked to finish second in the MEAC Preseason Coaches Poll. Also, for the first time in recent history, Howard boasts the MEAC Preseason Players of the Year in graduate running back Jarett Hunter and graduate All-America safety Kenny Gallop Jr. Also named to the first team were junior RB Eden James, senior WR Kasey Hawthorne, senior OG Darius Fox, senior DL Jamel Stewart, and senior PK Dylan West.
• QB Ja'Shawn Scroggins ranks No. 3 in the league in passing (129.6 avg) and has completed 54% of his throws (115-215) for 1,166 yards and 8 TDs with 8 INTs ... he also ranks second on the team in rushing with 477 yards and three TDs.
• Last time out - Howard fell on the road at North Carolina Central (NCCU), 26-3, at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. Offensively, the Bison were unable to get into rhythm, recording only 121 yards of total offense. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Ja'Shawn Scroggins was under duress all night, enduring eight QBs and six sacks in the loss. Senior LB Terrance Hollon led the Bison with 10 total tackles (eight solos), a fumble recovery and QB hurry. Robert Jones III notched seven total tackles (six solos), an interception and blocked kick in the loss.
• RB Jarett Hunter ranks No. 4 in the MEAC in rushing with 743 yards on 159 carries, including five TDs ... he's currently averaging 4.7 yards per carry.
• S Kenny Gallop Jr. and DL Noah Miles are two of the top defenders in the conference. Gallop has 77 stops and a sack, including 6.0 tackles for loss. Miles ranks No. 4 in the league in tackles for loss (10.5) and No. 5 in sacks (7) .
• Howard ranks as the league leader in a number of statistical categories: No. 3 in total offense (320.6), No. 3 in rush offense (154.9), No. 3 in pass defense (176.4), and No. 3 in sacks (26).
• Howard has won the last six meetings against the Bears.
A LOOK AHEAD
As the 2024 season comes to a close, Morgan State football reflects on its journey and sets its sights on the promising horizon of the 2025 season.
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
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.
