nsugm
35
Winner Morgan St. MSU 4-7 , 1-3
28
Norfolk St. NSU 1-10 , 0-4
Winner
Morgan St. MSU
4-7 , 1-3
35
Final
28
Norfolk St. NSU
1-10 , 0-4
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
MSU Morgan St. 14 7 0 14 35
NSU Norfolk St. 14 6 8 0 28

Game Recap: Football | | MSU Athletics Communications

Bears Break Through

Morgan State Tops Norfolk State 35–28

Postgame Notes

NORFOLK, Va. (Nov. 15, 2025) – Both Morgan State and Norfolk State entered Saturday's matchup still searching for their first conference win —setting the stage for a showdown loaded with urgency on both sidelines. In a game defined by momentum swings, special teams sparks, and clutch defensive plays, the Bears ultimately made the final push.

Morgan State held on late and walked away with a hard-earned 35–28 victory over the Spartans, improving to 4–7 overall and 1–3 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play. Norfolk State, meanwhile, fell to 1–10 and 0–4 in conference action, despite a persistent effort that kept the game tight from start to finish.

The Spartans outgained Morgan State 460–345, powered by a dominant rushing attack that produced 286 yards.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Raymond Moore III completed 16 of 22 passes for 183 yards and accounted for three touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing). Malique Leatherbury added a team-high six receptions for 60 yards. Randall Nauden, the reigning MEAC Rookie of the Week, ran for 87 yards on 22 carries, including a touchdown.

Defensively, Erick Hunter led the Bears with a season-high 12 tackles, including a tackle for loss and a touchdown return on special teams. Lance Byndon and Jianni Woodson-Brooks added eight tackles and a sack apiece. Aki Harvey and Hiroshi Carr each recorded interceptions for Morgan State.

Norfolk State quarterback Vinson Berry led the Spartans' offense, completing 17 of 31 passes for 174 yards, including two interceptions. Kevon King rushed for 164 of his game-high 189 yards in the first half on 14 carries and posted a touchdown, and Xzavion Evans added 15 carries for 107 yards. Wideout J.J. Evans finished with a game-high 98 yards on seven catches.

Morgan State's junior safety Aki Harvey set the tone early by jumping a route for his first interception of the year, returning it 48 yards to the Norfolk 1-yard line. Moments later, Randall Nauden powered in for the touchdown, giving the Bears a 7–0 lead with 10:29 remaining in the first quarter.

On Norfolk State's ensuing drive, Kevon King took a handoff and burst through the Bears' defense and took it the distance for a 79-yard touchdown. The Spartans tied the game at 7-7.

The Spartans got back on the scoreboard late in the first quarter. Vinson Berry connected with J.J. Evans for a big 23-yard gain over the middle, and on the very next play, he hit Cameron Thomas on a short pass that turned into an 18-yard touchdown. Marko Peery added the extra point to put the Spartans ahead 14–7.

Morgan State answered with an explosive special teams play as sophomore Dorian Harris ripped off a 75-yard kick return to the Norfolk 20-yard line. A facemask penalty moved the ball to the 8, and two plays later, redshirt freshman quarterback Raymond Moore III found tight end Josh Smith for the touchdown to knot the game at 14-14.

Moore was intercepted by Jalen Smith late in the second quarter, and the Spartans capitalized on the turnover. They marched down the field, highlighted by a 27-yard burst from Kevon King before he was brought down by Jadon Carter at the Morgan 36. A 14-yard completion to Kam'Ryn Thomas moved the ball to the 13, and the drive eventually concluded with a J.J. Evans touchdown grab from Perry — wrapping up a 10-play, 67-yard drive that lasted 4:09.

The extra point was blocked by freshman Rasheen Duncan, but Norfolk State still reclaimed the lead at 20–14 with 2:49 left in the half.

The Bears put together a good drive toward the end of the half, but had to settle for a 32-yard field goal attempt from Alex Amaya. His kick drifted wide left and left Norfolk time on the scoreboard.

The Spartans mounted a late first-half push, sparked by a 31-yard run from Kevon King, who stepped out of bounds at the Morgan 32 with seven seconds remaining. After a timeout, Norfolk completed a pass over the middle to Terique Miles and used their final timeout with two seconds left.

Marko Peery lined up for a 42-yard field goal, but Lance Byndon broke through to block the attempt. Erick Hunter scooped up the loose ball and sprinted down the sideline for a dramatic touchdown, giving the Bears a 21–20 lead and momentum heading into halftime.



Norfolk's first drive of the second half ended abruptly when Jadon Carter forced a fumble and Jianni Woodson-Brooks picked up the ball for a short return. Morgan threatened to capitalize after Dorian Harris ripped off a 23-yard run to the 1-yard line, but the drive stalled, and Alex Amaya's 33-yard field goal attempt struck the right upright and bounced out.

The Spartans responded with a powerful ground attack, marching right down the field on their next possession. Kevon King broke multiple tackles, and a facemask penalty pushed the ball to the Morgan 11. After a timeout with 21 seconds remaining, DreSean Kendrick entered at quarterback and kept it himself for the touchdown. Norfolk converted the two-point try on a pass from Perry to Kendrick, extending their lead.

Morgan Stateanswered again. Moore found Kennerly on a clutch fourth-down conversion to the Norfolk 20. Moments later, Moore was intercepted by Kaleb Joseph Broadbent, who returned it for a touchdown — but the play was wiped out by an offsides penalty on the Spartans, allowing the Bears to dodge a costly mistake. On the very next play, Moore delivered a 13-yard touchdown strike to Justin Perry. Amaya's extra point tied the game at 28–28 with 10:14 to play.

Leatherbury ignited the Bears with a 33-yard punt return to the Norfolk 42, and two Spartan personal fouls — one for playing without a helmet and another for unnecessary roughness — pushed the ball all the way to the 13-yard line with 7:45 left.

Morgan State capitalized as Moore found the end zone to reclaim the lead, and Sahr Gbundema added the extra point to make it 35–28.

With 4:56 remaining, the Bears' defense came up big on 3rd-and-19 from the Norfolk 23. Lance Bydon and Blanche Gold combined for a sack, and Donte Jenkins applied pressure on the following play to force a Spartan punt with 4:51 on the clock.

Morgan State then leaned on its ground game, bleeding the clock and ripping off a key run to all but seal the victory — securing their first conference win of the season.



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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.
 
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