MSU vs USA
21
Morgan St. MSU 0-1 , 0-0
38
Winner South Alabama USA 1-0 , 0-0
Morgan St. MSU
0-1 , 0-0
21
Final
38
South Alabama USA
1-0 , 0-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
MSU Morgan St. 7 0 7 7 21
USA South Alabama 7 10 7 14 38

Game Recap: Football | | MSU Athletics Communications

Bears Drop Season Opener at South Alabama

Postgame Notes

MOBILE, Ala. (Aug. 30, 2025) – The Morgan State Bears opened their 2025 campaign on Saturday night in Mobile, Alabama, striking first with a touchdown on their opening drive to grab a 7-0 lead over Sun Belt opponent South Alabama. But the Jaguars quickly seized control, answering with 17 straight points to swing the momentum. Morgan State managed to find the end zone once more, but it wasn't enough to mount a comeback, as the Bears fell 38-21 at Hancock Whitney Stadium. The matchup marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

South Alabama (1-0) finished with 367 yards of total offense, while Morgan State tallied 340. The Jaguars posted 174 passing yards and 19 first downs, compared to the Bears' 159 passing yards and 17 first downs.
 
Morgan State's (0-1) offense was led by running back Jason Collins Jr., who rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Randall Nauden added 77 yards on the ground, capping his night with a late fourth-quarter score. In the passing game, Malique Leatherbury hauled in a team-high five receptions for 33 yards, while quarterback Kobe Muasau completed 14 of 22 attempts for 156 yards in just his second start at Morgan State. 

Defensively, the Bears were paced by linebacker Erick Hunter, who recorded 10 tackles. Arturo Mattocks and defensive lineman Blanche Gold each contributed eight stops.

South Alabama quarterback Bishop Davenport threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns on an efficient 12-of-14 passing. Kentrel Bullock paced the ground attack with a game-high 127 yards on 23 carries, finding the end zone twice. Devin Voisin led the receiving corps with seven catches for 69 yards, highlighted by a 31-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter.
 


 
Morgan State will open the home part of the schedule next Saturday, hosting Towson for the 'Battle for Greater Baltimore' at Hughes Stadium with a 7 p.m. start on ESPN+. 

Team Notes
• The Bears opened the fourth season of the Damon Wilson era of Morgan State Football on Saturday at South Alabama.
• The Bears and Jaguars met for the first time on Saturday.
• South Alabama is 12-1 against FCS opponents.

Offensive Notes
• QB Kobe Muasau made his second career start for the Bears. He also earned a start at home against Howard in last year's season finale.
• RB Jason Collins Jr. scored his first touchdown of the season on a 2-yard run to help give the Bears a 7-0 lead with 8:36 remaining in the first quarter.
• Collins rushed for 83 yards on 24 carries and scored two touchdowns.
• RB Randall Nauden had a 56-yard run in the 4th quarter and finished with 77 yards on 7 carries in his first collegiate game.
• WR Malique Leatherbury recorded five catches for 33 yards.
• TE Matt Lowe recorded two catches for 16 yards.

Defensive Notes
• LB Erick "E40" Hunter recorded a sack in the second quarter, his first of the season, and led the Bears with 10 tackles. He has eclipsed over 200 career tackles at Morgan State and currently has 206…moving him ahead of Choo Choo Davis (201) to No. 7 on the school's all-time tackles list.
• DL Blanche Gold recorded two tackles for loss and had eight tackles.
• S Jeremiah Wynn recorded four tackles along with Justin Mcilwain who also added four stops.
• S Jordan Johnson II was ejected from the game for targeting in the first half.
 
Special Team Notes
• P Shane Messenger punted the ball four times, averaging 36.5 yards per punt with a 42-yard long.
• PK Sahr Gbundema was a perfect 3-for-3 on PATs.
• RS Leatherbury added a 17-yard kickoff return.
• PK Alex Amaya averaged 57.3 yards per kickoff in his Morgan State debut.


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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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