Akeem Green scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 100-yard fumble return in the fourth quarter of Delaware State’s 25-17 Homecoming win over Morgan State at Alumni Stadium Saturday. The Hornets won their fourth straight to improve to 6-1 overall and 5-0 in the MEAC.

Delaware State is tied with Norfolk State for first place in the MEAC standings. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Bears, who fell to 4-4 overall and 3-2 in league play.

Morgan State was leading 17-16 when halfback Courtney Anderson appeared headed for a two-yard touchdown run. Anderson coughed up the ball just short of the goal line, and Green scooped it up about seven yards into the end zone. He returned the fumble all the way down field for a touchdown to give Delaware State a 22-17 lead with 9:11 left in the fourth quarter. The Hornets failed on a two-point pass following the score. Delaware State’s Peter Gaertner tacked on a 43-yard field goal to close out the scoring with 4:09 left to play.

It was his fourth field goal of the game, tying the school record he set in 2005. Morgan State had two possessions after failing behind by eight points. The first possession ended when Mario Melton’s pass was intercepted by Delaware State’s Ryan Robinson at the DSU 43.

Morgan State could only advance to its own 38 on the game’s final possession. The Hornets scored first when Vashon Winton connected with Shaheer McBride on a seven-yard touchdown pass on the opening possession of the game. The touchdown drive covered just 15 yards after a 77-yard return by Brandon Hudson on the opening kickoff. Morgan State pulled to within 7-3 on a 36-yard field goal by James Meade with 2:40 left in the first quarter.

The Bears pulled ahead 10-7 when quarterback Mario Melton scored on a one-yard keeper with 9:53 left in the second quarter. The 10-play, 77-yard drive was highlighted by a 33-yard pass from Melton to Robert Surratt, and a roughing the kicker penalty against the Hornets on a missed field goal attempt.

DSU tied the scored on a 42-yard field goal by Gaertner with 3:02 left in the second quarter. After Delaware State took a 13-10 lead on a 45-yard field goal by Gaertner with 4:26 left in the third quarter, it didn’t take long for Morgan State to respond.

A 63-yard screen pass from Byron Selby to Devan James on a third-and-10 play gave Morgan State the ball at the DSU 4. Anderson ran the ball for a touchdown on the next play to give the Bears a 17-16 lead with 2:54 remaining in the third quarter.

Gaertner’s third field goal pulled the Hornets to within 17-16 on the final play of the third quarter. Morgan State chewed up 5-minutes-49 seconds on an 11-play, 64-yard drive before Anderson’s fumble set up Green’s heroics.

Kareem Jones rushed for 122 yards on 28 carries to lead the Delaware State offense. McBride’s touchdown catch was the 30th of his career, three behind the school record held by John Taylor (1982-85). Ron Spinner led the Hornets with 13 tackles, including three behind the line-of-scrimmage. Morgan State’s Gregory Onyuike led all players with 14 tackles, including seven solo stops.