Media Center | MEAC Weekly Teleconference | MEAC Weekly Notes
NORFOLK, Va. – The game of the week is in Tallahassee, Fla. for Week 8 of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) football schedule, with conference undefeated North Carolina A&T State and Florida A&M squaring off in Bragg Memorial Stadium. Though the Rattlers are ineligible for the league title (and postseason play), the Aggies will hit the road looking to avenge last year’s loss to FAMU and continue their march toward a third straight title. In other action, South Carolina State head coach Buddy Pough will look to become the program’s all-time winningest coach as the Bulldogs celebrate Homecoming against Morgan State. Norfolk State will hit the road to face Bethune-Cookman for the first time since 2016, and Delaware State will be home for a non-conference match-up against Merrimack.
Morgan State Bears (1-5, 1-2) vs. South Carolina State Bulldogs (3-2, 1-1 MEAC)
Saturday, Oct. 19 • Bulldog Stadium • Orangeburg, S.C. • 1:30 p.m.
TV: MEAC Digital Network / ESPN3
Morgan State celebrated Homecoming with its first win of the season, 34-3 over Delaware State this past Saturday. The win was also the first for Bears head coach Tyrone Wheatley. Running back Josh Chase ran for 116 yards and two scores on 19 carries. After losing 42-38 to Florida A&M this past weekend, South Carolina State head coach Buddy Pough will look to make history and become the winningest coach in Bulldogs history, surpassing College Football and MEAC Hall of Famer Willie Jeffries. South Carolina State has won five of the last six meetings between the two schools, including 21-18 last season.
Merrimack Warriors (2-4, 0-0 NEC) vs. Delaware State Hornets (1-5, 0-4 MEAC)
Saturday, Oct. 19 • Alumni Stadium • Dover, Del. • 2 p.m.
TV: MEAC Digital Network / ESPN3
This will be the first meeting between the two schools, as Merrimack made the move up to Div. I coming into this season. Delaware State is coming off a 34-3 loss to Morgan State this past Saturday, and the Hornets will return home looking for their second win of 2019. Richard Harris ran for 151 yards on 21 carries against the Bears, and Brooks Parker led the defense with 12 tackles and a sack. This will be one of two non-conference games remaining on Delaware State’s schedule; the Hornets will close out the season on Nov. 23 against Saint Francis (Pa.).
Norfolk State Spartans (2-5, 1-2 MEAC) vs. Bethune-Cookman (5-1, 3-0 MEAC)
Saturday, Oct. 19 • Larry Kelly Field at Daytona Stadium • Daytona Beach, Fla. • 4 p.m.
TV: MEAC Digital Network / ESPN3
Norfolk State snapped a four-game losing streak with a 49-21 win over Howard this past Saturday. Quarterback Juwan Carter was named MEAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week for the second time season for his performance in the Spartans’ 49-21 win over Howard. Carter accounted for 433 yards of total offense, as well as a career-high and MEAC season-high six touchdowns. He completed 15 of 23 passes for 377 yards and four touchdowns, while adding eight carries for 56 yards and two scores. Bethune-Cookman won its fourth straight, 27-13 over North Carolina Central this past Thursday, and linebacker Marquis Hendrix was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week after leading the Wildcats in tackles with his second straight double-digit tackle game. He racked up a game-high 12 tackles (2.5 TFL) and a sack. Return specialist Jimmie Robinson was named MEAC Specialist of the Week after running back two kickoffs for 114 total yards, including a 79-yarder for a touchdown. He finished the game with 174 all-purpose yards, including 54 yards receiving and a touchdown. The Wildcats have won seven of the last nine meetings between the two schools, but they haven’t met since 2016, with Bethune-Cookman winning 21-14.
North Carolina A&T Aggies (4-1, 2-0 MEAC) vs. Florida A&M Rattlers (5-1, 3-0 MEAC)
Saturday, Oct. 19 • Bragg Memorial Stadium • Tallahassee, Fla. • 6 p.m.
TV: MEAC Digital Network / ESPN3
The two-time defending MEAC champion Aggies will be seeking revenge as they come off a bye week and travel to Tallahassee. According to Aggies coach Sam Washington, “revenge level will be a 15 [on a scale of one to 10]” after last season’s 22-21 loss to the Rattlers in Greensboro, N.C. Aggies running back Jah-Maine Martin leads the country in yards per carry and scoring, and he is second in the country in rushing yards and rushing yards per game. Through five games, Martin has 80 carries for 742 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging 9.3 yards per carry and 148.4 yards per game. FAMU quarterback Ryan Stanley was named MEAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season for his performance in the Rattlers’ 42-38 win over South Carolina State. Stanley completed 30 of 49 passes for a career-high 427 yards and three scores, including the game-winner to Kamari Young with 1:08 to play in regulation. Stanley broke Quinn Gray’s school record for passing yards and has now thrown for 7,779 yards during his time in Tallahassee. Xavier Smith had eight catches for 137 yards and two scores.