NORFOLK, Va., Sept. 15, 2023 – Five Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) programs will be in action this weekend, the third full week of the 2023 season. Defending conference and Cricket Celebration Bowl champion North Carolina Central highlights the slate, traveling across the country to face No. 24 UCLA.
Here is a look at this week’s contests.
Norfolk State Spartans (1-1, 0-0 MEAC) vs. Temple Owls (1-1, 0-0 AAC)
Saturday, Sept. 16 ? Lincoln Financial Field ? Philadelphia, Pa. ? 2 p.m.
TV: ESPN+ ? Live Stats
Norfolk State bounced back in a big way last weekend, defeating rival Hampton 31-23 in the Battle of the Bay behind three touchdown asses from quarterback Otto Kuhns (the MEAC Offensive Player of the Week), and the Spartans leave the Commonwealth of Virginia for the first time in 2023 this weekend for an FBS match-up against Temple. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams, and the Owls come into the match-up after a 36-7 loss at Rutgers. Temple is in its second season under head coach Stan Drayton, and the Owls are coming off a 2022 season that saw them go 3-9 (1-7 in league play).
Hampton Pirates (1-1, 0-0 CAA) vs. Howard Bison (1-1, 0-0 MEAC)
Truth & Service Classic
Saturday, Sept. 16 ? Audi Field ? Washington, D.C. ? 3:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN+ live / ESPNU tape-delay at 11 p.m. ? Live Stats
The Battle for the Real HU is once again the Truth & Service Classic at Audi Field this weekend, and the Bison are looking to build on momentum from their 65-19 win over Morehouse this past weekend. Howard got three touchdown passes from Quinton Williams and six total rushing scores including two each from Kasey Hawthorne and Jarett Hunter). Hampton, in its fourth season under head coach Robert Prunty, fell 31-23 to Norfolk State this past weekend to drop to 1-1 on the season. Hampton leads the all-time series 53-42-1 and has won the last six meetings, including a 31-28 defeat of the Bison last season.
Delaware State Hornets (0-2, 0-0 MEAC) vs. Richmond Spiders (0-2, 0-0 CAA)
Saturday, Sept. 16 ? Robins Stadium ? Richmond, Va. ? 3:30 p.m.
TV: FloFootball ? Live Stats
Both Delaware State and Richmond come into this weekend’s match-up looking for their first win of the season; the Hornets fell 57-0 to Army last Saturday, while the Spiders were on the road for a 45-14 loss to Michigan State. Delaware State, in its first season under head coach Lee Hull, is looking to become the second MEAC program to defeat Richmond in 2023; on Sept. 2, Morgan State opened the season with a 17-10 victory over the Spiders. Richmond is in its seventh season under head coach Russ Heusman, and the Spiders are coming off a 2022 season that saw them advance to the second round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
No. 17/17 North Carolina Central (2-0, 0-0 MEAC) vs. No. 24/25 UCLA Bruins (2-0, 0-0 Pac-12)
Saturday, Sept. 16 ? Rose Bowl ? Los Angeles, Calif. ? 5 p.m. ET
TV: Pac-12 Network
A meeting between a ranked FCS program and a ranked FBS program will see North Carolina Central travel across the country to square off against UCLA on Saturday for the Black Excellence Game at the Rose Bowl. The Eagles are coming off a 30-16 win over rival North Carolina A&T State, holding the Aggies, scoreless in the second half, while the Bruins defeated San Diego State 35-10 last weekend. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams, and the first time UCLA is taking on a MEAC program on the football field. The Bruins are in their sixth season under head coach Chip Kelly.
Towson Tigers (0-2, 0-0 CAA) vs. Morgan State (1-1, 0-0 MEAC)
Saturday, Sept. 16 ? Hughes Stadium ? Baltimore, Md. ? 6 p.m.
TV: ESPN+ ? Live Stats
Morgan State comes home for the first time in 2023 this weekend, looking to bounce back after a narrow, 24-21 loss at Akron this past Saturday. The Bears welcome crosstown rival Towson to Hughes Stadium for the Battle for Greater Baltimore, and the Tigers will be looking for their first win of the season after a 42-23 loss to Monmouth this past weekend. Towson leads the all-time series against Morgan State 21-6, and the Tigers have won nine of the last 10 meetings (the Bears’ last win over Towson came in 2009). The Tigers are in their first season under head coach Pete Shinnick, son of former Colts linebacker Don Shinnick, who won a Div. II national championship in 2019 with West Florida.