Football | 9/25/2025 5:30:53 PM
The MEAC enters Week 5 of non-conference play with another full weekend of regional matchups and key rivalry games.
Delaware State looks to extend its early-season success as the Hornets travel to Connecticut to take on Sacred Heart, seeking their fourth straight win. The Norfolk State Spartans head north to Staten Island to face Wagner, while Howard travels two hours south to take on Richmond following a dominant 34-7 win over Hampton in Week 4.
Morgan State aims to build on its momentum after picking up its first win over Central State, as the Bears travel to Lucas Oil Stadium, to battle SIAC opponent Miles College. South Carolina State will wrap up its two-game road stretch as they face Charleston Southern in Charleston, S.C., while the weekend concludes in Commerce, Texas, where North Carolina Central, riding high off a 62-20 win over North Carolina A&T in the Aggie-Eagle Classic, travels to take on East Texas A&M.
WEEKLY NOTES | COACHES CONFERENCE
Here is a glimpse at this week’s contests.
Delaware State Hornets (3-1, 0-0 MEAC) at Sacred Heart Pioneers (3-1)
Saturday, September 27 | Campus Field | Fairfield, CT| 12:00 P.M.
TV: Live Stats
Delaware State heads north this week to face Sacred Heart in the second contest of their three-game road stretch, as the Hornets look to extend their winning streak to four games in the early stages of the season. The Hornets stayed true to their ground-heavy identity in last week’s victory over Saint Francis, rushing for 299 yards. Three Delaware State running backs eclipsed the 60-yard mark, led by James Jones, who recorded 111 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Sacred Heart enters the matchup coming off a win over Norfolk State, in which the Pioneers leaned on their rushing attack. Despite being limited to just 95 passing yards, Sacred Heart totaled 300 yards on the ground, highlighted by freshman running back Mitchell Summers’ 122-yard performance. This will mark just the third meeting between the two programs. Each team owns one victory in the series, with Delaware State claiming the most recent matchup, a 17-15 decision in 2024.
Norfolk State Spartans (1-3, 0-0 MEAC) at Wagner Seahawks (0-4, 0-0 NEC)
Saturday, September 27 | Hameline Field | Staten Island, NY | 12:00 P.M.
TV: NEC Network| Live Stats
Norfolk State travels to Staten Island this week looking to bounce back from a narrow 31-28 loss to Sacred Heart in Week 4. The Spartans mounted a late fourth quarter rally but came up just short, missing a potential game-tying field goal in the closing moments. Quarterback Otto Kuhns led the way with a standout performance, throwing for 340 yards on 27 completions. On the ground, Kevon King and X’zavion Evans added balance to the Spartans’ attack with 72 and 60 rushing yards, respectively. Wagner, still seeking its first win of the season, returns home after a 49-10 setback at Central Michigan. The Seahawks have struggled offensively to open the year, averaging just 12 points per game while allowing nearly 37 per contest. Saturday’s noon kickoff at Hameline Field marks the first-ever meeting between Norfolk State and Wagner.
Howard Bison (3-1, 0-0 MEAC) at Richmond Spiders (2-2, 0-0 Patriot League)
Saturday, September 27 | Robins Stadium| Richmond, VA| 2:00 P.M.
TV: ESPN+| Live Stats
Howard looks to build on the momentum from its Week 4 victory, a dominant 34-7 win over Hampton that earned the Bison College Football FCS Team of the Week honors. Graduate quarterback Tyriq Starks paced Howard with an efficient 12-for-15 performance through the air for 165 yards, while the Bison controlled the ground game with 289 rushing yards. Travis Kerney led the way with 117 yards, helping Howard snap an eight-game skid to the Pirates and secure their first win in the rivalry since 2014. This week, the Bison travel south to face Richmond, which sits at 2-2 following a convincing 38-14 victory over VMI. The Spiders’ backfield tandem of Jamaal Brown and Andrew King powered the win, with Brown setting a career high of 153 yards on 14 carries and while King added 100 yards of his own. Richmond holds a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series, with the most recent meeting in 2021 resulting in a 38-14 Spider victory.
Morgan State Bears (1-3, 0-0 MEAC) vs Miles College Golden Bears (0-4, 0-0 SIAC)
Saturday, September 27 | Lucas Oil Stadium| Indianapolis, Ind.| 3:00 P.M.
Live Stats
Morgan State heads to Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, to face SIAC foe Miles College in the annual Circle City Classic. The Bears enter the matchup fresh off their first win of the season, a 27-0 shutout of Central State in Week 4. Morgan State put together a balanced effort in the victory, throwing for 165 yards while rushing for 163. Graduate quarterback Kobe Muasau led the way with 156 passing yards, marking his third game this season with 150 or more yards through the air. On the year, Muasau has completed passes at an efficient 66.9 percent clip. Miles College, still seeking its first win of the season, comes into the contest with defensive struggles, ranking last in the SIAC by allowing 43 points per game. The Golden Bears will look to contain Muasau and slow down a Morgan State offense that appears to be finding its rhythm. Saturday’s 3 p.m. kickoff will mark the first-ever meeting between Morgan State and Miles College.
South Carolina State Bulldogs (2-2, 0-0 MEAC) at Charleston Southern Buccaneers (0-4, 0-0 OVC-Big South)
Saturday, September 27 | Buccaneer Field | Charleston, S.C | 6:00 P.M.
TV: ESPN+ | Live Stats
South Carolina State will wrap up its two-game road stretch this week with an in-state matchup against Charleston Southern, following a 63-14 setback to South Florida. Despite the loss, the Bulldogs remain third in the conference offensively, averaging 24 points per contest. Quarterback William Atkins IV continued his steady play against the Bulls, throwing for 151 yards on 64.3 percent passing, marking his third 100-yard outing of the season. Charleston Southern enters the contest still in search of its first win at 0-4, coming off a 34-7 loss to William & Mary in which the Buccaneers’ defense surrendered 296 passing yards and 164 rushing yards. The Bulldogs and Buccaneers last met in 1999, with South Carolina State holding an 8-0 advantage in the all-time series. The Bulldogs will make the short trip to Charleston before returning home for their Homecoming matchup against Savannah State on Oct. 4.
North Carolina Central Eagles (3-2, 0-0 MEAC) at East Texas A&M Lions (0-3, 0-0 SLC)
Saturday, September 27 |Memorial Stadium | Commerce, TX | 7:00 P.M.
TV: ESPN+ | Live Stats
North Carolina Central hits the road this weekend to face East Texas A&M at Memorial Stadium, coming off a dominant 62-20 victory over North Carolina A&T in the Aggie-Eagle Classic. Quarterback Walker Harris led the Eagles with a stellar performance, throwing for 380 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Chris Mosley added 168 yards and three scores on the ground. Harris has been in rhythm over the past two games, averaging 383.5 passing yards on 70 percent completions. Both Harris and Mosley earned national recognition for their efforts last week, with Mosley being named the Stats Perform HBCU National Player of the Week and Harris earning Boxtorow HBCU National Player of the Week honors. East Texas A&M, meanwhile, has struggled in the early stages of the season, allowing 50 points per contest. The Lions will look to match the Eagles’ high-powered offense behind quarterback Eric Rodriguez, who passed for 229 yards and two touchdowns on 23-of-33 completions in a loss to Grambling. Saturday marks the second contest of a three-game road stretch for the Eagles and the first-ever meeting between the two programs.