Football | 8/29/2026 11:58:52 PM

NORFOLK, Va. – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opened the 2026 football season with a strong showing, highlighted by Howard’s 31-24 victory over Alabama A&M in the 20th Annual Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kick-Off in Atlanta.

The Bison’s win was part of an opening weekend that saw all six MEAC programs take the field. With the victory, Howard helped the league improve to 13-7 all-time in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge.

As a conference, the MEAC posted a 5-1 record over the weekend.

Scores Around the League
Thursday, Aug. 27
Delaware State def. Stony Brook (CAA), 41-34

Saturday, Aug. 29
Morgan State def. North Carolina A&T State (CAA), 17-7
Norfolk State def. Winston-Salem State (CIAA), 56-0
South Carolina State def. Savannah State (SIAC), 87-0
Texas Southern (SWAC) def. North Carolina Central, 42-30
Howard def. Alabama A&M (SWAC), 31-24

Weekend Roundup
Delaware State (1-0, 0-0 MEAC) – Box Score | Recap
Delaware State rallied late Thursday night, scoring on an 11-play, 80-yard drive in the final minutes to defeat Stony Brook 41-34 at Alumni Stadium. The Hornets built a 34-20 advantage before the Seawolves battled back to tie the game, setting the stage for Delaware State’s decisive 16-yard touchdown run with 1:54 remaining.

Ui Ale led the Hornets with 259 passing yards and a touchdown while adding 82 rushing yards and another score, while Jaylin Terzado hauled in six passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. Delaware State finished with 518 yards of total offense and forced one turnover without committing a giveaway in the season-opening victory.

Morgan State (1-0, 0-0 MEAC) – Box Score | Recap
Morgan State rallied from an early deficit Saturday night, leaning on a resilient defensive effort and timely offensive plays to earn a 17-7 victory over North Carolina A&T State at Truist Stadium.

The Bears trailed 7-3 at halftime before Cameron Edge connected with Joseph Towler on a 79-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to give Morgan State its first lead of the night. The defense came up with several key plays throughout the contest, including a blocked field goal by Dantonio Hackworth Jr. and a fourth-down sack by Kris Boyd late in the fourth quarter.

Jordan Barnett led the Bears with 114 rushing yards and added a 22-yard touchdown run in the final minutes to help seal the season-opening victory.

Norfolk State (1-0, 0-0 MEAC) – Box Score | Recap
Norfolk State opened the 2026 season in dominant fashion Saturday, shutting out Winston-Salem State 56-0 at William “Dick” Price Stadium. The Spartans scored on their opening possession and carried a 21-0 lead into halftime before adding 35 points after the break, finishing with 457 yards of total offense, including 306 on the ground.

Deljay Bailey completed 13-of-20 passes for 119 yards and three touchdowns while adding 56 rushing yards and another score, while Jaylin Daniels rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown.

Norfolk State’s defense held Winston-Salem State to just 106 total yards and forced three turnovers, including two fumbles and an interception, in the shutout victory.

South Carolina State (1-0, 0-0 MEAC) – Box Score | Recap
South Carolina State opened the season in record-setting fashion Saturday night, rolling past Savannah State 87-0 at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on Willie E. Jeffries Field.

The Bulldogs set a new school record for points scored in a game, surpassing the previous mark of 81 set in 1988 against Johnson C. Smith.

South Carolina State finished with 627 yards of total offense, including 423 on the ground, and held Savannah State to just 117 total yards while forcing four turnovers. Keely Watson threw for three touchdowns, while Josh Shaw rushed for three scores and Mason Pickett-Hicks added 95 rushing yards and a touchdown.

North Carolina Central (0-1, 0-0 MEAC) – Box Score | Recap
North Carolina Central jumped out to an early lead Saturday night but could not hold on, falling to Texas Southern 42-30 at W.W. Thorne Stadium.

Freshman quarterback Nelson Layne made an impressive collegiate debut, rushing for 116 yards and two touchdowns while adding 131 yards through the air, including a 10-yard touchdown pass to Connor Everett.

The Eagles led 24-14 at halftime before Texas Southern rallied in the second half, taking its first lead on a blocked punt and 34-yard return for a touchdown. Riley Daniels added three field goals for North Carolina Central, but the Tigers scored the final 14 points to secure the victory.

Howard (1-0, 0-0 MEAC) – Box Score | Recap
Howard opened the 2026 season with a 31-24 victory over Alabama A&M at Center Parc Stadium. The Bison built a 20-7 halftime lead before Alabama A&M rallied to take a 24-23 advantage early in the fourth quarter.

Howard answered with a 51-yard touchdown pass from Ja’Shawn Scroggins to Se’Quan Osborne with 2:41 remaining to secure the win. Scroggins finished with 322 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Matt Conord connected on all three of his field-goal attempts.

About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) enters its 56th year of intercollegiate competition with the 2026–27 academic year. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, the MEAC is comprised of eight distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) along the Atlantic seaboard: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, and South Carolina State University. Since its founding in 1970, the MEAC has been dedicated to promoting academic excellence, sportsmanship, and the personal growth of student athletes. For more information, visit www.MEACSports.com.