Football | 9/26/2026 11:43:50 PM

NORFOLK, Va. – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) wrapped up Week 4 action Saturday with three teams earning victories, highlighted by Norfolk State’s 43-20 win over Chicago State.

No. 16/14 South Carolina State remained unbeaten with a 31-21 victory over Bethune-Cookman, while Delaware State rallied for a 33-28 win over Towson. North Carolina Central fell to East Carolina 42-9, while Howard opened the weekend with a 58-7 loss at Rutgers on Friday.

Scores Around the League
Friday, Sept. 25
Rutgers def. Howard, 58-7

Saturday, Sept. 26
East Carolina def. North Carolina Central, 42-9
Delaware State def. Towson, 33-28
No. 16/14 South Carolina State def. Bethune-Cookman, 31-21
Norfolk State def. Chicago State, 43-20

Weekend Roundup
South Carolina State (5-0, 0-0 MEAC) – Box Score
South Carolina State remained unbeaten Saturday, defeating Bethune-Cookman, 31-21, to improve to 5-0 on the season. The Bulldogs built a 24-7 halftime lead behind two touchdown passes from Keely Watson and 136 rushing yards from Mason Pickett-Hicks. Bethune-Cookman rallied in the third quarter to pull within three points, but Josh Shaw’s 1-yard touchdown run with 1:56 remaining sealed the victory for South Carolina State. Watson completed 15-of-21 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns, while the Bulldogs finished with 430 total yards.

Delaware State (3-2, 0-0 MEAC) – Box Score
Delaware State rallied for a 33-28 win over Towson on Saturday night, scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 42 seconds remaining on a six-yard run to cap an 11-play, 90-yard drive. Ui Ale led the Hornets with 71 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Jaylin Terzado hauled in eight passes for 82 yards. Andrew Harris recorded four tackles, 1.0 TFL, an interception and a fumble recovery, as Delaware State forced four turnovers and turned them into 13 points.

Norfolk State (3-2, 0-0 MEAC) – Box Score
Norfolk State pulled away from Chicago State, 43-20, Saturday to improve to 3-2 on the season. The Spartans scored 29 straight points after Chicago State took an early 7-0 lead, with DaJean Golmond accounting for two touchdowns and Jason Wonodi and Jalyn Daniels each adding rushing scores. Daniels rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, including a 95-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, while Golmond passed for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Wonodi added a 76-yard rushing touchdown as Norfolk State totaled 358 rushing yards and 623 yards of total offense.

North Carolina Central (2-3, 0-0 MEAC) – Box Score
North Carolina Central forced four turnovers Saturday afternoon, but East Carolina pulled away for a 42-9 victory. The Eagles recovered three fumbles and intercepted one pass, marking the second time this season they have forced four turnovers in a game. Zarion Walters forced and recovered a fumble on a sack, while Joshua Maxwell added an interception and Brandon Sanders forced and recovered a fumble at the one-yard line. North Carolina Central opened the game with a 39-yard field goal from Riley Daniels before ECU scored 35 unanswered points in the second quarter.

Howard (1-3, 0-0 MEAC) – Box Score
Howard fell to Rutgers 58-7 Friday night as the Scarlet Knights scored on five of their first six possessions. Eden James provided the Bison’s lone touchdown on a career-long 75-yard run, finishing with 116 rushing yards on seven carries. Rutgers finished with 534 total yards, including 266 on the ground and 268 through the air, while Howard was held to 184 total yards. Michael Grandy and Glen Vinson III led the Bison defense with eight tackles apiece.

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.