MSU Ready to Welcome Norfolk State for Conference Clash

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GAME TIME

Morgan State (5-5, 0-3) will look to snap a four-game skid when they host the Norfolk State Spartans (4-6, 0-3) on Saturday, Nov. 14. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Hughes Stadium and will be broadcast live on ESPN+, with radio coverage on WEAA 88.9 FM. The game will mark Military & First Responder Appreciation / Senior Day for the Bears.

GAME COVERAGE

ESPN+ (online) Click Here | Phil Schoener will call the play-by-play with color analyst Emory "The Czar of the Playbook" Hunt . Cayla Sweazie will be the sideline reporter.

RADIO: WEAA, 88.9 FM, is the flagship station for the Morgan State Bears ... Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with Renard Stubbs in the booth. The game will be broadcast live on 88.9 FM and streamed on WEAA.org, HSRN.com, and SiriusXM 386 and 988 on the SiriusXMmobile app.

Website: www.morganstatebears.com

THE SERIES

• Saturday will mark the 48th meeting between the two schools.

• Norfolk State leads the series against Morgan State with an overall record of 23-14 since 1965.

• The Bears have won 3 of the last 4 meetings since 2022, including a current string of 3 straight (2023-2025).

• In their last meeting on Nov. 15, 2025, Morgan State held on late and walked away with a hard-earned 35–28 victory over the Spartans, despite a persistent effort that kept the game tight from start to finish.

THE COACHES

• Damon Wilson enters his 5th season as Morgan's head coach. He previously spent 13 seasons as the head coach at Bowie State University, where he achieved three straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference championships.

• Michael Vick enters his second season as Norfolk State University's head football coach in 2025. He was hired on Dec. 20, 2024. A four-time Pro Bowl selection and former No. 1 overall NFL draft pick, Vick was named NSU's 19th head football coach. Vick spent 13 seasons in the NFL. The Newport News, Va., native played six years for the Atlanta Falcons and five years for the Philadelphia Eagles before his final stints with the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers.

THE 2026 SCHEDULE

Morgan State will open the 2026 regular season with back-to-back road contests, beginning with a CAA matchup at North Carolina A&T on Aug. 29, followed by an FBS showdown at Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., on Sept. 5. The Bears return home for their home opener against Virginia University of Lynchburg on Sept. 12, before welcoming Robert Morris for Homecoming on Oct. 10. Morgan State will then open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play at home against longtime rival Howard.

QUICK HITS

• The 2026 Morgan State Bears are under the leadership of fifth-year head coach Damon Wilson. Wilson, the 24th coach in school history, previously served 13 seasons as the head football coach at Bowie State. There, he won three straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference championships in 2021, 2019, and 2018; five NCAA playoff berths; and three CIAA Coach of the Year honors.

• Cameron Edge (6-2, 230) was named the starting quarterback for Morgan State, head coach Damon Wilson announced at the conclusion of preseason camp. The competition behind Edge remains ongoing, with Ade Olanegan (6-1, 210) currently listed as the No. 2 quarterback. Tahj Smith (6-1, 200), Raeden Oliver (6-3, 195), Howard Kennedy III (6-1, 204) and Timothy Cole II (5-10, 185) also remain in the mix as the Bears continue to develop depth at the position.

• The Bears have already passed their 2025 win total, after finishing 4-8 overall and 1-4 in MEAC play last year.

• As a result of last Saturday's 24-14 loss against Delaware State, Morgan State dropped its fourth straight loss and fell to 5-5 overall and 0-3 in the MEAC.

• Edge directed the Bears' offense in his 10th career start for Morgan State against DSU, completing 19 of 31 passes for 136 yards and a pick...he was sacked twice.

• The Bears were held to 55 yards on 24 carries versus DSU.

• Justin Perry leads the MEAC with 578 yards on 37 receptions, including three TDs...Joseph Towler ranks No. 4 with 29 catches for 534 yards and leads the league with 6 TD catches.

• Jenkins Jr. had a 95-yard touchdown return against Towson and finished the night by accounting for 213 all-purpose yards. He currently leads the MEAC, averaging 23.9 yards on 27 kick returns.

• Through 10 games, Donovan Moyer ranks No. 3 in the league with 6.5 sacks, and ranks No. 4 in tackles for loss (10.5).

• Morgan has 21 OL listed on the roster and will be led by veterans Adorain Favors (6-7, 300), Alec Washington (6-4, 325), and Daniel Casillas Jr. (6-2, 315).

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS

• Norfolk State finished the 2025 season with a 1-11 overall record and posted a 0-5 mark in MEAC play.

• Norfolk State was selected fifth in the MEAC's preseason predicted order of finish. Nine (9) Spartans earned recognition on the 2026 Preseason All-MEAC Team. Two Spartans landed on the All-MEAC Preseason First Team: offensive lineman Ryan Nolan and defensive lineman Jaylen Williams . Seven were named to the Preseason All-MEAC Second Team, including center Jack Smoot , offensive lineman Tyler Leinberge r, defensive lineman Miguel Rijo , linebacker Kaleb Broadbent , defensive backs Nasir Bashir and Stephon Hall , and kicker Jake Walker .

• Norfolk State's QB rotation features Deljay Bailey , a redshirt junior transfer from Itawamba Community College, and freshman Da'Jean Golmond . Bailey has thrown for 884 yards and six touchdowns. Through eight games, he has completed 86 of 128 passes (67%), six interceptions, and is averaging 110.5 yards per game. He also led the Spartans with 754 yards on 141 carries, including six TDs. Golmond has also been productive. He has completed 62% (103-166) of his passes for 1,226 yards and eight TDs, including five interceptions in 10 games.

• Last time out - Marco Peery's 37-yard field goal attempt with four seconds left sailed wide, and Norfolk State lost 29-28 to North Carolina Central on Saturday at William "Dick" Price Stadium after leading by 11 points in the fourth quarter. Deljay Bailey made his first start since September and completed 22 of 26 passes for 278 yards and two TDs.

• Jalyn Daniels ranks No. 3 in the MEAC in rushing with 754 yards on 141 carries and six touchdowns. RB Ravon Moore Jr. has added 318 yards on 81 carries, including a pair of TDs.

• LB Brenden Thompson and LB Rontravious Perry anchor the Spartans' defense. Thompson ranks No. 9 in the MEAC with 65 tackles (34 solo) and has 8.5 TFL and 4.5 sacks. Perry ranks No. 10 in the conference with 46 tackles (35 solo) and has 6.5 TFL and two sacks.

• NSU ranks among the league leaders in several statistical categories: No. 2 in scoring offense (31.5), No. 2 in scoring defense (25.1), No. 2 in total offense (388.5), No. 2 in rush defense (112.2), No. 1 in interceptions (13), and No. 2 in sacks (26).

PRESEASON PICKED FOURTH

Morgan State was picked to finish fourth (4th) in the MEAC standings, according to the poll of the conference head coaches and sports information directors. Returning MEAC champion South Carolina State has been picked to win the MEAC Football Championship as the Bulldogs topped the league's annual preseason poll for 2026. North Carolina Central was tabbed to place 2nd.

PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS

The Bears placed nine student-athletes on the 2026 Preseason All-MEAC Team, as selected by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors.

• Leading the way were three first-team selections: tight end Alex Simmons, linebacker Arturo Mattocks, and defensive back Aki Harvey.

• The Bears also had five second-team honorees, including running back Keith Jenkins Jr., wide receiver Justin Perry, defensive lineman Justin Dutton, defensive lineman Kristopher Boyd, punter Shane Messenger, and return specialist Malique Leatherbury.

BEARS OPEN 51st SEASON IN MEAC

The Bears will open their 51st season in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) when they host Howard for the conference opener on Oct. 24.

• The Bears opened the 2025 MEAC schedule with a 33-27 loss at Howard (Oct. 25) at Greene Stadium.

• The Bears kicked off their first season in the MEAC in 1971. Morgan State withdrew from the conference at the end of the 1979- 80 fiscal year, before returning to the MEAC in 1984.

MSU IN THE CIAA

Morgan State was a power as a former member of the CIAA. The Bears posted 173 wins between 1929 and 1959 when Edward P. Hurt was the head coach, and the Bears won 14 CIAA championships. Earl Banks added to the championship collection by winning four titles during the 1960s.

MSU LEGEND EARL BANKS

Earl "Papa Bear" Banks

was a legendary head coach at Morgan State University,

• In 1960, Banks took over the head coaching position at Morgan State from 2011 Trailblazer Award winner, Edward Hurt .

• In his 14 seasons as head coach, he would lead the Bears to six CIAA titles, one CIAA Northern Division championship, and one Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title. Banks had an overall record of 96-31-2 after he retired from coaching in 1973 and produced three undefeated seasons from 1965 through 1967.

• He guided Morgan State to four bowl games, winning the 1965 Orange Blossom Classic and the 1966 Tangerine Bowl.• He was named the American Football Coaches Association's recipient of the 2018 Trailblazer Award. The award was presented posthumously at the 2019 AFCA Convention in San Antonio, Texas.

BEARS OPEN 127th SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898

MSU enters its 127th season of football and will open the 2026 campaign under five-year head coach Damon Wilson.

RETURN MEN

The 2026 Morgan State Bears return 15 starters - 4 on offense, 6 on defense, and 5 on special teams.

CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS

The Bears enter the 2026 season looking to post their first winning season since going 6-5 in 2009. MSU's 7-6 record in 2014 was vacated.

NON-CONFERENCE PLAY

The Bears will open the 2026 campaign with seven non-conference contests, including four road games. Morgan State begins the season at North Carolina A&T on Aug. 29 before traveling to Arizona State on Sept. 5. The Bears return to Hughes Stadium for their home opener against Virginia University of Lynchburg on Sept. 12, then head back on the road to face Towson on Sept. 19 and Villanova on Oct. 3. Morgan State returns home for Homecoming against Robert Morris on Oct. 10 before wrapping up its non-conference slate against Tennessee State at Nissan Stadium on Oct. 17.

FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE

There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:

• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official website of Bear athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios, and more.

• Follow us on social media:

Facebook: /MorganStateBears

Twitter: @MorganStBears

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ABOUT MORGAN

Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 baccalaureate, master's degree, doctorate, and certificate programs. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.

MSU Ready to Welcome Norfolk State for Conference Clash

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