WASHINGTON - A lot will be on the line when Howard University hosts Beltway rival Morgan State on Saturday in Greene Stadium.  The game will kick off at 1 pm and will air on ESPN+ and on the Howard University Sports Radio Network.


Here's the scenario: If Howard wins, they will win the MEAC Championship outright and earn its first-ever bid to the Cricket Celebration Bowl. If the Bison lose and NCCU wins, they will end up in a tie with Morgan State but NCCU would win the MEAC title because they defeated the Bears in head-to-head competition. If Morgan defeats Howard and NCCU loses to Delaware State, the Bears will win the MEAC  title.


The Bears (4-5 overall, 3-1 in the MEAC) are coming off a 20-17 road win over South Carolina State over last week.  The Bison (5-5 overall, 3-1 in the MEAC) defeated then No. 7 NCCU 50-20 last week at home.


GAME:  Morgan State University at Howard University
DATE: Saturday, November 18
TIME: 1 pm

EVENT: Senior Day | Faculty and Staff Appreciation | Blue Out

ON THE AIRWAVES: The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and on the Howard University Sports Network with Trevin Jones handling play by play, Nathaniel Henry color commentary and Surayah Rudd with sideline reporting.

THE COACHES: Morgan State is coached by Damon Wilson (Bowie State, '98), who is in his 2nd season there.  Howard is led by Larry Scott (USF, 2005), who is his fourth season with the Bison.

SERIES RECORD: Howard defeated Morgan State 35-6 last season in Baltimore to win the 2022 MEAC Championship and has won five in a row to lead the series, 7-5, since 2016. The Bears last won, 28-24 at home in 2016.

What The Coaches Are Saying:

MSU COACH 
Damon Wilson:

"It is going to be a very physical game. Howard is a very good football team with a lot of balance.  It is good to see Howard and Morgan in the MEAC championship conversation in November."

HOWARD COACH
Larry Scott: 
"We are very excited about the opportunity. You have two good programs that are just a few miles apart and many of the players know each other and have played with or against each other. It is going to be a very exciting game with a lot on the line."

THE KEY PLAYERS:

MORGAN STATE:  The Bears are led by sophomore QB Domonique Anthony (55 of 104, 524 yards, 3 TDs), red-shirt junior running back J.J. Davis (104 carries, 510 yards, 2 TDs), junior RB Myles Miree (46 carries, 129 yards, 1 TD)  senior running backs Jabriel Johnson (52 carries, 190 yards, 1 TD), junior wide receiver Demier Shipley (14 receptions, 146 yards, 1TD) and senior wide receivers Treveyon Pratt (24 receptions, 329 yards, 2 TDs) and Anthony James (16 receptions, 138 yards, 1 TD).
The tough MSU defense is led by graduate linebacker Noah Washington (14 solos, 14 assists, a sack, a tackle for a loss and 3 fumble recoveries), junior linebacker Erick Hunter (40 solos, 24 assists, 8.5 tackles for a loss, 3.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 6 QB hurries) junior defensive lineman Elijah Williams (29 solos, 17 assists, 10.0 tackles for a loss, 6.0 sacks and 2 forced fumbles) and senior defensive back Jordan Toles (28 solos, 24 assists, 2.5 tackles for a loss, 3 interceptions)


 

HOWARD UNIVERSITY: The balanced Bison attack is led by graduate running back Ian Wheeler (45 carries, 376 yards, 2 TDs), senior running back Kasey Hawthorne (21 carries, 179 yards, 4 TDs; 31 receptions, 452 yards, 3 TDs, 2 of passing, a TD), senior running back Jarett Hunter (113 carries, 494 yards, 7 TDs; 22 receptions, 247 yards, 2 TDs), sophomore running back Eden James (83 carries, 482 yards, 2 TDs; 13 receptions, 169 yards, a TD)), graduate quarterback Quinton Williams (166 of 276, 2,015 yards, 16 TDs), red-shirt freshman wide receiver Breylin Smith (20 receptions, 209 yards, 2 TDs) and junior wide receiver Richie Ilarraza (27 receptions, 272 yards).

Defensively, graduate linebacker Christian White (30 solos, 14 assists, 4.5 sacks and 4 pass breakups), senior All-American candidate safety Kenny Gallop, Jr. (31 solos, 19 assists, 4.0 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, a fumble recovery, 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions), senior safety Carson Hinton (34 solos, 13 assists, 3.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks), junior LB Terrence Hollon (40 solos,17 assists, team-leading 5.5 tackles for losses 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble), senior DB Ray Williams (32 solos, 9 assists,  2 interceptions), graduate defensive back Clayton Perrin (24 solos, 3 assists, 2.0 tackles for losses, a sack, an interception, 4 pass breakups, a forced fumble), graduate Darrian Brokenburr (18 solos, 7 assists, 6 tackles for a loss, 4 sacks and a fumble recovery) and junior cornerback Robert Jones III (16 solos, 3 assists, 1 tackles for a loss, 5 pass breakups) have combined to become a force.

MEAC STATISTICAL TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL LEADERS:

The Bears lead the MEAC in scoring defense (22.2. points per game), total defense (300.3 yards per game), rushing defense (115.8 yards per game), interceptions (11) and in 4th down conversion, MSU ranks second in Red Zone defense and with sacks (21). Individually Davis ranks 6th in rushing and 10th in total offense and all-purpose yards. Pratt is 5th in receiving, and Anthony is 5th in total offense.  Special teams' sophomore defensive back Keith Jenkins ranks 3rd in kick returns, red-shirt junior Kwincy Hall is second in punt returns, and junior placekicker Beckett Leary is 4th in field goals.

The Bison rank 1st in total offense (383.9 yards per game), in 3rd down conversions (48 percent) in passing yards allowed (128.1 yards allowed per game) and in kick returns (21.9 yards per return), in passing offense (208.8), and in first down conversion. They are 2nd in Red Zone offense, in least penalized, in total defense (321.8 yards allowed per game) in scoring defense...individually, James ranks 3rd in the conference in rushing and in all-purpose running and 7th in total offense...Hunter is 6th in scoring and all-purpose yards and 8th in rushing... Wheeler leads the MEAC in kick returns (26.1 per return) and in all-purpose yards and is 10th in rushing...Williamsleads the MEAC in passing, is 2nd in total offense, and 5th in scoring...Hawthorne leads the MEAC in receiving, 7th in scoring, and 8th in all-purpose yards, sophomore Aaron Bickerton leads the conference in punting (40.5 yard per punt) and is 3rd in field goals (a perfect 8 for 8), junior wide receiver Richie Ilarraza is 9th in receiving (25 for 263, 1 TD) and freshman Jamarr Ebron ranks 3rd in punt returns.  All-American Gallop is 2nd in total tackles, 3rd in interceptions, and 6th in fumbles recovered and in forced fumbles. Hollon is 9th in tackles. Hinton is 8th in tackles. Graduate defensive lineman Darren Brokenburr is 4th in sacks and junior defensive back Robert Jones, III is 9th in passes defended.

NATIONAL STATISTICAL TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS:  Nationally, Morgan State is tied for 7th in fumble recoveries and tied for 7th in First Down defense. Howard is 2nd in passing yards allowed per game (128.1) and 3rd in pass efficiency defense.

BISON HOOVES:  Bickerton is perhaps the most improved player on the team. The sophomore is having an all-conference season, averaging over 41 yards per punt...what is even more impressive is that eight of his punts are 50 yards or longer, and 9 have landed inside the opponents' 20-yard line. while also being a perfect 8 of 8 on field goals. Williams continues to quietly pile up the numbers...For his career, he has completed 60 percent of his passes for over 6,700 yards and accounted for 60 TDs....  Howard continues to be dominant in the third quarter of games this season, outscoring its opponents, 62-27 and 136-76 in the second half of games this season...the Bison defense has only allowed one TD and two field goals in the third quarter in the last four games.

BEAR NOTES: Morgan State has won three in a row, including two on the road in come-from-behind wins at Norfolk State and at SC State.

OTHER NOTES: Howard is undefeated (4-0) at home this season and 8-0 in the last two years under Coach Scott...the Bison have the opportunity to record their first overall winning season when they finished 7-4...Howard has been in postseason play only twice in history, 1993 in the 1-AA (FCS) playoffs and in 1996 in the Heritage Bowl.


For more information visit the Howard Athletics website at www.hubison.com