Morgan State football is back home and set to face a crucial test as the regular season nears its end against the top team in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), the South Carolina State Bulldogs.
The Bear’s return to the den having won their last two games, including a 36-28 victory over Delaware State last week on the road. Now, they welcome the undefeated conference-leading Bulldogs, who have rattled off six straight victories heading into this contest.
“We’re going to have to be physical and execute at a high level to have a chance to win,” Damon Wilson, Morgan’s head coach, said. “They’re very good, they run the ball well, throw the ball well, play good aggressive defense, and special teams play sound.”
Graduate student quarterback Eric Phoenix has emerged as a cornerstone of the Bulldog’s offense, leading the MEAC with 19 passing touchdowns and passing yards with 2,384.
The Bulldog’s boast a high-powered offense that ranks high in many MEAC categories, such as first in total offense (416.7), first in pass offense (283.1), and second in scoring (31.4).
Sophomore defensive lineman Lance Bydon, who ranks fifth in sacks in the MEAC with six, describes the mentality necessary to disrupt the Bulldog’s potent offense.
“I believe we have to play with fire and be disciplined, the effort has to be high motor through the whole game,” said Bydon.
The Bear’s defense allows the fewest points per game (20.5), the fewest yards allowed per game (303.7), and the fewest passing yards per game (157.8) in the MEAC.
During the Bear’s current winning streak, the offense has been hitting their stride at the right time. They enter this game following their best performance of the season with a 484 total yards offensive output against Delaware State.
Redshirt freshman running back Jason Collins Jr. posted his first 100-yard rushing game last week in Delaware, finishing with 24 carries for 152 yards including a 75-yard breakaway touchdown run down the right sideline.
Last week, the Bear’s were selected as the HBCU+ National Team of the Week for FCS college football games in Week 11
“I feel as a team the offense is getting their confidence so that’s why it’s more points put on the board,” Collins Jr. mentioned.
The Bear’s are up against a Bulldog rush defense that ranks first in the MEAC, allowing less than four yards a carry and 109 yards per game.
“I expect a well hard fought dub, I know SC State won’t bow down, so we’re going to have to bring it,” said Collins Jr.“We’re going to need the crowd to be turnt up for us to get us hype cause we know it’s going to be a fight.
The Bulldog’s rank 23rd in the latest American Football Coaches Association(AFCA)-FCS Coaches poll.
Morgan has already surpassed their win total from the previous season, and are very much alive in the MEAC title race but Coach Wilson remains concentrated on the task at hand come Saturday afternoon.
“It’s the next game up, we’re not thinking about anything past this weekend, South Carolina State is a very good opponent so our attention and focus is on them and making sure we play well at home and win the ballgame,” Wilson said.
The two teams face off today at Hughes Stadium, during Morgan’s Military Appreciation/Hall of Fame festivities. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. EST.
