Morgan State University capped off its 2024-25 campaign in style with a 35-21 victory over the Howard University Bisons on Saturday afternoon.

For the first time since 2009, the Bears finished up their season with a .500 record, head coach Damon Wilson’s best season since he took the helm in Baltimore. Saturday also ended a seven-year drought against their Beltway rivals, the Howard University Bison.

“It was about sending the seniors out the right way, making sure that we stay focused and executed at a high level,” said Wilson. “Guys played well, we didn’t finish like I wanted to but at the end of the day we got the win and that was really important for us.”

It was an emotional day for 23 seniors, as they took their final steps off the field at Hughes Stadium. Baltimore native, and senior wide receiver Andre Crawley reflected on his tenure with the Bears.

“I just thank God for giving me the opportunity to be in position to help this program out, I feel like I’m leaving on a high note beating Howard,” Crawley said. “I’m just happy because I feel like I did what I needed to do from an individual aspect and collectively getting the program headed in the right direction.”

Crawley, the Bears’ leading receiver, ended his collegiate career as one of the top receivers in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), finishing sixth in the conference in receiving yards with 522 this season.

The Bears’ defense returned to form after giving up 54 points to South Carolina State the week prior, racking up five sacks and forcing two turnovers. They also managed to stifle the Bison’s rushing attack, holding them to just 19 yards on the ground.

“It felt like a true blessing, not many people have this opportunity to play D-1 football and to play at a high level, especially for four years without any significant injuries. It’s just amazing,” senior defensive lineman Elijah Williams said.

Williams, has now capped off a historic career at Morgan ending  his career as the Bears’ all-time leader in sacks with 31 and tackles for loss with 51.5. He is also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan award which is the FCS defensive player of the year. 

“It means alot, my hard work is finally paying off. Especially when you don’t even try to chase the stats, you just try to play football and stay true to the game, it’s a great thing.”

Senior cornerback Carlvainski Decius, who led the Bears in interceptions this season (3), caught the first of two Bison  interceptions on the day in the second quarter giving Morgan all the momentum. 

This interception would help lead the 28 unanswered points in the second quarter. That would put the Bears up 35-7 at halftime.  

This would be Decius’ last game as he was one of the recognized seniors on senior night.

“It hit me a little before the game when I was walking out, but I’m thankful for it all,” said Decius.“I remember in the first year we started out 0-8. It was tough, but one thing the coaches told us was to be process-driven and not results-driven.”

Senior day at Morgan also signifies 23 dedicated student-athletes achieving a major academic milestone in earning their bachelor’s degree in their chosen fields.

“That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day, you know you want to win championships and everything else but to see 23 guys going to walk across the stage it’s great that’s why we put the work in,” Wilson said.

Senior defensive back Josh Graham also praised Wilson’s leadership and guidance of the Bear’s program, reaching a .500 record in his final collegiate season.

“It’s such a surreal feeling because Coach Wilson came in with a plan and we all believed him. It started off hard at first, but we all came together.” 

With his first start in the Bear’s finale, redshirt junior quarterback Kobe Muasau delivered a spark the Bears’ rarely saw at the quarterback position. Displaying his dual-threat ability, Muasau threw for 202 yards and three total touchdowns; two passing and another on the ground.

After improving the Bear’s winning percentage each year, Coach Wilson has signaled a shift in program trajectory.

“Our overall goal is to get better each day, and we’ve gotten better from last year to this year, but going 6-6 is not the standard,” Wilson said. “We’re happy with where we are right now. We’ve battled through some adverse situations this year, but at the end of the day our expectations are to win championships.”

Surrounded by family, teammates, coaches, and cheering fans, the departing seniors left the field with pride and memories. They would  close  this chapter of their athletic journey and end  the season on a high note with a victory and their best record of their Morgan careers.