Delaware State hopes to keep alive its faint hopes for a second-consecutive MEAC championship against league front-runner South Carolina State, the lone unbeaten team in conference play. The Hornets fell to fourth place in the MEAC standings after a turnover-plagued 20-3 loss to Morgan State last weekend. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for DSU. South Carolina State brings a four-game winning streak into today's contest. The Bulldogs are coming off a 35-13 victory over Hampton in a first-place showdown last Saturday. A loss to SCSU would eliminate the Hornets from the title chase, while the Bulldogs look to move a step closer to their first outright MEAC crown since 1994. Delaware State is hoping to get back on the winning track at home, where it is 2-1 vs. MEAC opponents this season. Head coach Al Lavan is 14-3 at Alumni Stadium vs. league foes. The Hornets slipped to sixth in the MEAC and 89th nationally in total offense after compiling a season-low 118 yards (87 rushing/31 passing) in last week's loss to Morgan State. DSU is averaging slightly less than 308 yards-per-game.

Senior quarterback Vashon Winton has started in each of the team's seven games. Winton ranks fifth in the MEAC in total offense at 174.6 yards-per-game. As a passer, he ranks seventh in the league with a 92.13 efficiency rating. Winton has completed 80-of-147 passes (54.4%) for 804 yards and three touchdowns. Last week, he moved into 16th place on the MEAC's all-time list with 5,078 passing yards, second-best in DSU history. His 33 career TD passes also rank second on the team's all-time list. Winton has been the most dangerous as a runner this season. He ranks 10th in the MEAC (tops among quarterbacks) with 418 rushing yards, and is tied for the league lead with nine rushing touchdowns. Back-up quarterback Anthony Glaud has appeared in six games this season, completing 30-of-47 passes (63.8%) for 364 yards and one touchdown.

Redshirt senior tailback Chris Strother is seventh in the MEAC, and 63rd nationally, in rushing at 66.6 yard-per-game. Strother's 466 rushing yards include two 100+-yard games this season. He has the second-longest run in the league this season, scampering 78 yards in the Hornets' 26-20 win over Bethune-Cookman on Oct. 11. Strother also ranks 10th in the MEAC in all-purpose yards at 82.1 per-game. The Hornets have six players with 10 or more receptions. Senior Eddie Brown leads the way with 18 catches for 249 yards (13.8 ypc) and two touchdowns, also team-highs. Redshirt sophomore Larrone Moore has 16 receptions for 145 yards, while Darius Jackson has 13 catches and is second on the squad with 215 receiving yards (16.5 ypc).

Junior Zach Charles has been a threat as a receiver and kick returner. Charles is tied for fifth on the team with 13 catches (122 yards), and is seventh in the MEAC in kickoff returns with a 20.9 yard average (long 40). The Hornets are led on the offensive line by 2007 All-MEAC First Team selection (sr.) Adrian Brown at left tackle, and redshirt junior Nick Richmond at center.

Defensively, the Hornets feature several players who are making a case for All-MEAC consideration. Delaware State ranks third in the MEAC and 18th in the nation in total defense, allowing 304.3 yard-per-game. The Hornets are seventh in the nation in pass defense (third in MEAC), surrendering 146 yards-per-game. DSU held Morgan State to 200 yards of total offense last week, nearly 100 yards below the Bears' season average. Senior linebacker Kevin Conner is tops on the team, and fourth in the MEAC with 8.0 tackles-per-game (56 total). He is also tied for fourth in the league with two fumble recoveries. Fellow linebacker Jackie Watkins, also a senior, is second on the Hornets with 42 tackles and shares the team lead with 6.5 tackles-for-loss. Watkins is tied for ninth in the MEAC with 6.0 tackles-per-game, and is 20th in tackles-for-loss. Along the front line, pass rushing specialist (jr.) Joe Mendes is the team leader with 3.5 sacks. He is tied for ninth in the MEAC in sacks-per-game (0.50). In the secondary, senior cornerback James Romain is fourth in the MEAC in passes defended (pass break-ups & interceptions) at 1.29 pg. Junior cornerback Francis Adjei is tied for 12th in the category. Junior safety Brandon Hudson ranks fifth in the league with three interceptions. Hudson is also one of the league's top punt returners, ranking sixth with an 8.7-yard average. Jerome Strums is second on the team with two interceptions.

Punter Nick Lochner has given Delaware State an edge in field position this season. He averages 40.3 yards-per-kick, placing 13 inside the opponents' 20-yard line. Lochner has nine kicks of 50-or-more yards.

Game Notables
- The Hornets enter Saturday's game looking to win the team's second-straight home contest.
- The last two games between DSU and SCSU have been decided by a total of two points.
- DSU is looking to win its third-straight over the Bulldogs.
- Coach Lavan has the second-highest winning percentage among active MEAC coaches in conference play (27-9, .750).
- Coach Lavan holds a 2-2 record all-time versus the Bulldogs.
- After facing the league's top defense last week (Morgan State), the Hornets will take on the MEAC's No.2-ranked defense in the South Carolina State Bulldogs.
- Saturday marks Coach Lavan's 53rd game as DSU head coach.
- Saturday's game will mark Vashon Winton's 41st-career start.
- Winton ranks No. 16 all-time among MEAC quarterbacks (5,078 yards).
- Saturday will be Coach Lavan's 26th-career home game and 18th versus a MEAC foe.
- Saturday's contest will mark the first-time in ?08 that DSU is facing a team ranked in the Top 25.

A Quick Look at South Carolina State
South Carolina State has averaged 32.5 points during its four-game win streak. The Bulldogs racked up 316 yards rushing and 431 total yards in last's win over Hampton. The Bulldogs feature the second-best rushing offense in the MEAC, and rank third in the league in total offense. SC State averages 225.1-yards-per-game on the ground and 376.0 total yards.

Junior halfback William Ford is a close second in the MEAC in rushing at 122-yards-per-game (972 yards), and is tied for the league-lead with nine rushing touchdowns. In last week's 35-13 win over Hampton, Ford rushed for 182 yards and a score. He ran for 161 yards in DSU's 17-16 win over the Bulldogs last season. Ford was second in the MEAC with 1,389 yards in 2007. Junior Travil Jamison gives the Bulldogs a solid 1-2 punch in the backfield. He rushed for 151 yards and four TDs in the win over Hampton.

Sophomore quarterback Malcolm Long has started each of the team's eight games, completing 124-of-209 passes (59.3%) for 1,382 yards and eight touchdowns. Long ranks fourth in the MEAC in pass efficiency (121.75) and total offense (183.9 ypg).

Junior Oliver Tre' Young is the team leader, and fourth in the MEAC, in receptions at 4.88 per-game (39 total). Young has 479 receiving yards to rank fifth in the league at 59.9 per-game. He also leads the team with four touchdown catches.

South Carolina State is tops in the MEAC and 10th in the nation in sacks allowed (0.88 pg). South Carolina State ranks 17th in the nation (No. 2 in MEAC) in total defense, allowing 303.63 yards-per-game. The Bulldogs are also second in the league in rushing defense (133.25 ypg). Senior defensive back Marshall McFadden is tied for ninth in the MEAC at 7.0 tackles-per-game (56 total). Junior defensive end Cedric Lloyd is fifth in the MEAC with 4.5 sacks (0.56 pg). Sophomore linebacker Markus James is tied with McFadden for sixth in the league with four sacks.

Junior DB Terrance Smith is tied for sixth in the league with three interceptions.

Delaware State - South Carolina State Series History
- Saturday's contest will mark the 38th meeting all-time between the Hornets and Bulldogs.
- South Carolina State leads the series history, 22-15.
- DSU won the lasting meeting, 17-16, in Orangeburg, S.C. (Oct. 27, 2007).
- Delaware State has won two-straight contests versus South Carolina State.
- Delaware State owns a 4-6 record versus the Bulldogs during the last 10 meetings between the two teams.
- The last two meetings between these two teams have been decided by a total of two points.
- The last time SCSU visited Alumni Stadium, DSU defeated the Bulldogs, 10-9 (Oct. 28, 2006).

A Delaware State Win Would...
- Give DSU a two-game, home-winning streak.
- Extend DSU's winning streak over the Bulldogs to three games.
- Give Coach Lavan his 34th-career win at Delaware State. - Give Coach Lavan his 19th home victory as DSU head coach.
- Give Coach Lavan his 15th home victory versus the MEAC.
- Improve Vashon Winton's record as a starter to 29-12.
- Move DSU to 4-2 in conference action this season.
- Improve DSU's 2008 record to 4-4.
- Give Coach Lavan his 28th-career victory in conference play.
- Give the DSU football program its 327th victory all-time.
- Guarantee Delaware State a winning record in MEAC competition for the fifth-straight season.

Defense Continues to Improve
Despite falling to the Morgan State Bears last weekend, the Delaware State Hornet defense jumped from the No. 26-ranked defense in the nation (321.67 yards-per-game) to No. 18 (304.29) among all 118 FCS teams. The Hornets held the Bears to just 200 yards of total offense to jump up eight spots in the national rankings.

Lone Bright Spot
There was not much for the Hornets to be happy about following the 20-3 loss at Morgan State on Oct. 25. However, junior Nick Lochner recorded career-highs in punts (8) and yardage (330). Lochner finished the game averaging 41.2 yards-per-punt (his third-best, single-game total of the season). The Webster, N.Y., native also boomed a 58-yard punt during that contest. Three of his eight punts went for 50 yards or more. Three of his eight punts also landed inside the 20-yard line. On the season Lochner is averaging 40.3 yards-per-punt and ranks No. 40 in the nation in punting. The 6-foot-1 punter has registered nine punts of 50 yards or more and has placed 13 of his 34 total punts inside the 20-yard line.

Dynamic Duo - Part Two
During Delaware State's 42-7 win over North Carolina A&T (Oct. 18) the quarterback tandem of Vashon Winton and Anthony Glaud each threw for over 100 yards. Winton completed 10-of-17 passing for 110 yards, while Glaud notched 165 yards, completing 8-of-9 through the air versus the Aggies. This marked the first time in over 20 years at DSU that two quarterbacks threw for over 100 yards in the same game.

10-or-More
The benchmark of a good tackler is one who is in on every play. There have been four DSU players who have registered 10-or-more tackles in a game. Andre Caroll (vs. Central Connecticut State - Sept. 27) and Jackie Watkins (at Morgan State - Oct. 25) lead all players with a season-high 12 tackles. Below is a listing of some of Delaware State's top tackling performances: