Delaware State travels to Washington, D.C., to take on Howard in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game. The Hornets have dropped their last two games to fall to 2-7 overall and 2-3 in the MEAC. DSU is coming off a 23-0 loss to Hampton in its most recent outing on Oct. 25. The Hornets were plagued by three turnovers, another special teams miscue and nine penalties in the contest. DSU passed for 203 yards, but was held to 34 yards rushing. Hornet quarterbacks were sacked seven times in the contest, totaling losses of 32 yards. Delaware State used two quarterbacks for the second week in a row. Starter Marlon Kelly completed nine-of-19 passes for 76 yards. He was intercepted twice. Gilbert Rivera started the second half for the Hornets. He was 15-for-25 for 127 yards with an interception before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with an injury. Jamaal Jackson was DSU's leading rusher for the second straight game, tallying 52 yards on 18 carries. Free safety Davon Moore led the Hornet defenders with 11 tackles, including seven solo stops. He also had a forced fumble and pass break-up. The Hornets were shut out at home by a MEAC opponent for the first time since 2011 vs. Morgan State (13-0).
Injury-riddled Howard is trying to snap a five-game losing streak. The Bison have been idle since a 31-28 loss to Florida A&M on Oct. 18. Howard's only win this season was a 35-17 victory over Division II Morehouse on Sep. 13. Howard quarterback Greg McGhee, the 2014 preseason MEAC Offensive Player-of-the-Year, tops in the MEAC in total offense at 275.2 yards per game. McGhee is second in the league in passing (200.9 ypg); and is fifth in rushing (74.4 ypg). A total of 11 current or former Bison starters have missed games due to injury this season.
THE SERIES (DSU leads 36-33-1)
The Hornets and Bison are meeting for the 57th consecutive year and 71st time overall, making it Delaware State's oldest rivalry. Delaware State won last year's meeting 22-20 in Dover, Del. Mitchell Ward scored the winning points on a 26-yard field goal as time expired. Hornet receiver Milton Williams had five catches for 107 yards and touchdown; and recovered an onsides kick to set up Ward's game-winning field goal in the contest. The last time the team met at Howard, the Bison posted a 41-34 win in 2012 The Hornets led by 21 points early in the third quarter but was outscored 38-10 the rest of the way. Delaware State has won six of the last seven meetings in the series.
HORNETS/BISON IN THE MEAC
Delaware State is currently seventh in the MEAC with a 2-3 league mark. Howard is ninth among the nine teams eligible for the 2014 conference title at 0-5. North Carolina A&T leads the MEAC at 4-1. Five teams are tied for second place at 3-1.
A charter member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), DSU is in its 44th season of league play. The Hornets have an all-time record of 131-150-1 in MEAC contests. Delaware State has won or shared six MEAC championships. The Hornets claimed outright MEAC titles in 1985, 1989 and 2007, while sharing the crown in 1987, 1988 and 1991. Delaware State was tied for third place in the MEAC with a 5-3 mark in 2013.
DSU has been picked to finish fifth in the 2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings, according to a poll of league head coaches and sports information representatives. The Hornets received a total of 229 points in the preseason poll.
Howard was ranked fourth in the preseason MEAC poll. Bethune-Cookman is the overwhelming favorite to win its third straight MEAC championship. The Wildcats collected 480 points in the poll.
The Hornets are 2-1 in MEAC road games this season. DSU was 3-1 on the road in
conference play in 2013.
