2015 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL — GAME 9 (#DSUvsNCCU)
DELAWARE STATE “HORNETS” (0-8; 0-5 MEAC) VS.
NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL “EAGLES” (5-3; 4-1 MEAC)
SAT., NOV. 7, 2015 (2 p.m.)
O'KELLY-RIDDICK STADIUM (10,000) - DURHAM, N.C.
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THE GAME
Delaware State begins a two-game road swing with a visit to MEAC rival North Carolina Central. The Hornets (0-8; 0-5 MEAC) are coming off a 49-21 loss to Bethune-Cookman last Saturday. Delaware State scored first when Logan Wescott returned a blocked field goal attempt 82 yards for a touchdown to give the Hornets their first lead of the season. Bethune-Cookman evened the game with a touchdown on the ensuing possession, and reached the endzone the next four times it had the ball to open up a 35-7 lead. Delaware State made things interesting with back-to-back touchdowns by freshman RB Brycen Alleyne to pull to within 35-21. Alleyne scored his first collegiate touchdown on a three-year run in the third quarter and scored again on a 14-yard pass from Gil Rivera in the fourth quarter. Alleyne led DSU with 65 yards rushing on 19 carries, and with 52 receiving yards on two catches. Rivera has started the last three games at quarterback for the Hornets. His season stats include 71 completions in 131 attempts (54.2%) for 755 yards and three touchdowns. He has thrown four interceptions. Despite missing the last two games, Jamaal Jackson leads the Hornets in rushing with 291 yards. He also has a team-high four rushing touchdowns. Alleyne is second on the squad with 156 rushing yards. Wide receiver Aris Scott leads the Hornets with 33 catches for 439 yards. Scott is fourth in the MEAC in receptions per game (4.1), fifth in receiving yards (439) and sixth in receiving yards per game (54.9). Defensively, linebacker Malik Harris leads the team with 84 tackles, including 46 solo stops. Harris is tops in the MEAC and 12th among all FCS players in unassisted tackles at 5.8 per game. He's also second in the league (18th FCS) in total tackles (10.5 pg) and sixth in tackles for loss (1.3 pg). Defensive end Gabe Sherrod is fifth on he Hornets with 46 total tackles and leads the team with 15.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Sherrod is third in the MEAC and sixth in the nation in tackles for loss at 1.9 per game. He also has two blocked kicks to his credit this season.
NC Central (5-3; 4-1 MEAC) is riding a four-game win streak, and are currently tied with South Carolina State for third in the MEAC standings. NCA&T tops the league with a 5-0 mark, while Bethune-Cookman is second at 5-1. NCCU is coming off a 24-16 homecoming victory over Norfolk State last Saturday. Dorrell McClain rushed for a game-high 93 yards and two touchdowns, and caught two passes for 43 yards to lead the Eagles. NCCU quarterback Malcolm Bell completed 13-of-26 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown. On defense, the North Carolina recorded five sacks, including 2.5 by Richard Mitchell. C.J. Moore and Theo Livingston led the Eagles with 13 tackles each, while also tallied a game-high three pass break-ups. Entering this weekend's games, McClain ranks second in the MEAC in rushing at 80.1 yards per game (641 yards). Bell is fifth in the league in passing yards at 121.0 per game). His season totals include 83 completions on 166 attempts (50.0%) for 968 yards and five touchdowns. Bell also ranks sixth in the MEAC in rushing at 55.6 yards per game ( 445 yards). Moore ranks third in the MEAC with 9.0 tackles per game. He enters the weekend with 72 total tackles, including 41 solo stops. The Eagles also have the top field goal kicker in the conference. Nigel Macauley has a league-high 13 field goals on 19 attempts, and stands at second in the league with 62 points (8.9 pg).
THE SERIES
This will be the 22nd meeting between the Hornets and Eagles. The teams last met in 2012 in Durham, N.C. North Carolina Central won the contest 23-20 in overtime to open up a 15-6 lead in the series. The Eagles have won two straight and six of the last meetings between the teams. The teams met six times from 1945 to 1950 as members of the Central Intercollegiate Association (CIAA), and nine times from 1971 to '79 during North Carolina Central's first stint in the MEAC.
