DELAWARE STATE "HORNETS" (4-4; 1-1 MEAC)
VS.                                                                                                                 
MORGAN STATE "BEARS"  (0-8; 0-4 MEAC)
THUR., NOV. 4, 2021 (7:35 p.m.)   
HUGHES STADIUM  (10,000) - BALTIMORE, MD  
Live TV: ESPN2                                                                                                                                                             
Live Audio - HSRN.com (DSU broadcast)  
 
THE GAME
Delaware State takes on long-time rival Morgan State in a nationally-televised (ESPN2) Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest. The Hornets (4-4; 1-1 MEAC) have won three of their last four games, including a 30-23 victory at home over Howard last week. Quarterback Jared Lewis completed 14-of-22 passes for a career-high 246 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winner to Trey Gross for 14 yards with 8:26 left to play. Lewis hooked up with Gross for two touchdowns in the contest. The other score was a 57-yard "flea flicker" in the first quarter to tie the game at 7-7. Gross had a season-high seven receptions for 124 yards last week. Lewis' four TD passes also tied his career high. He threw for four scores in the Hornets' 33-27 overtime win at Wagner on Oct. 2.  

Morgan State is seeking its first win of the season. The Bears are coming off a hard-fought  31-20 MEAC loss to Norfolk State on the road last week to fall to 0-8 overall and 0-4 in conference play. MSU led 7-0 after the first 15 minutes and was ahead 20-17 following a touchdown with 10:29 left in the third quarter. The week before, in a  28-17 loss to North Carolina Central, the Bears led 17-14 after a late third quarter touchdown, but was outscored 14-0 the rest of the way.  
 
THE HORNETS
Delaware State is led by the top-rated defense in the MEAC, based on yards allowed. The Hornets are No. 1 in the league in total defense, allowing 321.6 yards per game. The Hornets are giving up a league-low 117.5 yards per game rushing and rank second in the MEAC at 204.1 yards per game by the pass. DSU is third in the MEAC with nine interceptions and second in the league with a 0.50 turnover margin per game (+4). The Hornets are tied for second in the league with 14 forced turnovers and tied for the MEAC low with 10 turnovers this season (7 lost fumbles; 3 INTs). Defensive back Esaias Guthrie is tops in the conference with four interceptions and second in the MEAC in passes defended at 1.00 per game (pass break-ups + INTs) per game. Linebacker Ronald Holmes (fr.) is tied for second in the MEAC in tackles for loss at 1.06 per game (8.5 total) and is tied for sixth in the league with three sacks (0.38 pg). Linebacker Kamari Jackson (jr.) is tops on the Hornets and 13th in the MEAC at 5.1 tackles per game (41 total). Isaiah Williams is tied for third in the league with 3.5 sacks. Offensively, Delaware State is third in the
MEAC in scoring at 23.5 points per game, but fifth in total offense at 279.0 yards per contest. DSU is averaging 137.1 rushing yards per game to rank fourth in the league, but sits at the bottom of the conference in passing at 141.9 yards per outing, despite throwing for a season-high 246 yards last week. Individually, Delaware State running back Sy'Veon Wilkerson (fr.) continues to shine. Wilkerson is the MEAC's rushing leader with 697 yards (87.1 ypg) this season. He has topped the 100-yard mark in two games, including a career-high 169 yards on a school-record 40 carries at Wagner on Oct. 2. Wilkerson is also tied for the league high with seven rushing touchdowns this year. Quarterback Jared Lewis (so.) has completed 66 of 123 passes for 831 yards (53.7%)  with 12  touchdowns and three interceptions. Lewis ranks second in the MEAC in pass efficiency (139.4 rating) and sixth in passing yards per game (118.7). Wide receiver Trey Gross (sr.) is tops on the Hornets and tied for fourth in the MEAC with 31 catches (3.9 per game) and is seventh in the league with 381 receiving yards (46.6 per game). He also leads the MEAC with seven touchdown catches.

THE SERIES (MSU leads 38-25)
This is the 64th meeting between the Hornets and Bears. It is Delaware State's second oldest rivalry (79 games vs. Howard). Morgan State has won five of the last six games in the series, including a 34-3 victory in Baltimore the last time the teams met in 2019, to open up a 38-25 series lead. DSU and Morgan State did not meet in 2020 due to the pandemic. The Hornets have dropped four straight games at Morgan State since a 28-23 victory in Hughes Stadium in 2012. Ironically, DSU's 2012 win at Morgan State was also on a Thursday evening (Oct. 25) and broadcast live on ESPN2. Delaware State quarterback Nick Elko, the eventual MEAC Offensive Player-of-the-Year, completed 33-of-43 passes, including a school-record 17 in a row, for 398 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Hornets in the 2012 win at Morgan State.