2022 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL — GAME 10   
DELAWARE STATE "Hornets" (5-4 / 2-2 MEAC)
VS.                                                                                                                                    
MORGAN STATE "Bears"  (3-6 / 1-2 MEAC)
SAT., NOV. 12 2022 (2:02 p.m. kickoff)   
Alumni Stadium (7,000) - Dover, Del.    
Live Video: MEAC Digital Network (ESPN+)                                                                                                         
Live Audio - HSRN.com (DSU broadcast)
LiveStats - DSUHornets.com
 
THE GAME
Delaware State (5-4; 2-2 MEAC) looks to keep alive its hopes for a winning season with a MEAC contest against Morgan State at Alumni Stadium. The Hornets are seeking back-to-back wins after snapping a two-game skid with a 27-24 overtime victory over defending MEAC champ and preseason favorite South Carolina State on the road last weekend. Freshman placekicker Nathan Wilson nailed an 18-yard field goal in overtime for the winning points. The Hornets obtained the ball after cornerback Charles Peeler intercepted a South Carolina State pass on the first possession of the overtime period. Delaware State led 17-7 and 24-14 before the Bulldogs battled back to tie the game on a touchdown and extra point in the final minute of regulation. Last week's win also strengthened the Hornets' chances of posting their first winning record since going 6-5 in 2012. A victory against Morgan State and another against first-time opponent Campbell University of the Big South Conference next week (Nov. 19) would give Delaware State its first seven-win season since 2007 (10-2). There's also an outside chance the Hornets could hold a share of the 2022 MEAC championship, although DSU has been eliminated from competing in the Celebration Bowl under tie-break scenarios.   
   
THE SERIES (MSU leads 39-25)
This is the 65th meeting between the Hornets and Bears. It is Delaware State's second oldest rivalry (80 games vs. Howard). Morgan State has won three straight and seven of the last eight games in the series, including a 20-14 victory in Baltimore, Md.,  the last time the teams met in 2021, to open up a 39-25 series lead. Last year,  the Hornets allowed two 70-plus-yard touchdowns in the opening minutes, and came up short on a potential game-winning drive on their final possession to give Morgan State its first win of the season. Delaware State trailed 13-0 and 20-7 before attempting a comeback. The Hornets scored their touchdowns on a one-yard run by Michael Chris-Ike in the first quarter and a 39-yard pass from Jared Lewis to Trey Gross in the fourth quarter. Delaware State and Morgan State did not meet in 2020 due to the pandemic. This will be the Bears' first visit to Alumni Stadium since 2017. The Hornets won the contest 33-30 on a touchdown in the final seconds of the game.       
 
Morgan State (3-6; 1-2) is coming off a 24-22 setback against Stony Brook of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) last week. The Seawolves kicked the game-winning field goal from 37 yards out as time expired to send the Bears to their fourth loss in the last five games. It also denied Morgan State its first road win in nearly four years. The Bears led on three occasions in the game, the last time at 22-21 on a 44-yard touchdown run by Alfonzo Graham with 12:47 left to play. Graham is the leading rusher in the MEAC, and 12th among all FCS players, at 107.3 yards per game (966 total)     

HORNETS RE-ENTER HBCU TOP 10 POLL
Delaware State has returned to the top 10 among the nation's HBCU Div. I FCS following last week's overtime win at South Carolina State. The Hornets are No. 8 in the latest Press Box to Press Row HBCU Coaches Poll, their highest ranking of the season. Delaware State was ninth In the poll before suffering back-to- back  losses to Howard and North Carolina Central. NC Central (7-2) is the only other MEAC team in the Top 10 poll, standing at No. 3 behind top-ranked  Jackson State (8-0) and No. 2 Florida A&M (7-2)