Friday, November 1, 2013

Delaware State Return Home to Face the Howard Bison

DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL - Game 9
HORNETS (3-5; 3-2 MEAC)
vs.
HOWARD BISON (3-5; 2-3 MEAC)
SAT., NOV. 2, 2013 - 2:00 p.m.
ALUMNI STADIUM - DOVER, DELAWARE
HALL OF FAME DAY

THE GAME
Delaware State welcomes long-time rival Howard University to Alumni Stadium for a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest. The Hornets (3-5 overall; 3-2 MEAC) are trying to rebound from a 30-7 loss to Hampton last weekend.



DSU trailed 10-0 before capping off a 15-play, 90-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Cory Murphy to Milton Williams III to pull to within 10-7 with 49 seconds left in the second quarter. The Hornets were outscored 20-0 in the second half.

Hampton used two big plays, a 79-yard run and 75-yard pass, to highlight its second half scoring.
Delaware State receiver Malik Golson topped all players with nine receptions for 80 yards in the contest. The nine catches tied his career high. DSU defensive backs J.R. Robinson and Joe Boyd had interceptions in the contest, the second of the season for each.

Howard (3-5; 2-3) brings a two-game win streak into the contest. The Bison are coming off a 28-14 homecoming victory over Morgan State last Saturday. Howard’s defense forced four turnovers and Charles Philyaw rushed for three touchdowns to highlight the win. The Bison scored on their first possession when Philyaw capped off an 18-play, 65-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run. He also scored on a seven-yard run in the third quarter and a four-yard run with 1:07 left to play. Howard racked.

THE SERIES
The Hornets and Bison are meeting for the 56th consecutive year and 70th time overall, making it Delaware State's oldest rivalry. Howard won last year’s meting 41-34 to snap a five –game DSU win streak in the series. The Hornets led by 21 points early in the third quarter but was outscored 38-10 the rest of the way in a 41-34 loss to the Bison in the 2012 meeting in Washington, D.C.  The last time the teams met at Alumni Stadium, Delaware State scored the winning touchdown with 2:18 left to play in a 39-36 victory in 2011. The Hornets hold a 35-33-1 lead in the all-time series.
 
HORNETS DROP IN MEAC RACE
Delaware State is still alive in the 2013 MEAC championship race, although last week’s loss to Hampton was a serious blow to the Hornets’ title hopes, DSU is currently fourth place in the current MEAC standings with a 3-2 league record, 
 
Defending champ Bethune-Cookman hoods the top spot with a 4-0 mark, Hampton and South Carolina State are tied for second at 3-1.
 
There’s a logjam behind the Hornets for fifth place. No. Carolina Central, Morgan State and Norfolk State are tied for fifth at 2-2. 

Delaware State, a charter member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), is in its 43th season of league play. The Hornets have an all-time record of 127-146-1 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 2012. 
 
COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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