Hampton U. prepares for MEAC leader Bethune-Cookman

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
(MSUTTON PHOTOGRAPHY)

HAMPTON, Virginia — In recent weeks, the motivational message for Hampton University was at times intangible. Pride. Character. Fresh start. Play for each other.

The message is simple and apparent this week: defending champs.

The Pirates (4-6, 4-2 MEAC) travel to Bethune-Cookman (8-2, 5-1 MEAC) to face the league leader and defending champion at 4 p.m. Saturday in Daytona Beach, Fla.

"I don't have to remind the guys what's at stake," HU coach Donovan Rose said. "They're 5-1 and we're 4-2, so we get an opportunity to tie them in the conference. There's some other things going on with other schools, but what a great situation to come back and play the defending champions and to be in a situation where you put yourself in the equation."

Bethune-Cookman arguably is the MEAC football standard bearer. The Wildcats won two of the past three titles and went to the playoffs in 2010 and '12 under Brian Jenkins. They're tied with South Carolina State atop the conference, but hold the tiebreaker by virtue of beating the Bulldogs earlier this season.

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