Photo: Hampton University WR Justin Brown, 6-2 Jr., Surfside Beach, S.C./Dover HS / Lakawanna JCBy PAUL WHITE, The Virginian-Pilot
HAMPTON - Hip-hop ruled at Hampton University on Thursday night, but for those who bothered to check it out, the Pirates and Morgan State put on one heck of a football show, too.
T.J. Mitchell hit Justin Brown with a 30-yard touchdown pass on third-and-15 in overtime as the 13th-ranked Pirates survived the Bears 24-17 before 5,360 in a nationally-televised MEAC showdown at Armstrong Stadium.
The three-time defending conference champion s improved to 3-0, all MEAC victories, and won their fifth straight over the Bears (1-3, 0-1).
The game played out as rap star Young Jeezy was jamming across the street at the Hampton Convocation Center. A large portion of the Hampton faithful apparently chose Jeezy; the Pirates and Bears played before huge swatches of empty seats at Armstrong.
The Pirates could have used the support. After bolting to a 17-0 second-quarter lead, the Pirates succumbed first to their own mistakes, then to the potent rushing tandem of quarterback Byron Selby and tailback Chad Simpson .
Selby came on in the second quarter and confounded Hampton’s defense by scampering out of the pocket. He finished with 95 rushing yards.
Simpson, the nation’s No. 3 rusher going in, ripped off 141 yards on 32 carries. His 6-yard scoring run late in the second quarter pulled the Bears to within 17-10. Then, with 5:16 left in the third quarter, Simpson ran in from 5 yards out to tie things at 17.
Photo: Mr. Consistency - MSU Chad Simpson, 33 carries, 142 yards, 2-TDs against Hampton University.
From there, only big plays by Pirates defenders kept the Bears from surging ahead. Hampton defensive back James Pope blocked a 33-yard field goal attempt with 12:12 left in the fourth quarter. And with 3:09 left, cornerback Jackie Bates outdueled Roderick Wolfe to come down with an interception at the Hampton 1-yard line.
In overtime, two Pirates running plays lost 5 yards. yards. But on third down, Mitchell hit Brown at about the 15-yard line, and the junior receiver zipped past Bears defensive back Darren McKahn and into the end zone.
The Bears tried to answer on their overtime possession, but Byron Selby’s fourth-down pass sailed over the head of Robert Surratt.
The game-winning TD pass was one of three scoring tosses on the night for Mitchell, who now has nine on the season.
His first went to an unlikely target –- 6-foot-4, 295-pound defensive tackle Marcus Dixon. Dixon, inserted on offense at tight end, leaped over 5-11 cornerback Chris Williams to corral the ball, then secured it while lying on his back in the end zone.
The Pirates went ahead 14-0 when Mitchell connected with former Landstown High teammate Jeremy Gilchrist on a 73-yard scoring play.
A 32-yard field goal by Carlo Turavani made it 17-0. From there, however, the Pirates closed the half with a Mitchell interception, a near-interception and a Dennis Mathis fumble. Meanwhile, after inserting Selby in place of ineffective starter Mario Melton, the Bears began clawing back.
Mitchell finished 14 of 34 passing for 253 yards. Gilchrist caught three passes for 107 yards.
ATTENDANCE: 5,360
HAMPTON - Hip-hop ruled at Hampton University on Thursday night, but for those who bothered to check it out, the Pirates and Morgan State put on one heck of a football show, too.
T.J. Mitchell hit Justin Brown with a 30-yard touchdown pass on third-and-15 in overtime as the 13th-ranked Pirates survived the Bears 24-17 before 5,360 in a nationally-televised MEAC showdown at Armstrong Stadium.
The three-time defending conference champion s improved to 3-0, all MEAC victories, and won their fifth straight over the Bears (1-3, 0-1).
The game played out as rap star Young Jeezy was jamming across the street at the Hampton Convocation Center. A large portion of the Hampton faithful apparently chose Jeezy; the Pirates and Bears played before huge swatches of empty seats at Armstrong.
The Pirates could have used the support. After bolting to a 17-0 second-quarter lead, the Pirates succumbed first to their own mistakes, then to the potent rushing tandem of quarterback Byron Selby and tailback Chad Simpson .
Selby came on in the second quarter and confounded Hampton’s defense by scampering out of the pocket. He finished with 95 rushing yards.
Simpson, the nation’s No. 3 rusher going in, ripped off 141 yards on 32 carries. His 6-yard scoring run late in the second quarter pulled the Bears to within 17-10. Then, with 5:16 left in the third quarter, Simpson ran in from 5 yards out to tie things at 17.
Photo: Mr. Consistency - MSU Chad Simpson, 33 carries, 142 yards, 2-TDs against Hampton University.
From there, only big plays by Pirates defenders kept the Bears from surging ahead. Hampton defensive back James Pope blocked a 33-yard field goal attempt with 12:12 left in the fourth quarter. And with 3:09 left, cornerback Jackie Bates outdueled Roderick Wolfe to come down with an interception at the Hampton 1-yard line.
In overtime, two Pirates running plays lost 5 yards. yards. But on third down, Mitchell hit Brown at about the 15-yard line, and the junior receiver zipped past Bears defensive back Darren McKahn and into the end zone.
The Bears tried to answer on their overtime possession, but Byron Selby’s fourth-down pass sailed over the head of Robert Surratt.
The game-winning TD pass was one of three scoring tosses on the night for Mitchell, who now has nine on the season.
His first went to an unlikely target –- 6-foot-4, 295-pound defensive tackle Marcus Dixon. Dixon, inserted on offense at tight end, leaped over 5-11 cornerback Chris Williams to corral the ball, then secured it while lying on his back in the end zone.
The Pirates went ahead 14-0 when Mitchell connected with former Landstown High teammate Jeremy Gilchrist on a 73-yard scoring play.
A 32-yard field goal by Carlo Turavani made it 17-0. From there, however, the Pirates closed the half with a Mitchell interception, a near-interception and a Dennis Mathis fumble. Meanwhile, after inserting Selby in place of ineffective starter Mario Melton, the Bears began clawing back.
Mitchell finished 14 of 34 passing for 253 yards. Gilchrist caught three passes for 107 yards.
ATTENDANCE: 5,360
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