Skillon throws 2 TDs as MSU handles Howard 21-13

CHICAGO, Illinois -- Redshirt senior quarterback Moses Skillon threw two touchdowns as Morgan State defeated Howard 21-13 in Mid-Eastern Conference play on Saturday at the 18th annual Chicago Football Classic at Soldier Field.
 
Skillon played the biggest role in the victory by completing 16 of 29 passes for 211 yards for the Bears (1-2, 1-0). Redshirt senior wideout Andrew King also had a stellar night for the MEAC defending champions. King was on the receiving end of both of Skillon's touchdown passes and finished with a season-best 115 yards receiving.

Junior running back Orlando Johnson scored the first points of the game on a 3-yard touchdown run. The extra point by Chris Moller gave the Bears 7-0 lead at the 5:34 mark in the first quarter.
 
Skillon threw TD passes of 10 yards and a season-long 64-yards to King to extend the Bears lead to 21-0 midway through the second quarter.
 
Skillon had the Bears on the move again on their next possession, connecting with Ricky Fisk for a 7-yard pickup. But Fisk was stripped of the ball by Howard's Craig Johnson who took it 27 yards for a Bison touchdown, closing the gap to 21-7 at halftime.
 
In the second half, Morgan State went scoreless and gave up two field goals by Howard's John Fleck.
 
Howard's (0-4, 0-2) starting quarterback Jamie Cunningham struggled against the Bears aggressive defense. Cunningham threw for 58 yards, before being replaced by Kalen Johnson in the second quarter. Johnson completed 12 of 23 passes 96 yards and was sacked three times and was picked off by MSU's senior cornerback Desean Summers.
 
Morgan State's offense compiled 419 yards against the Bison defense to help post the Bears first win of the season and improved MSU head coach Lee Hull's record against Howard to 2-0.
 
Greg Gibson led the Bears defense with eight tackles, while Joel Scott harassed the Bison all night by recording three tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a pair of QB hurries and a sack. The Bears posted seven tackles for loss; seven hurries, three sacks and limited Howard's offense to a pair of field goals.

Bear Note
Lamont Brown III was named the Chicago Football Classic MVP. The redshirt junior led the Bears on the ground with 11 carries for 75 yards (6.8 avg).

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