Morgan Bears look to get in win column against Florida A&M

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GAME TIME
• Morgan State will look to turn their fortunes around when they host the Florida A&M Rattlers this weekend at Hughes Stadium at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 28th. The game will be televised by SPORTSFever Television.

• The Bears enter the 2017 season under the leadership of Fred T. Farrier who had the interim tag removed and assumed the full-time position as MSU's head football coach.

• MSU fell to 1-6 with a 39-14 loss last weekend against Howard. Florida A&M was outlasted at Hampton 31-27 last Saturday and dropped to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the conference.

TELEVISION
SPORTSfever will be broadcasting the game live ... Phil Schoener will handle play-by-play duties with color analyst Emory Hunt and Danielle Podlaski will be the sideline reporter.

SPORTSfever TV CARRIAGE

LIVE
• ESPN 3 (Accessible on line to more than 88 million households at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One)

• ESPN College Extra (Live TV available to AT&T Uverse, DirecTV, Bright House Networks, Cox, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS and select NCTC subscribers)

• WNUV CW 54 (54 over-the-air, Comcast 804, Verizon 514, Dish & DirecTV 54) Baltimore/Annapolis

• WPNT 22 (22 over-the-air, Comcast SD 10/HD 812, Comcast Clarion SD 12/HD 812, Armstrong SD 22/HD 105, Atlantic Broadband SD 8/HD 707, Citizens SD 12/HD 812, Time Warner SD 22/HD 1022, Verizon SD 10/ HD 510, Consolidated SD 10/HD 710, DirecTV 22, Dish Network 22) Pittsburgh

• WHP 21.2 (21.1 over-the-air, Comcast 19, Armstrong 15, Blue Ridge 133, Nittany 99, Verizon 21, DirecTV 22) Harrisburg/Lancaster/York/Carlisle/Lebanon

DELAY/REPLAY Sunday October 29 2 p.m.
• SPORTS TIME OHIO (Erie Time Warner 21-23/HD308-1308, Armstrong 47/HD177, Sharon Time Warner 76/HD 308-1308, DirecTV 662, Dish Network 431) Erie, Meadville, Sharon, Cleveland, Columbus, Akron, Toledo, Huntington, Charleston, Youngstown & Buffalo

LIVE STATS
www.morganstatebears.com



TICKETS
Season ticket plans—which include a ticket to all five home games, including homecoming start at only $95. Premium seats are now available for purchase by calling 443.885.1522 or visiting MSU Student Center Athletics Ticket Office during business hours (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or visit morganstatebears.com/tickets.

SOCIAL NETWORKS
Fans can keep up-to-date with all MSU Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/MorganStBears and @MorganStateFootball. You can also become a fan of the Bears on Facebook at Facebook.com/MorganStateBears.

RADIO
WEAA, 88.9 FM is the flagship station for the Morgan State Bears ... Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with Kelvin Bridgers in the booth. The game will be broadcast live on 88.9 FM and streamed on WEAA.org.
THE SERIES
• Saturday's matchup marks the 28th meeting between the two schools.
• FAMU leads the overall series 20-7 since 1943.
• Morgan State posted a 21-7 victory in the last meeting in Baltimore in 2015.
• The Bears fell 22-21 in their last season's meeting against the Rattlers on Nov. 12, 2016 in Tallahassee, Fla.

A GLANCE AT THE RATTLERS
• Florida A&M finished 2016 with an overall mark of 4-7 and finished 4-4 in MEAC play under head coach Alex Woods... it was the most wins by the Rattlers since 2012.
• On 4th-and-3 from the Pirates' 16-yard line, Hampton's Bruce Perry stopped Florida A&M's Devin Bowers three feet short of the first-down marker. After squandering an 18-point lead, HU held on for a 31-27 homecoming win Saturday at Armstrong Stadium.. The Rattlers fell to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
• Head coach Alex Wood's (Iowa, '79) offense is averaging 327.9 yards of total offense (133.6 rushing; 194.2 passing). They have scored 9 rushing TDs and 13 passing. The Rattlers average 5.2 yards per rush and 6.4 per pass, including 10.6 per catch.
• FAMU's offense is led by R-sophomore QB Ryan Stanley. The 6-3, 190-pound Pembroke Pines (Fla.) product has completed 130-of-204 passes (63.7%) for 1,451 yards, with 11 TDs (second most in MEAC) and 5 INTs. He also has 40 carries for 105 yards and a TD. He ranks No. 3 in the MEAC in passing average (207.3 avg) and No. 3 in total offense (222.3 avg).
• RB Devin Bowers is averaging 71.9 rushing yards with five TDs. The 6-0, 180 pound junior ranks No. 5 in the MEAC with 575 yards on 122 carries (4.7 avg). He also has nine receptions for 32 yards.
• Brandon Norwood (6-1, 190), Chad Hunter (6-0, 175) and Marcus Williams (5-11, 185) lead the Rattlers air attack. Norwood has 34 catches for 315 yards (9.3 avg) and 3 TDS, while Hunter has 24 catches for 397 yards and five TDs. Williams has 231 yards on 21 receptions, including a pair of TDs.
• FAMU is allowing 329.6 yards of total offense (rushing 169.1; passing 160.5). The Rattlers have also forced 11 turnovers (6 INTs; 5 FRs). Opponents are averaging 5.3 yards per play. The Rattlers have recorded 43 TFL.
• FAMU's D is led by senior linebacker Jakaris Wilson and senior safety Terry Jefferson. Wilson, (6-3, 220) ranks No. 6 in the league with 66 tackles (8.6 avg), while Jeffeson (5-9, 175) has 38 stops with two INTs.
• FAMU has one of the best kick return specialists in the league in Orlando McKiney. The Atlanta, Ga. native is ranked No. 2 in the league by averaging 24.5 yards on 16 returns.
FLORIDA CONNECTIONS
Saturday's contest features a few Bears on the roster from the state of Florida. Senior running back Eric Harrell (Orlando/Dr. Phillips HS), sophomore linebacker Rico Kennedy (Fort Lauderdale/Dillard HS), and redshirt sophomore wideout Dominick Trigg (Tampa/Strawberry Crest HS) call The Sunshine State their home.

NOTABLE NATIONAL NOTES
Here are a few 2017 FCS national statistics of note on offense, defense and special teams that pertained to the Bears:
• Malachi Washington currently ranks in the T-No. 9 in the FCS in tackles for loss (12.0), and T-31 in sacks (5.0). Tra' Revell is tied for No. 1 in the nation with 3 blocks.
• The Bears rank No. 2 in tackles for loss (68).
• The Bears rank T-No. 3 in blocked kicks (4).
• The Bears rank No. 16 in passing yards allowed (177.1).
• The Bears rank No. 20 in sacks (20).
• The Bears rank No. 46 in pass efficiency defense (123.92).
• The Bears rank T-No. 25 in sacks allowed (8).
• The Bears rank No. 42 in total defense (342.6)
• The Bears rank No. 48 in first down defense (131).

TWO-HEADED RUNNING ATTACK
Leading the Bears out of the backfield are Herb Walker Jr., who set the school's single season rushing record 1,408 yards, and Eric Harrell.
• Walker leads the Bears with 337 rushing yards (2 TDs) and ranks No. 9 in the MEAC. He recorded his 8th career 100-yard rushing game with a season-high 109 yards against Savannah State (Oct. 14).
• Harrell has rushed for 322 yards on 71 attempts (4.5 avg) with 3 TDs and ranks No. 10 in the MEAC. He posted a season-high 114 yards yards on 16 carries, including a TD versus Savannah State (Oct. 14).
• Morgan State currently ranks No. 8 in the MEAC in rushing yards per game (111.3).

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS