NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State opens the 2018 season against a familiar opponent, hosting the Trojans of Virginia State in the Union Bank & Trust Labor Day Classic. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. Saturday at William "Dick" Price Stadium.MEDIA COVERAGE
• Live Video: ESPN 3
• Radio: WNSB 91.1 FM (5:30 p.m. pre-game): Play-by-Play – Ross Gordon/Color – Glen Mason
• Live Stats: www.sidearmstats.com/nsu/football
• Twitter Updates: @NSUSpartans / @NSU_FB
SERIES INFORMATION
• Record: VSU leads 27-20-1 (3 NSU wins vacated)
• Last Meeting: 9-2-17 (VSU 14, NSU 10)
• First Meeting: 11-9-63 (VSU 13, NSU 7)
OPENING KICKOFF
• The Spartans open the 2018 season on Saturday with another installment of the Labor Day Classic against former CIAA rival Virginia State.
• This marks the 52nd all-time meeting between the two schools. Last season was the teams' first meeting since 2012 and VSU's first win in the series since 2005.
• Today's game also marks NSU's first home game on its new playing surface. R.A.D. Sports installed a state-of-the-art synthetic turf surface, produced by Shaw Sports, over the summer.
LAST MEETING
• VSU earned a hard-fought 14-10 win over NSU in the 51st meeting between the teams' in the 2017 Labor Day Classic on Sept. 2.
• The Trojans held NSU to 214 yards of offense. NSU scored 10 first-half points on a Josh Nardone 28-yard field goal and a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdowns by Nigel Chavis.
• The Trojans scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 2-yard TD run by quarterback Cordelral Cook in the third quarter, and kept NSU at bay the remainder of the game.
• Trenton Cannon rushed for 145 yards on 26 carries, while Cook scored two rushing touchdowns to lead VSU. Cannon was picked in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.
• Marcus Taylor made seven receptions for 84 yards for the Spartans, while Juwan Carter and Tripp Harrington, two true freshmen, took all the snaps at QB.
HOME OPENERS
• NSU is 13-8 all-time in home openers at William "Dick" Price Stadium.
• Last season's win by Virginia State was head coach Latrell Scott's first loss in a home opener, after wins over Hampton (2015) and Elizabeth City State (2016) in his first two seasons at the helm of the program.
NSU BY THE NUMBERS
0 - Number of starting offensive linemen lost from 2017. All seven linemen who started games for NSU last year are back.
7 - Number of non-offensive touchdowns the Spartans scored last year, including six defensive touchdowns, which tied for the most in the FCS.
8 - Number of All-MEAC preseason selections for NSU, including Marcus Taylor, who was picked to the first team at kick returner and second team at receiver.
17 - Number of NSU's returning starters, including nine on offense, six on defense and two special teams.
55 - Number of freshmen and sophomores (including redshirts) who played for NSU in 2017.
80 - NSU is beginning its 80th season of intercollegiate football competition.
A WIN OVER VSU WOULD...
A win by the Spartans this week over the Trojans would...
• Be NSU's first non-conference win since knocking off Elizabeth City State 20-12 to open 2016.
• Be the Spartans' first home win since beating Florida A&M 35-28 on Oct. 7, 2017. NSU has lost three straight home games, with three of its four wins last season coming on the road.
• Be the first for NSU head coach Latrell Scott over a program he used to coach. Scott was the VSU head coach in 2013 and 2014.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
Norfolk State College used to be a part of the Virginia State University system. NSC teams were known as "Little State" and "Baby Trojans" and even wore blue and orange like VSU's teams. The Norfolk Division (now NSU) achieved its independence in 1969. In Greek mythology, the Spartans were a warlike people who were enemies of the Trojans, leading NSU to adopt its current nickname.
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
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