Spartans, Rattlers Meet up in Key MEAC Showdown Saturday

NORFOLK, Virginia – The Norfolk State football team (3-1, 1-0 MEAC) plays its first true road MEAC game this Saturday as the Spartans visit Florida A&M (3-2, 2-0 MEAC) in a MEAC matchup of teams atop the league standings. Kickoff from Bragg Memorial Stadium is 4 p.m. in Tallahassee, Florida.

GAME NOTES

MEDIA COVERAGE
• Live Video: ESPN3
• Radio: WNSB 91.1 FM (Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon / Color: Matt Michalec)
• Twitter Updates: @NSUSpartans / @NSU_FB

THE SERIES
• Record: FAMU leads 13-3
• Last Meeting: 10-7-17 (NSU 35-28)
• First Meeting: 9-13-97 (FAMU 41-26)

OPENING KICKOFF
• NSU looks to extend its best start since 2011 when the Spartans play a key MEAC game at Florida A&M.
• Both teams are off to fast starts in MEAC play, with FAMU at 2-0 and NSU 1-0.
• Both teams are coming off explosive performances, with NSU topping Delaware State 54-28 and FAMU rolling to a 55-14 win at N.C. Central last week.
• This marks the first of three straight road games where the Spartans play on their opponents' Homecoming.



LAST MEETING
• Larry Bishop's 2-yard touchdown run with 56 seconds left was the game-winner as Norfolk State topped Florida A&M 35-28 on Oct. 7, 2017 at Dick Price Stadium.
• Bishop's first TD of the year came after the Spartans recorded their season-high fifth takeaway of the game. NSU linebacker Kyle Archie forced a fumble which De'Shaan Dixon recovered.
• The Rattlers held a sizeable edge in total offense (485-243).
• NSU scored two defensive touchdowns, a 31-yard fumble return by Archie in the second quarter and a 96-yard fumble return by J.T. Wahee in the fourth.

NSU BY THE NUMBERS
2 - Number of defensive touchdowns NSU scored last week, an 80-yard interception return from Brandon Savage and a 23-yard fumble return by Nigel Chavis.
4 - Number of takeaways last week by the Spartan defense.
15 - Number of catches the last two games by Isaiah Winstead (7 at SCSU, 8 vs. DSU).
233 - Career-high all-purpose yardage last week by Marcus Taylor.
355 - Total offensive yards for NSU quarterback Juwan Carter last week, also a career high.
2005 - The last time the Spartans scored at least 54 points in a game prior to last week.

A WIN OVER FAMU WOULD...
A win this week over FAMU would...
• Give NSU its first 4-1 start since the 2011 season, which culminated in NSU's first MEAC title (since vacated).
• Give the Spartans a 2-0 MEAC start for the third time in the last four years under coach Latrell Scott.
• Be the second straight win for NSU over FAMU, and second straight Spartan win in Tallahassee (with the last coming in 2014.

SPARTANS EARN 2 MORE WEEKLY HONORS
Spartan QB Juwan Carter was named the MEAC Offensive Player of the Week and DB Brandon Savage was selected Rookie of the Week following their performances against Delaware State.
• Carter completed 22-of-31 passes for a career-high 318 yards and three TDs. He also ran for 37 yards and another score.
• Savage returned his first career interception 80 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter of the win over DSU. He also had three tackles.

SCOUTING THE RATTLERS
Florida A&M enters this week's game on a two-game winning streak following impressive MEAC wins over Savannah State (31-13 on Sept. 22) and N.C. Central (55-14 last week). Those wins came on the heels of back-to-back losses to Troy and Jackson State.

The Rattlers rolled up a season-high 509 yards of total offense last week at NCCU and were balanced in doing so. Quarterback Ryan Stanley passed for 255 yards and four touchdowns, and the FAMU ground game racked for 254 yards. Chad Hunter caught three touchdown passes last week and Hans Supre rushed for 152 yards.

Stanley has a MEAC-high 1,083 passing yards this season. Hunter (21-290) and Xavier Smith (20-261) have been Stanley's favorite targets. Defensively, FAMU has recorded a MEAC-high 15 sacks.

By: Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPARTANS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS