NORFOLK, Virginia – After two weeks on the road, the Spartan football team (3-5, 1-4 MEAC) is back home for two straight home games, beginning this Saturday against Howard (4-4, 4-2). Kickoff is at 1 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.
MEDIA COVERAGE
• Live Video: ESPN 3 / Watch ESPN App
• Radio: WNSB 91.1 FM (12:30 p.m. pre-game): Play-by-Play – Ross Gordon/Color – Glen Mason
• Twitter Updates: @NSUSpartans / @NSU_FB
OPENING KICKOFF
• The Spartans will attempt to break a four-game losing streak when they open a two-game homestand this Saturday against Howard University.
• NSU dropped to 3-5 overall, 1-4 in the MEAC after a 37-20 loss to No. 17 North Carolina A&T last week.
• Howard has won three out of its last four games and handed Florida A&M its first MEAC loss of the year last week, 31-23, in Washington, D.C.
THE SERIES
• Record: Howard leads 18-6 (3 NSU wins vacated)
• Last Meeting: 11-11-17 (Howard 28-24)
• First Meeting: 10-31-81 (Howard 49-28)
LAST MEETING
• The host Bison scored 14 unanswered points in the final 8:06 of the game to rally for a 28-24 win over Norfolk State in the teams' last meeting on Nov. 11, 2017 at Greene Stadium.
• Dezmond Wortham scored on a 3-yard run with 8:06 remaining to cut NSU's lead to 24-21. After forcing the Spartans to punt, Caylin Newton led Howard on a 12-play, 89-yard drive which he capped with a 2-yard game-winning TD run with five seconds left in the game.
• NSU led 24-14 on the strength of a strong offensive showing. Juwan Carter threw a 19-yard TD pass to Demetreus Ferebee and also ran for a 2-yard TD in the first half. Aaron Savage scored on a 5-yard TD run and Josh Nardone kicked a 37-yard field goal late in the second quarter to give the Spartans a 10-point lead at halftime. But Howard held NSU scoreless in the second half.
• Carter passed for 257 yards and Savage rushed for a career-high 112 for the Spartans.
SERIES HISTORY
• Howard leads the all-time series with NSU 18-6 following the Bison's win last season.
• Howard has won three of the last four meetings between the two teams.
NSU BY THE NUMBERS
• 6.5 / 3.0 - Numbers of tackles for loss, followed by sacks, for NSU LB Nigel Chavis the last two weeks.
• 49.8 - Career-best punting average for Taylor Goettie last week at North Carolina A&T.
• 4 - Career-high pass breakups for junior CB J.T. Wahee last week.
• 13 - Number of interceptions thrown by NSU quarterbacks this season.
• 603 - Number of rushing yards the Spartans' last two opponents have tallied (293 by Savannah State, 310 by N.C. A&T).
A WIN OVER HOWARD WOULD...
A win this week over Howard would...
• Break a two-game losing streak to the Bison.
• Be NSU's first win in Norfolk over Howard since 2009 (victory was since vacated).
• Keep alive the Spartans' hopes of a winning season. NSU needs to win its three remaining games to accomplish that feat for the first time since 2011.
SCOUTING THE BISON
Howard (4-4, 4-2 MEAC) has won three of its last four games following a 31-23 home victory over Florida A&M last Saturday in Washington, D.C. The Bison scored 21 points in the first quarter while handing FAMU its first MEAC loss of the season.
The Bison rushed for 247 yards in the win over the Rattlers, led by 149 from running back Dedrick Parson, who ran for one touchdown. Quarterback Caylin Newton also rushed for 50 yards and a TD and threw two touchdown passes.
Howard boasts the most potent offense in the MEAC. The Bison lead the conference with averages of 33 points and 472.5 yards per game. Parson ranks fourth in the MEAC with 556 yards and six touchdowns on the ground this season.
Newton paces the MEAC in passing yards (2,127), total yards (2,539) and passing touchdowns (18). Receiver Jequez Ezzard has a MEAC-high 814 receiving yards and nine touchdown catches.
By: Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPARTANS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
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