NSU is rivalry win away from rebound

Hampton University coach Donovan Rose said records don't matter in rivalry games. Norfolk State hopes he's right. Entering the 48th Battle of the Bay between NSU and Hampton at 1 p.m. today, the 4-1 Pirates sit atop the MEAC with a 3-0 league record.

The Spartans (1-2, 2-3), meanwhile, have had all reasonable hopes for a conference title dashed and will be manufacturing motivation for the last half of the season. "We still got pride to win," senior lineman Calton Ford said. " The whole goal is to win. A couple games don't dictate the season or who you are. They don't tell who you are or what you're known for after you've done things. We still have pride in the season."

Hampton hosts Battle of the Bay



Hampton, VA (Sports Network) - Saturday's Bethune-Cookman at South Carolina State matchup in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is one of the more anticipated games of the season. It's offense versus defense. Bethune-Cookman's upstart team leads the FCS in both points and yards per game. Meanwhile, South Carolina State's MEAC power leads the nation in total defense.

What shouldn't be overlooked with this big matchup is that Hampton could hold first place all by itself come late Saturday afternoon.

Friendship takes backseat to Battle of the Bay when Hampton faces Norfolk State

Sherron Childress and Jacobi Fenner are friends — for 51 weeks of the year. The other week, they're football players trying to beat the living daylights out of each other in the annual showdown known as the Battle of the Bay.

"Phone calls are cut out," said Childress, Norfolk State's senior tight end who went to Hampton High with Fenner, Hampton University's senior linebacker. "We speak when we see each other, but as far as holding a real conversation — it's game week. We have to prepare. But after the game, we'll be friends. We'll go out and hang out with each other and talk about the game."

Hampton- Norfolk State Battle of the Bay preview and our prediction

HAMPTON (4-1, 3-0 MEAC) vs. NORFOLK STATE (2-3, 1-2 MEAC)
WHEN: 1 p.m.
WHERE: Armstrong Stadium.
TV/RADIO: 88.1 FM

THE BUZZ: The Pirates are hungry for revenge after being embarrassed 46-6 last year at Norfolk State, and they seem to have the balanced offense (198 rushing yards per game, 136 passing) to achieve it. The Spartans have lost two straight games to ranked MEAC teams, including...

On Campus: NSU coach Pete Adrian knows a thing or two about rivalries

Norfolk State coach Pete Adrian has been in involved in a rivalry or two in his playing and coaching careers. For his money, his team's annual showdown against nearby MEAC rival Hampton, known as the Battle of the Bay, is among the best in the business.

"These are great games. That’s one thing that college football is all about, is rivalries," Adrian said. "I can remember when I played at West Virginia, we had a team called Pitt. And that’s the Backyard Brawl, and that was really the beginning of it for me, to see the intensity.

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'07 thriller sets rematch's stage: Hampton vs. NSU

Hampton University (4-1, 3-0 MEAC) coach Jerry Holmes suffered a sudden, convenient bout of amnesia as he tried to remember last year's game against Norfolk State. "What happened last year?" Holmes asked. He turned to the Pirates players sitting beside him at HU's weekly media luncheon. "Do y'all remember?" With no answers forthcoming, Holmes, in his first year as head coach following three seasons as the Pirates' defensive coordinator, faced his audience again. "Any more questions?"

What happened was that Norfolk State (2-4, 1-2 MEAC), which had won just two games against Hampton since 1992, stunned the Pirates with a 20-19 victory when HU kicker Carlo Turavani's 49-yard field-goal attempt with two seconds left sailed wide right. "It felt really good," Spartans senior defensive lineman Dennis Marsh said. "The first year I got here (from Maryland), in '06, they beat us pretty bad (42-13). They try to set themselves apart from us, and for us to come out and beat them, it felt really good."
























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45th Battle of the Bay: HU vs. NSU

by NSU Sports Information

NORFOLK, Va. – For the fourth time since 2001, State Farm will be the principal sponsor of the Battle of the Bay football game as the Norfolk State University Spartans (4-1 overall, 3-0 MEAC) host the Hampton University Pirates (4-1, 3-1) on Saturday, Oct. 13, at William “Dick” Price Stadium. Kickoff is 2 p.m. for what is considered one of Hampton Roads’ biggest entertainment and sports events.

The week's activities begin on Thursday, Oct. 11 when State Farm hosts a media luncheon featuring Norfolk State head coach Pete Adrian, Hampton Head Coach Joe Taylor and players from both teams.

On Friday, State Farm and the Norfolk State University Athletics Foundation will co-host the "State Farm Battle of the Bay After Work Mixer” at Grand Affairs in Virginia Beach, Va. Alumni, university administrators, faculty, staff and supporters of both institutions are expected to attend the event and music will be provided by the Fuzz Band. The Norfolk, Va.- based band has opened for platinum-selling artists such as Outkast, Jill Scott, Morris Day and The Time and Alicia Keys. The Fuzz Band has also performed at fundraisers for dignitaries and entertainers, including Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, NBA star Allen Iverson and former NFL Hall of Famer Bruce Smith.

As a result of State Farm's partnership with the NSU Athletics Department, State Farm will also participate in NSU's Parent Weekend set for Oct. 11-12. State Farm will donate 50 Million Pound Challenge kits to participants of the 2k run/walk on the NSU campus.

The football game on Saturday is the 45th meeting between the schools in what has been one of college football’s most intense and enduring rivalries. NSU leads the series 22-21-1, although the Spartans have not defeated the Pirates since 2001. In addition to the fierce, hard-hitting action between the teams, fans will also be treated to the pageantry and precision of the NSU Spartan Legion Marching Band, featuring the Hot Ice Dancers; and the Hampton Marching Force and the Ebony Fire Dance Team.

“The Battle of the Bay is a football classic between two long-time rivals and it has delighted fans for many years,” said Bill Whitney, vice president of State Farm Insurance. “State Farm Insurance is proud to sponsor the game, because it is more than a competition. The event highlights the educational and athletic excellence of Norfolk State and Hampton Universities.”

The end of the game will not mean the end of the day’s events. After the game, spectators will be invited on the Dick Price Stadium field to stage the largest Cupid Shuffle in Hampton Roads – and perhaps the world. A raffle will be held and registered participants will have a chance to win cash prizes totaling $1,000.

“Norfolk State University Athletics is extremely pleased with the support we receive from State Farm," said Craig Cotton, associate athletics director for external operations. “State Farm's sponsorship of the Battle of the Bay and its involvement as a Team Spartan Corporate Partner indicate the company's commitment to supporting organizations and events that benefit and serve the community.”