Complete Game Notes (PDF)       Press Conference Video of Coach Henry Frazier III 

G. Alan Inc. Preview: NCCU vs Morgan State

THE GAME                                                                                                                                
Morgan State University “Bears” vs. North Carolina Central University “Eagles”

THE KICKOFF                                                                                                                          
Saturday, October 15, 2011 – Kickoff at 4:00 p.m. 

THE SITE                                                                                                                                   
O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium (10,000 capacity/MondoTurf) - Durham, N.C.

2011 RECORDS                                                                                                                      
Morgan State (3-3 overall, 2-1 MEAC); N.C. Central (1-4 overall, 0-2 MEAC)

MEDIA COVERAGE                                                                                                                
Radio: WEED 1390 AM (Rocky Mount, N.C.); WARR 1520 AM (Warrenton, N.C.); “GameCentral” at NCCUEaglePride.com. Starts at 3:30 p.m. (Chris Hooks, play-by-play; Joe Simmons, color analyst; Danielle Johnson-Webb, sideline)

Video: NCCUEaglePride.com features “GameCentral” by Stretch Internet ($8.95 per game). Starts at 3:45 p.m.
•   North Carolina Central University hosts Morgan State University for the first time in 30 years. The last time the MSU Bears visited the gridiron in Durham, N.C., was on Oct. 10, 1981.
•   Morgan State has won four of the past five meetings against the Eagles, including a 49-7 victory in the last meeting on Sept. 13, 2008, in Baltimore, Md.
•   This season, NCCU has lost three straight games, while Morgan State has won three of its last four contests.
•   Fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness. The Pink Game title sponsor, Michael Jordan Nissan, will provide pink ribbons for spectators, while the NCCU football team will wear pink wristbands.

THE SERIES
This will be the 36th gridiron meeting between NCCU and Morgan State since the teams first played on Nov. 15, 1930. The MSU Bears hold a 21-12-2 advantage in the series. The Bears won the first five contests, then rolled off another five-game win streak from 1964-68, outscoring the Eagles 125-7 during that stretch, including four straight shutouts. NCCU has posted two three-game win streaks, first from 1957-59 and also from 1972-74. MSU has won four of the past five meetings, including a 49-7 victory in the last meeting on Sept. 13, 2008, in Baltimore, Md.

THE LAST MEETING                                                                                                              
Morgan State 49, NCCU 7 (Sept. 13, 2008 - Baltimore, Md.): North Carolina Central University committed seven turnovers during a 49-7 blowout loss to Morgan State University inside Hughes Stadium in Baltimore, Md. The MSU Bears amassed 369 yards of total offense, including 247 yards rushing. NCCU managed only 223 total yards with just 67 rushing yards. The Eagles’ miscues included a lost fumble and six interceptions. NCCU senior quarterback Stadford Brown tossed five interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. In fourth-quarter relief, sophomore quarterback Keon Williams also threw a pick which was returned 60 yards for the final score of the game. The Bears totaled 165 interception return yards, compared to only 156 passing yards by NCCU.

ABOUT MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                                             
Founded in 1867, Morgan State University boasts an enrollment of 7,200. Notable alumni include Visanthe Shiancoe (Minnesota Vikings), Willie Lanier (former Kansas City Chief), Joe Black (former Brooklyn Dodger) and William C. Rhoden (sports columnist). The Bears compete on the NCAA Division I (FCS) level as members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

THE COACHES                                                                                                                       
North Carolina Central: Henry Frazier III (Bowie State, 1993) is in his first season as head coach at NCCU. Prior to his arrival in Durham, N.C., Frazier spent seven seasons (2004-10) at the helm of the Prairie View A&M University Panthers football team. He took over a program that experienced the nation’s longest losing streak, dropping 80 straight contests from 1989-98, and transformed the Panthers into SWAC champions in 2009. Among his many coaching honors is the 2009 Eddie Robinson National FCS Coach of the Year award. Frazier also served as head coach at his alma mater, Bowie State University (1999-2003).

Morgan State: Donald Hill-Eley became the 18th head football coach in Morgan State history on Feb. 8, 2002. Hill is now in his 10th season as head coach of the Morgan State Bears and in his 20th season of coaching overall. With career coaching record of 49-58 - all at Morgan State - Hill is the third winningest coach in MSU history – behind Eddie P. Hurt and Earl C. Banks. During the Hill-Eley era, Morgan State has produced four All-Americans, over 20 All-MEAC performers, and four MEAC Players of the Year.

LAST WEEK                                                                                                                             
NCCU 38, SC State 49: North Carolina Central University amassed a season-high 474 yards of total offense, but a pair of fumbles in the second half resulted in go-ahead touchdowns for South Carolina State University as the Bulldogs celebrated homecoming with a 49-38 victory in front of 22,181 fans inside Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium. The two teams combined for more than 1,000 total yards, as SC State posted 528 yards, including a dominating 357 rushing yards. Bulldogs junior running back Asheton Jordan ran for 226 yards, averaging 10.3 yards per carry, and found the end zone twice to lead SCSU (3-3, 3-1 MEAC). As a team, SC State threw only six passes in the second half, including just two in the fourth quarter, both coming in the opening drive of the final stanza. NCCU (1-4, 0-2 MEAC) was sparked by the Durham duo of senior quarterback Michael Johnson and junior receiver Geovonie Irvine. Johnson threw for 315 yards for the second straight game, matching a career-high, while completing a career-best 29 passes on 47 pass attempts with two touchdown tosses. He also rushed for a team-high 50 yards and a score. Irvine equaled a career-high with a season-best nine receptions for 132 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles defense was paced by senior linebacker Brandon Outlaw with 10 tackles (six solo). NCCU held a 24-21 halftime lead, but SCSU returned a fumble 28 yards for a touchdown in the opening minute of the third quarter. NCCU regained the lead 38-35 at 10:49 of the fourth quarter, but the Eagles fumbled again and the Bulldogs recovered. On the ensuing drive, SCSU used six consecutive rushes for 53 yards in just 1:29 to take back the advantage for good, 42-38, with 9:11 remaining. Saturday marked the third consecutive contest in which the Eagles surrendered a lead in the fourth quarter.

Morgan State 44, Savannah State 17: Morgan State hounded Savannah State’s quarterback all day and posted a season-high 430 yards of total offense to cruise to a 44-17 win. MSU true freshman quarterback Seth Higgins, making his second start of the season, completed 14-of-24 passes for 239 yards and four touchdowns. Senior wideout Andre Nelson led the Bears with 116 yards and scored two touchdowns, including a 59-yarder from Higgins to open the scoring in the first quarter. MSU held a slim 17-10 advantage at halftime, but the Bears outscored Savannah State 28-7 in the second half.

LAST SEASON                                                                                                                         
North Carolina Central:  NCCU finished its fourth season of Division I-FCS competition with a 3-8 overall record. NCCU stormed out of the gates with a dominating 59-0 season-opening win over Johnson C. Smith. The Eagles also tasted sweet victory against long-time rival North Carolina A&T and celebrated a homecoming win versus Edward Waters. But the Eagles also had their share of troubles. They lost a heart-breaker to Winston-Salem State, fell victim to the No. 1-ranked team in the nation in Appalachian State and suffered an overtime setback at Georgia State. After opening the campaign with a 2-4 record, NCCU head coach Mose Rison was replaced by assistant head coach Darryl Bullock, who led the Eagles the rest of the season. Unfortunately for the maroon and gray faithful, the results were about the same. NCCU went 1-4 during that stretch, including its first-ever loss against Savannah State.

Morgan State: The Bears finished the season with a 4-7 overall record and a 3-5 conference mark. MSU lost its last four games of the 2010 season.

RARE OFFENSIVE OUTPUT VERSUS THREE-PEAT MEAC CHAMPS                     
NCCU’s 38-point offensive output on Saturday marks the most points scored against South Carolina State by a MEAC opponent since Bethune-Cookman posted 45 points against the Bulldogs in 2006.

JOHNSON REPEATS CAREER PASSING DAY AT SC STATE                                    
For the second straight game, NCCU senior quarterback Michael Johnson posted career passing numbers. On Sept. 24 against Savannah State, Johnson threw 52 passes with 28 completions for 315 yards - all career-highs at the time for the Durham native. The effort was Johnson’s first 300-yard passing performance and the most passing yards for the Eagles since the 2007 season (372 vs. Presbyterian on Sept. 29, 2007). In his next outing at South Carolina State, Johnson set a new career standard with 29 completions and matched his career mark with another 315 passing yards.

LISTEN TO NCCU FOOTBALL VIA THE INTERNET                                                        
Every game of the 2011 North Carolina Central University Eagles football season will be broadcasted by the NCCU Sports Network. Play-by-play announcer Chris Hooks and NCCU Athletic Hall of Famer Joe Simmons will call all of the live action, starting with “Eagle Gameday” a half-hour prior to kickoff. To listen to the broadcast via the internet, visit the NCCU Athletics web site at www.NCCUEaglePride.com and click on “GameCentral.”

THREE EAGLES AMONG NCCU CAREER LEADERS                                                   
- NCCU senior quarterback Michael Johnson currently ranks sixth on NCCU’s all-time career passing list with 4,642 yards through the air. The Durham, N.C., native also ranks sixth with 41 career touchdown passes. Up next: Adrian Warren (2003-06) with 4,676 passing yards; and Brad McAdams (1992-96) with 42 TD passes.
- Junior receiver Geovonie Irvine ranks ninth in career receptions with 119 and 11th among NCCU’s career receiving yards leaders with 1,707 yards. Up next: Will Scott (2006-09) with 121 receptions; Moses Ware (1991-94) with 1,822 receiving yards.
- Senior cornerback David Ingram ranks 10th among NCCU’s career passes defended leaders with 34. Up next: Hassan Smith (1999-2002) with 35.