by Justice Davis, Sports Information Student Assistant


Video:  Extended Highlights:  NCCU vs. Morgan State:  http://youtu.be/3PI4sk-DSwQ

BALTIMORE, Md. - Morgan State pulled out a 21-20 comeback win over North Carolina Central University at Hughes Stadium on Saturday thanks to quarterback Robert Council's lone touchdown pass of the day with 32 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Three missed field goals by NCCU were the difference in a game that resulted in the Eagles' second straight loss to the Morgan State Bears. 

The Eagles, who were tied for first place in the MEAC prior to this game, suffer their first conference loss of the season. The Eagles are now 2-1 in MEAC play and 3-4 overall. 

This ending is similar to the last time the Eagles came to Hughes Stadium, only they won 24-20 on a pass touchdown with 25 seconds remaining. 

The Eagles are familiar with comeback victories after turning around a 21-10 defect in the second quarter to beat South Carolina State in a 48-35 shootout last week. However, NCCU was on the losing side of the comeback this week.

NCCU redshirt sophomore quarterback Malcolm Bell went to the locker room, and missed two plays in the first offensive series of the game. Bell returned by the second series and went on to complete 25 of his 40 passes for 207 yards, the fifth game in-a-row Bell has thrown for at least 200. 

Junior wide receiver Quentin Atkinson was the leading receiver of the game with eight catches for 91 yards and one touchdown, his third of the year. Atkinson's three receiving touchdowns tie him with Adrian Wilkins for the team lead. 

The Eagles appeared to be on their way to a third straight win against a conference opponent up 20-7 with 12:42 left in the fourth quarter. The Bears' only touchdown to that point came on a short drive after a Wilkins muffed punt giving them the ball on NCCU's 27. 

The Eagles were unable to hold the Bears' fourth quarter rally at bay. Morgan State pulled to within six points with an eight-play, 58-yard scoring drive at 9:03 of the fourth, capped by a 4-yard run by Herb Walker, Jr.  After NCCU missed a 51-yard field goal try, the Bears took only 2:03 to go 66 yards in 10 plays to score the game-winner, when Council found a wide open Andrew King in the end zone with just 32 seconds left in the contest.

The Eagles now go from undefeated in MEAC play to now having no room for error for the rest of the season in order to stay in the hunt for a MEAC Championship. 

NCCU's offense attempted to capitalize on their momentum from last week's historic performance of 517 total yards, 290 coming on the ground. While the Eagles did not quite duplicate that success, they still managed 405 yards of total offense compared to Morgan's 311. 

The biggest difference in the offensive production was the 193 yards rushing, nearly 100 yards less than last week, and only one touchdown, four less than last week. 

The Bears contained senior running back Andre Clarke, holding him to just 67 yards on the ground and no touchdowns. NCCU's lone rushing touchdown came from junior running back Deyonta Wright. 

On the defensive side, NCCU was able to contain Walker, Morgan State's star running back, holding him to 67 yards on 17 carries. Most of Morgan's rushing yards came from Council, who had 122 yards and one touchdown on the day. 

Through the air, NCCU practically matched last week's production and has consistently performed since Bell took over, but the offense has been the most effective when the ground game comes to life. The Eagles were out rushed by Morgan State's 207 yards on the ground, and are 0-4 when their opponents hit the 200-yard rushing mark as a team. 

Next week the Eagles come back to O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium to play the Tigers of Savannah State University.