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THE GAME    
North Carolina Central University "Eagles" vs. Delaware State University "Hornets"

THE KICKOFF    
Saturday, November 5, 2016 – Kickoff at 2:00 p.m. 

THE SITE    
Alumni Stadium (7,000 capacity/Artificial Turf) - Dover, Delaware

THE RECORDS    
N.C. Central (6-2 overall, 5-0 MEAC); Delaware State (0-8 overall, 0-5 MEAC)

MEDIA COVERAGE    
Audio: NCCU Sports Network "GameCentral" at NCCUEaglePride.com (audio internet stream). Broadcast starts at 1:30 p.m. (Jonathan Duren, play-by-play).
Video: YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/DelawareStateU)

QUICK HITS    
•    NCCU leads the series against Delaware State, 16-6. The Eagles have won seven of the last eight contests, including three straight.
•    NCCU has won 13 consecutive games against non-FBS opponents, including 12 in-a-row versus MEAC teams.
•    NCCU owns a 18-3 record against MEAC opponents in the last three seasons under head coach Jerry Mack.
•    Quarterback Malcolm Bell tops the MEAC and ranks 32nd nationally (FCS) in points responsible for with 102 (12 passing, 5 rushing touchdowns).
•    With 100 yards of total offense at Morgan State on Oct. 22, NCCU redshirt senior quarterback Malcolm Bell moved into second place on the Eagles career total offense list with 6,672 total yards. The Richmond, Virginia native trails only Earl Harvey (1985-88; 10,667 yards).
•    NCCU's defense ranks second in the conference and sixth in NCAA Division I-FCS with an average of 8.6 tackles for loss per game (60 total TFL). The Eagles are also second in the league and 11th in FCS with 23 sacks.
•    Since the start of the 2012 season, NCCU has scored 22 special teams touchdowns, including 13 trips to the end zone on punt returns.
•    NCCU received 42 votes in this week's STATS FCS Top 25 poll, picking up 21 votes during its bye week.

2016 HIGHLIGHTS    
•    NCCU beat Bethune-Cookman 31-14 on Oct. 1 for the Eagles' first win in the series with the Wildcats since 1994, ending a six-game losing skid.
•    NCCU broke a school record with 32 first downs versus St. Augustine's on Sept. 17. 
•    NCCU's 676 yards of total offense versus St. Augustine's ranks second only to the 684 total yards amassed by the 1982 Eagles against Bowie State. The 414 passing yards against the Falcons places fourth in the NCCU record books and are the most by the Eagles since 1988.
•    NCCU's 21 points against Western Michigan are the most scored by the Eagles in nine contests against FBS competition.
•    NCCU's five fumble recoveries versus Duke on Sept. 3 are the most by the Eagles since 2010. 

FLASHBACK TO 2015    
•    NCCU repeated as co-champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) with a 7-1 conference record.
•    The Eagles posted the most wins as a NCAA Division I-FCS program with an 8-3 overall record.
•    The Eagles earned the program's second win over a nationally-ranked FCS opponent by defeating No. 13/16 North Carolina A&T in the final game of the season on Nov. 21, 2015.
•    NCCU closed out season on a seven-game winning streak.
•    NCCU ranked No. 1 in the nation (FCS) in fourth down conversion percentage defense (8.3%) - allowing only one fourth down conversion all season (12 attempts) - and fourth down conversion percentage offense (81.8%/9 of 11).

THE SERIES    
This will be the 23rd meeting in the series between the Eagles and the Hornets since the teams first played in 1945. NCCU leads the series against Delaware State, 16-6. The Eagles have won seven of the last eight contests with wins in 2015, 2012, 2011, 2004, 2003, 1996 and 1979, while DSU won the 2010 meeting 29-7.

NCCU vs. Delaware State Series Results:
11/7/2015 - NCCU 43, DSU 10 (Durham, N.C.)
11/3/2012 - NCCU 23, DSU 20 - 2OT (Durham, N.C.)
11/5/2011 - NCCU 14, DSU 7 (Dover, Del.)
11/6/2010 - DSU 29, NCCU 7 (Dover, Del.)
9/11/2004 - NCCU 26, DSU 23 (Dover, Del.)
9/20/2003 - NCCU 21, DSU 14 (Durham, N.C.)
9/21/1996 - NCCU 21, DSU 16 (Atlantic City, N.J.)
10/13/1979 - NCCU 31, DSU 26 (Durham, N.C.)
10/14/1978 - DSU 16, NCCU 13 (Dover, Del.)
10/15/1977 - DSU 23, NCCU 0 (Durham, N.C.)
10/16/1976 - NCCU 27, DSU 6 (Dover, Del.)
10/18/1975 - NCCU 16, DSU 14 (Durham, N.C.)
10/19/1974 - NCCU 7, DSU 0 (Dover, Del.)
10/13/1973 - NCCU 32, DSU 7 (Durham, N.C.)
10/14/1972 - DSU 14, NCCU 10 (Dover, Del.)
10/16/1971 - NCCU 34, DSU 3 (Durham, N.C.)
10/7/1950 - NCC 13, DSU 0 (Dover, Del.)
10/22/1949 - NCC 27, DSU 0 (Durham, N.C.)
9/25/1948 - NCC 14, DSU 0 (Dover, Del.)
9/27/1947 - DSU 7, NCC 0 (Durham, N.C.)
9/28/1946 - NCC 32, DSU 6 (Durham, N.C.)
9/29/1945 - DSU 13, NCC 12 (Durham, N.C.)

THE LAST MEETING    
(NCCU 43, DSU 10 - Durham, N.C. - Nov. 7, 2015) NCCU held a slim 14-10 advantage over Delaware State just prior to halftime, but then the Eagles scored 29 unanswered points to cruise to a 43-10 victory.

LAST WEEK    
(NCCU - Bye Week) North Carolina Central University is coming off a bye week. In NCCU's last outing on Oct. 22, NCCU beat Morgan State 21-17 in Baltimore.

(Bethune-Cookman 41, Delaware State 10 - Daytona Beach, Fla.) Bethune-Cookman rushed for 269 yards and passed for 224 in a 41-10 victory over Delaware State in a MEAC match-up at Municipal Stadium on Oct. 29. Delaware State totaled 306 yards in the contest. The Hornets scored their lone touchdown on an 18-yard pass from back-up quarterback Gil Rivera to Aris Scott, who led all receivers with five catches for 80 yards in the game. Rivera came off the bench to six-of-seven passes for 103 yards. Freshman Mike Waters rushed for 96 yards on 27 carries. Starting quarterback Daniel Epperson completed six-of-11 passes for 81 yards, but was intercepted twice. Freshman defensive back Brock Nichols led the Hornets with a game-high 10 tackles.

THE COACHES    
NCCU: Jerry Mack (Arkansas State, 2003) is in his third season as a college head coach. He boasts 11 years of coaching experience, including stints with five NCAA Division I programs and three conference championship teams. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Mack has held positions as wide receivers coach at the University of South Alabama (2012-13) and the University of Memphis (2011), as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (2010), as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at the University of Central Arkansas (2008-09), as wide receivers and tight ends coach at Jackson State University (2006-07), and as an offensive graduate assistant at Delta State University (2004-05). Mack began his collegiate playing career at Jackson State before transferring after one season (1999) to Arkansas State University.  He lettered three years at Arkansas State (2001-03) before earning his bachelor's degree in management information systems in 2003. Mack completed his master's degree in physical education from Delta State in 2006.

Delaware State: Kenny Carter was introduced as the Hornets' 19th head coach on  Jan. 21, 2015. Carter served as passing game/co-special teams coordinator/wide receivers coach at Youngstown State University during the 2014 season. From 2010 to 2014, Carter played a key role in the success of the University of Louisville program under Charlie Strong, now the head coach at the University of Texas. During the 2008-09 seasons, Carter was running backs coach under Urban Meyer at the University of Florida. Carter also served as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Vanderbilt from 2004-07. He served under the late Joe Paterno from 2001-03 as assistant receivers coach at Penn State University. During the 2000 season, Carter was running backs coach at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1999, Carter was an assistant coach (strong safeties/linebackers/nickel backs) at Louisiana State University. He began his coaching career in 1993 as an assistant at Furman (tight ends). The following year, Carter was hired as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator at his alma mater, The Citadel, where he served until 1998. Carter was a four-year letterman as an inside linebacker for The Citadel. He was the Bulldogs' 1989 Special Teams Player-of-the-Year.

BELL ACHIEVES PASSING, TOTAL OFFENSE MILESTONES    
Among NCCU career leaders, redshirt-senior quarterback Malcolm Bell (Richmond, Va.) ranks second in total offense yards (6,672) and fifth in passing yards (5,470) in his four-year career (2013-16). The dual-threat quarterback is the first Eagle in school history to amass 1,000 rushing yards (1,202) and 5,000 passing yards in a career. He is currently the school's 16th all-time leading rusher behind Lawrence Fuller (2000-03) with 1,261 career ground yards.

EAGLES TURN DEFENSE, SPECIAL TEAMS INTO POINTS    
Since the start of the 2012 season, the Eagles have demonstrated a knack for finding the end zone when the offense is off the field. In the past 53 games, NCCU has scored 31 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including one in 2016, six in 2015, five in 2014, nine in 2013 and 10 in 2012. In that time, the Eagles have made trips to the end zone on 13 punt returns, six kickoff returns, three blocked field goal returns, seven interceptions and two fumble recoveries. 

TEN EAGLES EARN PRESEASON ALL-MEAC HONORS    
Ten NCCU Eagles were voted to the 2016 Preseason All-MEAC Football Team. Leading the way for NCCU on the All-MEAC First Team are senior quarterback Malcolm Bell (Richmond, Va.), senior center Carl Jones (Nashville, Tenn.), senior offensive lineman Desmond Cooper (Stafford, Va.) and senior linebacker Jeremy Miles (Durham, N.C.). All-MEAC Second Team distinction was awarded to sophomore running back Dorrel McClain (Cary, N.C.), senior offensive lineman Tarrance Wells (Oxon Hill,, Md.), junior defensive lineman Antonio Brown (Jacksonville, Fla.), sophomore defensive back Davanta Reynolds (Tucker, Ga.) and senior return specialist LaVontis Smith (Maben, Miss.). Junior defensive lineman Ja'Quan Smith (Miramar, Fla.) rounded out NCCU's selections on the All-MEAC Third Team.

ABOUT NCCU FOOTBALL    
North Carolina Central University is in its sixth season of full NCAA Division I (FCS) athletic competition as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Eagles have won 12 conference championships as members of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1953, 1954, 1956, 1961, 1963, 1980, 2005, 2006) and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (1972, 1973, 2014, 2015), and have made three appearances in the NCAA playoffs (1988, 2005, 2006). The Eagles won back-to-back football conference championships and a Black College National Championship in their final two years in the Division II ranks (2005 and 2006) before starting the transition to Division I in 2007.