With no hope of a berth in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs or a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title, Morgan State still has a chance to make school history. After suffering a 24-16 loss to Norfolk State on Saturday, the Bears can secure just their third wining season in the past 28 years in their season finale this Saturday.
“We have to do a better job with our decision making, our discipline and our character,” Morgan State coach Donald Hill-Eley said. “You still have a game left, and get to this point, you can still play and make history as one of the teams who have had a winning season.”
But coming away with a win five days from now will not be easy. Morgan State (5-5 overall, 4-3 MEAC) will need to play one of its most complete games of the season when it travels to play South Carolina State (5-4, 4-2) Saturday afternoon at 1:30. The Bulldogs scored the game?s first 38 points against Howard en route to a 59-21 victory, and will now look to close the season by defeating Morgan State for the 24th time in 25 games since 1980.
Morgan State running back Chad Simpson, who broke Jason Jackson?s three-year old school record of 1,191 rushing yards in a season on Saturday, said the Bears are still the top team in the MEAC, but continue to beat themselves. In the loss to Norfolk State (7-2, 6-1), the Bears committed 10 penalties for a season-high 182 yards.
“That?s been a problem all year and we have to make plays when we can make plays,” Simpson, who has 1,271 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns on 248 carries, said. “We are undisciplined. It?s something we have to dig down deep and find in ourselves.”
The Bears? offense continues to be sporadic ? averaging 24.4 points per game in their 5 wins and 17.6 points per game in their 5 losses ? the defense remains solid, ranking fifth in the FCS in total defense, giving up only 266.4 yards per game. But the unit will be tested by South Carolina State running back William Ford and quarterback Cleveland McCoy. Ford has 978 yards and 3 touchdowns on 167 carries, and McCoy has 699 yards and 3 touchdowns on 105 carries.
“It?s about pride now,” Hill-Eley said. “For the young guys, it?s about how do you want to go into the offseason. For the older guys, it?s how do you want to go out. It?s all about pride now.”
