Chad Simpson ran into the record books Saturday afternoon ? but it wasn?t enough to beat Norfolk State. Simpson broke running back Jason Jackson?s three-year old school record of 1,191 yards rushing in a season midway through the fourth quarter as the senior running back came up just short in Morgan State?s 24-16 loss to Norfolk State in front of 5,736 fans on Senior Day at Hughes Stadium.
“It really wasn?t me, it was my o-line, they came ready to play,” Simpson, who?s nursing an injured left ankle, said “When you are running behind those guys, they just wanted it real bad and you can tell if you watched the game.”
Simpson finished his final game at Hughes Stadium rushing for 215 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries. It was his second 200-yard effort of the season and gives him 1,271 yards with one game remaining next week at South Carolina State.
Morgan State (5-5, 4-3 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) opened the scoring when Simpson dashed 41-yards down the sideline to give the Bear?s the early lead. But Norfolk State (7-2, 6-2) would take a 7-6 lead into the half when running back Daryl Jones dashed into the end zone from 3-yards out.
The Spartans extended their lead to 17-6 when kicker Justin Castellat connected from 33-yards and Jones rumbled across the goal line again, this time from 4-yards out.
Jones finished with 167 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns on 30 carries
However, Morgan State would pull within four points when defensive end Justin Lawrence scooped up a fumble and cruised 16-yards into the end zone to make the score 17-13 with 8:02 left in thethird. However Norfolk State would respond three series later when running back Timothy Ferrell zipped into the end zone from 14-yards away with 13:55 left, culminating a 9 play, 87-yard drive that took 4:37 off of the clock and gave the Spartans a 24-13 lead.
Morgan State would get within eight points when kicker James Meade made a 42-yard field goal with 7:41 left in the fourth quarter. The Bears would recover an ensuing surprise onside kick, but quarterback Mario Melton ? who split time with starter Byron Selby ? was intercepted in the end zone after Morgan State had driven to the Spartan?s 14-yard line.
“It was a real tough day. It was tough offensively to come out with the energy we had and just drop,” Morgan State coach Donald Hill-Eley said. “Guys were open and we couldn?t connect with the open guys.”
Melton completed 4-of-11 passes for 42 yards and an inteception, while Selby connected on 4-of-11 throws for 56 yards with an interception.
Getting the ball back at their own 26-yard line with 3:41 left, the Bears drove down to the Spartan?s 9-yard line. But an incomplete pass on fourth-and-3 from Melton to tight end Ronnie Sykes with 20 seconds left ended the Bear?s comeback bid.
After the game, Hill-Eley was critical of his team?s 10 penalties for 182 yards, two turnovers and flat play.
“You can?t win a game [like that],” Hill-Eley said. “When you look back at the big games we have lost its penalties and turnovers and the more you play in big games the better you get and that hasn?t happened in our favor.”
