THE GAME
The Hornets visit North Carolina Central in a key Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) match-up. Delaware State brings a four-game win streak into the contest. The Hornets are 5-3 overall and tied with NC Central for second in the MEAC with a 4-1 mark in league play. DSU is coming off a 28-23 win at Morgan State last Thursday (Oct. 25). Quarterback Nick Elko completed 33-of-43 passes for a career-high 398 yards and two touchdowns to lead the way vs. Morgan State. The Hornets racked up a season-high 502 yards in the contest. Wide receivers Travis Tarpley (143) and Justin Wilson (110) each had more than 100 receiving yards against the Bears. North Carolina Central, 5-3 overall and 4-1 MEAC, is trying to bonce back from a 42-17 loss to league leader Bethune-Cookman last week. The Eagles led 17-14 in the third quarter before BCU scored 28 unanswered points. The loss snapped a four-game win streak for North Carolina Central. Bethune-Cookman (5-0 MEAC) holds a one-game lead over Delaware State and NC Central in the MEAC standings. BCU plays at Morgan State this weekend.
A Delaware State win would be the 100th career victory as a collegiate head coach for Kermit Blount, who was 91-87-3 prior to joining the Hornets in 2011.
THE SERIES
The teams are meeting for the third straight year and 21st time overall. North Carolina Central won last year's meeting 14-7 at Delaware State's Alumni Stadium to open up a 14-6 lead in the series. The Eagle defense led the way in the 2011 contest, recording seven sacks and two interceptions. North Carolina Central's Andre Clark scored each of his team's touchdowns, including the game-winner on a one-yard run in the third quarter. Delaware State advanced to the NC Central 23 on the final possession of the game, but Hornet quarterback Nick Elko was sacked by Stephen Young on the last play of the game. Young had 2.5 sacks among his seven tackles in the contest. The loss overshadowed a career day by Delaware State wide receiver Travis Tarpley, who tied a school record (since broken) with 11 catches for a career-high 162 yards. The Hornets and Eagles met six times from 1945 to 1950 as members of the Central Intercollegiate Association (CIAA), and nine times from 1971 to '79 during North Carolina Central's first stint in the MEAC. This will be Delaware State's first visit to NCCU since 2004.
