By AFRO Staff
Bears head coach Don Hill-Ely leads Morgan State to its second straight 2-1 start after beating Towson, 12-6, on Sept. 26. (Courtesy Photo/MSU)
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(September 28, 2009) - The Morgan State Bears improved to 2-1 after beating their cross-town rival, the Towson Tigers, 12-9, on Sept. 26 at Hughes Stadium.
This is the second consecutive season Morgan State has jumped out to a 2-1 start. Here is how the game played out:
The win was in the Bears’ paws when…
Morgan State safety Jody Ellis intercepted a pass by Towson freshman quarterback Peter Athens to end the Tigers’ attempt at a late game scoring drive with less than two minutes in the game.
Athens was also intercepted on the Tigers’ previous offensive drive by MSU cornerback Darren McKahn with nearly four minutes left in the final quarter.
Outstanding Player(s) of the Game
Bears senior linebacker George Howard, who was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 21, followed last week’s stellar performance of 17 tackles with a new career-high 18 tackles recorded against Towson.
His teammate, Jody Ellis, followed with eight tackles and a interception, while 2008 All-MEAC Team selectee Darren McKhan recorded his eighth career interception.
Other Key Notes
Morgan State quarterback Carlton Jackson finished the game completing 13 of 20 passes for 124 yards and 26-yard touchdown toss to Lamont Bryant for the only touchdown pass of the game. The Bears would only need one touchdown to win because their defense forced three key turnovers by the Tigers.
Even when Towson scored a touchdown, Morgan was able to gain its own points from the situation.
During the Tigers’ extra point field goal attempt in the first half, Bears lineman James Cole blocked the kick, allowing McKhan to recover the ball and return it 102 yards for two points.
The timely plays made by Morgan State’s defensive unit helped them beat Towson for the first time in five tries. MSU and Towson has faced off 23 times, with the Tigers holding a dominant 16-6 record, winning seven of the last nine meetings.
What Bears head coach Don Hill-Ely said…
“I thought it was a good, hard fought game,” Hill said during a post game media conference. “Credit goes to our guys. They really played well in all three phases tonight. I think our defense really played well and they kept us in great position where we couldn’t hurt ourselves.”