FACTS & STATS: Site: E. Claiborne Robins Stadium (8,700) – Richmond, Virginia.
Surface: FieldTurf Pro. Television: ESPN3.com. Announcers: Roy Philpott, Darius
Walker. Home Record: Morgan State 5-0; Richmond 4-2. Road Record: Morgan State
2-5; Richmond 4-2. Conference: Morgan State – Mid-Eastern Athletic; Richmond
Colonial Athletic Association. Series Record: First meeting. Nicknames: Morgan
State Bears; Richmond Spiders. Head Coaches: Morgan State – Lee Hull (1st
season at Morgan State, 7-5); Richmond – Danny Rocco (3rd season, 22-13 at
Richmond; 9th season, 79-33 overall). Playoff Records: Morgan State (0-0);
Richmond (10-7). Previous FCS Playoff Appearances: Morgan State (None);
Richmond 8 (1984, 1987, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2007-09, 1 National Championship,
2008). Playoff Streak: Morgan State is making its first FCS playoff appearance;
Richmond has won five of its last six FCS playoff games.
GAME NOTES: Postseason history favors Richmond in a big way here.
Morgan State, under rookie coach Lee Hull, is appearing in the playoffs for the
first time after emerging from a five-way tie for the Mid-Eastern Athletic
Conference title. Plus, no MEAC team has won a postseason game since 1999.
During the MEAC’s lengthy drought, Richmond pocketed the 2008 national title
and CAA Football teams have dominated in the postseason.
Morgan State tested itself on the road this season and features running back
Herb Walker Jr. (1,288 yards, 13 touchdowns) in heavy doses. But he was much
better in the first half of the season, so the Bears need quarterbacks Robert
Council and Moses Skillon, who both run the ball, to be exceptional.
The Bears are strong against the pass and need pass rusher Chris Robinson (14
sacks) to get to Richmond QB Michael Strauss because their secondary could be
under fire.
Actually, Richmond might switch it up a bit because Morgan State allowed 206.4
rushing yards per game in the regular season – second-worst in the MEAC. The
Spiders have two tough running backs in Seth Fisher and Jacobi Green despite
their offense preferring to let Strauss air it out to wide receivers Reggie
Diggs, Brian Brown and Rashad Ponder, who have combined on 190 receptions.
Richmond’s defense is senior-laden. Linebacker Eric Wright is the leading
tackler after finishing second on the team for two straight seasons.
The winner advances to the second round at No. 7 seed Coastal Carolina on Dec.
6.
PREDICTION: After finishing just short of the playoffs a number of times at
Liberty and Richmond, Spiders coach Danny Rocco will enjoy his postseason
debut. Richmond, 28-16.
