For the fourth consecutive game, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference sent a different representative to the Cricket Celebration Bowl. Unfortunately, Howard’s 30-26 loss to Florida A&M put the Bison on the wrong side of history, making them the second MEAC team to lose in the eight-game series.
According to Bison head coach Larry Scott, if the Bison are to atone for last December’s loss in Atlanta, they will need to “come together” to win the program’s fifth conference championship in program history.
But in this ever-evolving league, with new star players and a new head coach in Orangeburg, there is a chance that we could see a different MEAC team earn the title for the fifth consecutive year.
Here’s a look ahead at the top returning players and our predicted order of finish.
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Returning All-Conference Players
From last season’s All-MEAC Team
Howard – 7: OL Darius Fox (2nd Team), DB Kenny Gallop, Jr. (1st Team), WR Kasey Hawthorne (1st Team) DB Carson Hinton (2nd Team), LB Terrance Hollon (1st Team), RB Jarett Hunter (2nd Team), RB Eden James (2nd Team), DL Jamel Stewart (2nd Team)
South Carolina State – 6: C Eric Brown, Jr. (2nd Team), OL Cam Johnson (2nd Team), LB Aaron Smith (2nd Team), WR Justin Smith-Brown (2nd Team), OL Nick Taiste (1st Team), TE Keshawn Toney (1st Team)
Morgan State – 4: OL Treyvon Branch (1st Team), LB Erick Hunter (1st Team), RS Keith Jenkins, Jr. (1st Team), DL Elijah Williams (1st Team)
North Carolina Central – 4: OL Trevon Humphrey (2nd Team), DB Kole Jones (2nd Team), DL Trey Middleton (2nd Team), DL Jaden Taylor (1st Team)
Delaware State – 1: TE EJ Core (2nd Team)
Teams With the Most D1 Transfers
FBS-to-FCS Transfers & FCS-to-FCS Transfers
South Carolina State – 10 (2 FBS, 8 FCS)
Howard – 8 (4 FBS, 4 FCS)
Delaware State – 7 (5 FBS, 2 FCS)
North Carolina Central – 7 (5 FBS, 2 FCS)
Morgan State – 6 (5 FBS, 4 FCS)
Norfolk State — 4 (4 FCS)
2024 Preseason Preview Central
Names To Know
PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jarett Hunter, Howard RB — This year’s MEAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and selection to the Walter Payton Award watch list led Howard in rushing yards (626) while recording nearly 900 yards of total offense with 11 total TDs a year ago.
Other players to watch: WR Joaquin Davis (North Carolina Central), WR Kasey Hawthorne (Howard), RB Eden James (Howard), QB Otto Kuhns (Norfolk State)
PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kenny Gallop Jr., Howard S — The conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 helped lead the Bison secondary to the second-best pass defense in the nation, allowing only 142.8 yards per game in the air during Howard’s first MEAC championship campaign in 30 years.
Other players to watch: LB Erick Hunter (Morgan State), AJ Richardson (Norfolk State), DL Elijah Williams (Morgan State)
THE NFL PROSPECT: Kenny Gallop Jr., Howard S — Last season, the 6-foot and 214-pound safety won the Aeneas Williams Award — the award is given to the top defensive back in HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Division I college football – and was a Buck Buchanan Award finalist after compiling 65 tackles, four tackles for losses, two interceptions, and a forced and recovered fumble.
Other Players to Watch: WR Kasey Hawthorne (Howard), LB Erick Hunter (Morgan State), OG Nick Taiste (South Carolina State), DL Elijah Williams (Morgan State)
HERO Sports’ Predicted Order of Finish
1. Morgan State
2. North Carolina Central
3. Howard
4. South Carolina State
5. Norfolk State
6. Delaware State
Since 2013, we’ve only seen two seasons where there hasn’t been a tie atop the MEAC standings, and I don’t expect anything less in this year’s version of the five-game race to the conference crown.
Delaware State finished last season winless in league play. However, head coach Lee Hull did win a MEAC title a decade ago in Baltimore. Dawson Odums ushers in the most experienced team in the conference as the Spartans aspire to earn their first winning season under his tutelage. First-year head coach Chennis Berry looks to bring his championship pedigree from Division II Benedict to Orangeburg. Nevertheless, all eyes will be on the teams that finished in the top half of the standings in 2023.
Last season’s league champs are returning seven all-conference players, including the preseason players of the year selections Gallop and Hunter, who helped lead Howard to their best win percentage in seven seasons. However, the Bison have a question mark at quarterback now that former starter Quinton Williams has left D.C. via graduation. Hopefully, running backs Hunter and Eden James can take some pressure off the new quarterback.
If Coach Scott wants to take his team back to Atlanta this December, a feat no MEAC team has achieved since 2019, he will need consistent play from this yet-to-be-determined signal-caller and earn a victory in Durham. Howard hasn’t beaten Central in North Carolina in thirty years (0-4 during that span).
North Carolina Central quarterback Walker Harris threw for 263 yards and five touchdowns in his lone start against Mississippi Valley State last season. Now tabbed as the new signal-caller for the Eagles, head coach Trei Oliver believes that Harris “could’ve started on a lot of other teams in our conference over the past two years.” Oliver continued, “We won’t miss a beat at the quarterback position. We’ll just look a little different,” referring to Harris who is more of a pocket passer than his predecessor, Davius Richard.
Facing Howard and Morgan in O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium should be beneficial to a team that is 5-0 at home against MEAC opponents over the last two seasons. Nonetheless, the Eagles need to make improvements on defense, primarily stopping the run. Last season, Central allowed at least 48 points in three games against FCS opponents while ranking 95th nationally against the run, allowing 179 yards on the ground per contest.
Expectations continue to rise for the Damon Wilson-led Morgan State Bears. Last year, their staunch defense finished the season ranked 23rd or better nationally in points allowed (23rd, 21.4), passing yards allowed (17th, 180.4 YPG), and total defense (16th, 308.5 YPG). This unit, led by linebacker Erick Hunter and defensive lineman Elijah Williams, will return eight starters from 2023.
The Bears expect to be solid again on that side of the ball, however, they will need to clean up what Coach Wilson referred to as “small mistakes.” A year ago, Morgan State lost five games by an average of 5.2 points. If they can get improved play from sophomore quarterback Tahj Smith, running back J.J. Davis, and the Bears offense that was ranked near the bottom nationally in multiple statistical categories, they could win their first conference championship since 2014.
