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NORFOLK, Va. - No. 22 ranked Norfolk State (2-0, 0-0 MEAC) and Howard (1-1, 0-0) square off this Saturday in the MEAC opener for both schools. Kickoff is 4 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.

The game has been designated Youth/Community Day. All youth 17 and under get in free with a paying adult and youth groups will be admitted free at the rate of 10 kids per one paying adult.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
The Spartans improved to 2-0 on the season with a come-from-behind 31-24 win at in-state foe Liberty last Saturday. NSU overcame a 17-7 halftime deficit thanks to scores from its offense, defense and special teams in the second half. Freshman running back Brendon Riddick ran 21 times for 150 yards and three touchdowns – all career highs – to lead the Spartan offense. His third touchdown, a 2-yard run with 12:45 left in the game, gave the Spartans the lead for good. Sophomore Keith Johnson returned a third-quarter punt 83 yards for a score, and sophomore linebacker Marcell Coke helped NSU increase its lead with a 41-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 3:30 left in the game. The game wasn't in hand yet, however. Liberty drove all the way to the NSU 1-yard line with 11 seconds, but NSU safety Keenan Lambert broke up a pass on fourth-and-goal to seal the victory.

Through two games, Riddick is second in the MEAC in rushing (237 yards, 118.5 ypg). His four touchdowns are tied for the most in the conference. The Spartan defense leads the MEAC in points allowed (24, 12.0 per game) and most sacks (10). Senior linebacker Jamal Giddens paces the MEAC in tackles for loss (5.5), sacks (3.0, tied for first) and forced fumbles (three).

SCOUTING THE BISON
Howard dropped a 26-0 decision at Division I FBS Rutgers last Saturday in New Jersey, evening the Bison's record at 1-1 on the year. Howard was limited to 149 total yards in that game, 74 rushing and 75 passing. The Bison defense was solid though, allowing the Scarlet Knights just 321 yards.Safeties Julien David (16 tackles) and DeCarlos Knight (11 tackles, three for loss) led the Howard defensive effort.

Like NSU, Howard won its season-opener against a Division II opponent, toppling Morehouse 30-29 on Sept. 1.

The Howard offense has been led by the running tandem of William Parker (105 rushing yards) and Aquanius Freeman (95) through the first two games. Quarterbacks Randy Liggins and Jamie Cunningham have split time under center, combining for 286 yards and three touchdowns passing.

Howard's defense is paced by senior linebacker Keith Pough, the MEAC's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. He made his season debut last week at Rutgers, tallying nine tackles, two for loss.

MEDIA COVERAGE
• Radio: NSU Sports Network, WXTG 102.1 FM The Game, WNSB Hot 91.1 FM,
(Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon; Color: Maguell Davis; Pre-Game: Matt Michalec)
• TV: 10:30 p.m. tape-delayed on ESPNU (Play-by-Play: Joe Davis; Color: Jay Walker)
• Live Stats: www.sidearmstats.com/nsu/football
• Audio Stream: www.nsuspartans.com (click “Live Audio” link under Inside Athletics tab)
• Twitter Updates: @NSUSpartans

THE SERIES
• This will be the 24th all-time meeting between the teams, with Howard holding a 15-8 edge.
• NSU has won the last four meetings by a combined score of 123-36.
• Howard last win was a 17-10 triumph at NSU on Oct. 27, 2007.

QUICK HITS FROM LIBERTY
• The win was NSU's sixth straight regular-season road win dating to the loss at West Virginia last season.
• The Spartans improved to 4-0 against Big South teams and 2-0 vs. Liberty under Pete Adrian.
• After being held out of the fi rst game by coach Adrian, punter Dylan Shaddix had a successful NSU debut. He averaged 45.7 yards on six punts with a long of 57. The former JC quarterback also completed a 9-yard pass on a 4th-and-7 in the fourth quarter to keep alive an NSU scoring drive.
• Brendon Riddick's 150 rushing yards were not only a career high, but the most by an NSU back since DeAngelo Branche had 233 on Nov. 20, 2010 at Savannah State.
• Nico Flores ran 13 times for 76 yards, both career highs. No Spartan quarterback had rushed for that many yards since Dennis Brown had 78 at Florida A&M on Oct. 24, 2009.

RIDDICK MAKES HIS MOVE
To say that redshirt freshman running back Brendon Riddick has been a pleasant surprise for the Spartans this year would be an understatement. Riddick was the Metro Player of the Year as a quarterback at Hermitage High School in Richmond as a senior in 2010 and was recruited as a quarterback by the Spartans. He served as the scout-team quarterback last season while redshirting, but was moved by the coaches to running back this spring. The move has paid immediate dividends. More
on the NSU freshman:
• Riddick is second in the MEAC and 11th in the nation in rushing through two games, with 237 yards (111.8 ypg).
• His four rushing touchdowns are tied with Morgan State's Travis Davidson for most in the MEAC.
• No Spartan since John Quinerly in 1996 (252 yards) has had more rushing yards through the first two games of the year.
• While operating in a more pass-oriented offense last season, quarterback Chris Walley led NSU in 2011 with five rushing touchdowns. Starting tailbacks Takeem Hedgeman and Randy Maynes, who split carries, had three apiece, which Riddick has already surpassed.
• Riddick ran for three scores at Liberty. No Spartan tailback has achieved that feat since all-time leading rusher DeAngelo Branche did it in consecutive weeks to close the 2010 season (11-13-10 vs. Delaware State and 11-20-10 vs. Savannah State)

SPARTANS RACK UP NATIONAL HONORS
Three Spartans reaped the rewards from the team's win at Liberty last week.
• Brendon Riddick earned the most accolades, earning The Sports Network's National Freshman of the Week, MEAC Offensive Player of the Week and Boxtorow HBCU National Player of the Week for his 150-yard, three-touchdown performance.
• Offensive lineman Cameron Williams was named MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week for the first time in his career. Williams, who graded out at 92 percent on his assignments, started the game at right tackle and later played guard, keying the Spartans' 343 yards of total offense (251 rushing).
• Sophomore Keith Johnson was named MEAC Special Teams Player of the Week for his 83-yard punt return touchdown in the third quarter. It was his fi rst career special teams score and his first career weekly MEAC award.

MANY HAPPY RETURNS
NSU's three-man group of return specialists asserted itself again at Liberty. Sophomore Keith Johnson scored his first career special teams touchdown with an 83-yard score in the third quarter against the Flames, which gave NSU its first lead of the ballgame. It was the Spartans' first punt return for a TD since Dwight Fluker-Berry had a 50-yard TD at Howard on Nov. 1, 2008.
Against Virginia State in the opener, Marcus Cooperwood broke a 70-yard kickoff return and Derrick Demps had a 21-yard punt return. As a team, NSU is currently 16th nationally in kickoff return average (26.8 avg.) and 18th in punt returns (15.1 avg.).

GIDDENS GETTING IT DONE
Outside linebacker Jamal Giddens had another in what is becoming a long list of monster games at NSU against Virginia State. He was named FCS National Defensive Player of the Week by NCAA.com and the National FCS Linebacker of the Week by College Football Performance Awards. More on the Spartans' standout:
• Giddens had seven tackles, a career-high 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles against VSU. Both of the fumbles were recovered by NSU, including Noel Clarke's touchdown.
• Giddens added another sack and forced fumble in a victory last week at his former school, Liberty.
• In his last four games dating to the Morgan State game of last season, Giddens has 28 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and five forced fumbles.
• Through two games, Giddens leads the MEAC and is tied for second in the nation with 5.5 tackles for loss. He is also seventh nationally and second in the MEAC with three sacks.
• Giddens had eight sacks last season, third in the MEAC and most by a Spartan since Jamal Naji's 12 in 2002. Giddens has the most sacks of any returning MEAC player.