Game Notes

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University football team will celebrate Homecoming 2010 on Saturday afternoon, when they take on Bethune-Cookman at Armstrong Stadium at 2 p.m. in a pivotal Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) match-up.

The game will be broadcast via tape delay on ESPNU at 10:30 p.m.

The Pirates (5-3, 4-1 MEAC) have lost two straight following this past Saturday's 28-14 loss to Old Dominion, while Bethune-Cookman (8-0, 5-0 MEAC), under the direction of first-year head coach Brian Jenkins, remain atop the MEAC standings after a 67-17 win over North Carolina A&T on Oct. 28. Hampton is tied for second in the conference with South Carolina State and Florida A&M.

The Pirates lead the all-time series with the Wildcats 9-6, even though Bethune-Cookman has won the last two meetings. The Wildcats beat Hampton 27-24 last season in Daytona Beach, Fla., and in 2008, Bethune-Cookman beat Hampton 17-6 at Armstrong Stadium. Hampton last beat Bethune-Cookman in 2007, 31-24 in Daytona Beach; it was the Pirates' fourth straight win in the series. Hampton is 4-3 all-time against Bethune-Cookman at Armstrong Stadium. The last time Bethune-Cookman served as Hampton's Homecoming opponent was in 2004, when the Pirates won 24-17.

So far this season, the Pirates are fourth in the MEAC in scoring defense, giving up just 18.2 points per game, while sitting third in total defense after giving up 284.8 yards per contest. Hampton is also third in the conference in rushing defense, only allowing opponents 137.5 yards per game on the ground after holding Old Dominion to just 69 rushing yards this past Saturday.

Senior Kenrick Ellis (West Palm Beach, Fla.), who leads Hampton in tackles with 72, leads the MEAC in tackles per game with 10.3 so far this season. Senior Brandon Peguese (Greensboro, N.C.) leads the MEAC in sacks (7.0, 0.88 per game) and is second in the conference in tackles for loss (17.0 for 76 yards). Junior Micah Pellerin (New Orleans, La.) leads the MEAC with 14 pass breakups (1.75 per game), while senior Romeo Pellum (Long Beach, Calif.) is third with 11 (1.38 per game).

Saturday's contest against Bethune-Cookman will be Hampton's fourth and final home game of the season; so far this year, the Pirates are 2-1 at home, having defeated North Carolina A&T 35-21 on Sept. 18 and Norfolk State 7-6 on Oct. 16, before losing this past Saturday 28-14 to Old Dominion at Armstrong Stadium. During his tenure as head coach, Donovan Rose is 5-4 at home.

The Pirates are 81-32 against schools from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. This is only the Pirates' 16th year as a member of the MEAC, as they initially became a member back in 1995. Since joining the MEAC, the Pirates have won the conference championship five times, including three straight in 2004, 2005 and 2006. In 2006, the last time the Pirates won the MEAC, Hampton went 10-2, losing only to South Carolina State in the regular season and to New Hampshire in the NCAA playoffs. Prior to joining the MEAC, the Pirates were members of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA).

Fans unable to make it to Armstrong Stadium can follow along with Saturday's contest via live stats on the Internet. Simply visit the official Hampton University athletics website, www.hamptonpirates.com, and click the link on the front page for live stats. The game will also be broadcast live on WHOV 88.1 FM, with Shemar Woods and Matt White calling the action.

For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.