Game Notes

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Hampton University football team will head to Bragg Memorial Stadium looking to break into the win column on Saturday, facing Florida A&M and former Pirates coach Joe Taylor at 6 p.m.

This will be the first conference game of the season for both teams. The Pirates (0-2, 0-0 MEAC) dropped their home opener to Old Dominion 45-7 this past Saturday, while the Rattlers (0-2, 0-0 MEAC) fell to Oklahoma 69-13 on the road.

Sophomore quarterback Travis Champion (Moreno Valley, Calif.) currently ranks third in the MEAC in passing, averaging 159.5 yards through the air per game, while also sitting fourth in total offense at 160.0 yards per game and eighth with an efficiency rating of 115.0.

On the defensive side of the ball, junior linebacker DeVonte` Hawkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) leads the MEAC in tackles with 17.5 per game, while redshirt-junior defensive back Carvin Johnson (New Orleans, La.) is third with 13.5 tackles per game.

The Pirates are 8-12 all-time against Florida A&M, despite winning last year's meeting 23-17 at Armstrong Stadium. The Pirates have won five of the last seven meetings between the two teams, though the Rattlers have won the last two meetings in Tallahassee, Fla. – including a 17-12 defeat of the Pirates in 2010. Hampton's last road win over Florida A&M came in 2006, when the Pirates won handily 59-7.

Hampton is 2-5 against Florida A&M all-time on the road.

The Pirates are 191-159-6 all-time against schools currently competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) after going 5-3 in the conference last season. Hampton is 9-8 against Bethune-Cookman; 23-13 against Delaware State; 8-12 against Florida A&M; 47-40-1 against Howard; 24-35-2 against Morgan State; 23-25-1 against Norfolk State; 25-15-2 against North Carolina A&T; 17-5 against MEAC newcomer North Carolina Central; 4-0 against MEAC newcomer Savannah State; and 11-6 against South Carolina State.

This is the Pirates' 17th 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.

The Pirates have gone 5-3 in the MEAC in each of the past two seasons.

The Pirates went 1-3 on the road last season, with their lone win coming at Savannah State on Oct. 29. Hampton also lost road contests last season at Old Dominion, at Bethune-Cookman, and at Norfolk State.

During Donovan Rose's tenure as head coach, Hampton is 7-10 on the road, and they are 0-1 this season away from Armstrong Stadium after their season-opening 41-31 loss at Tennessee Tech on Aug. 30.

The Pirates have six road contests this season.

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.