WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Hampton University football team will open conference play on Saturday afternoon, taking on rival Howard in the Nation's Football Classic at RFK Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
 
Game Notes: Click here.
Radio: WHOV 88.1 FM.
 
Last Time Out: The Pirates (0-2) are coming off a 24-14 loss against William & Mary this past Saturday, while the Bison (0-2), who have opened with back-to-back FBS opponents, are coming off a 52-14 loss at Rutgers.
 
The Series: The Pirates are 48-43-1 all-time against Howard, and the Bison had won each of the last four meetings before Hampton's 37-19 win at RFK Stadium last season.. Prior to Howard four-game winning streak in the series, the Pirates had won 14 straight games against the Bison. Overall, the Pirates are 5-2 against Howard on a neutral field.
 
Pirates at Neutral Sites: The Pirates are playing a neutral-site game for the second straight season, after last year's 37-19 win over Howard in the Nation's Football Classic. Prior to that, Hampton last played on a neutral field in 2011, opening that season in Chicago, Ill. with a 21-20 win over Alabama A&M. Before that, the Pirates' last neutral-field game came in the 2008 MEAC'SWAC Challenge, when Hampton defeated Jackson State 17-13 in Orlando, Fla. Dating back to 2003, the Pirates have won their last 10 neutral-field contests.
 
Pirates Against the MEAC: The Pirates are 205-178-6 all-time against schools currently competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) after wrapping up last season with a 42-3 win at Savannah State. Since joining the MEAC in 1995, the Pirates have won the conference championship five times, including three straight in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
 
Picked to Finish Fifth: The MEAC preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, picked the Pirates to finish fifth this season. The Pirates picked up one first-place vote and 265 points, while defending co-champion North Carolina A&T was picked to repeat. Twarn Mixson and Christian Faber-Kinney were both Preseason First Team selections, while Dwayne Garrett, Donovan Johnson, Ryan Gould, and Myles Morris all earned Preseason Third Team honors.
 
Mixson Among the Leaders: Mixson led the MEAC in both receiving yards (93.4 per game) and receptions (5.4 per game) last season, becoming just the second Pirate ever to have a 1,000-yard receiving season (1,027). Mixson had five 100-yard receiving games last season, including a season-high 172 yards at Savannah State, and he caught a season-high four touchdowns in the season opener against Kentucky State. He also displayed his arm in 2015, completing three of his five pass attempts – and all three completions were for touchdowns.
 
Carter Returning: Eric Carter Jr. will be in the backfield again this season, making his return after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the Pirates' 2015 opener. Carter was second on the team in rushing as a freshman in 2014, averaging 5.8 yards per carry while racking up 541 yards on 94 carries. He had three 100-yard rushing games that season, including a season-high 120 in an upset of then-nationally ranked Bethune-Cookman. He also had 113 yards at Delaware State and 103 at Howard. Carter had 41 yards on nine carries in his return at Old Dominion, averaging 4.6 yards per carry, before averaging 4.6 yards per attempt against William & Mary.
 
Johnson Breaks Out: Yahkee Johnson had his breakout with the Pirates this past Saturday, rushing for a game-high 115 yards on 12 carries against William & Mary. He averaged almost 10 yards per carry (9.6). He also had three catches for 11 yards, and in two games so far this season, Johnson has 174 yards on 23 carries (7.6 yards per carry) and a touchdown.
 
Garrett Providing Depth: Garrett had his best game as a Pirates against Florida A&M last season, celebrating Senior Day with a career-high 147 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown for Hampton's lone 100-yard rushing effort of the season. Garrett, a transfer from San Diego State, averaged 7.4 yards per carry, and for the season, he was ninth in the MEAC in rushing with 52.1 yards per game. For the season, Garrett had 478 yards on 87 carries and two touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
 
Faber-Kinney Reliable: After being named Second Team All-MEAC in 2013, Faber-Kinney was a First Team All-MEAC selection each of the last two seasons. He led the conference in punting in 2015, averaging 40.9 yards per kick and recording 11 punts of at least 50 yards. He pinned nine punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line, and he had a season-long boot of 59 yards at William & Mary. Faber-Kinney also starred in track & field last season, winning MEAC titles in both the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon.
 
For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5757, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.