Norfolk State Tops Hampton 42-21 in Battle of the Bay

Saturday, September 19

Norfolk, Va.

4:02 PM

Hampton University

1-3 , 0-1

Norfolk State

2-2 , 0-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Hampton	7	7	0	7	21
Norfolk St.	10	12	3	17	42

Photo by: Katie Gilmore

Norfolk State Tops Hampton 42-21 in Battle of the Bay

9.19.26 | Football

Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. (September 19, 2026) … Norfolk State outscored Hampton 20-7 in the second half to post a 42-21 victory over the Pirates in the 61^st meeting of the Battle of the Bay before 17,239 fans at Dick Price Stadium in Norfolk.

The win provided a measure of revenge for Norfolk State coach Michael Vick who saw his team fall to Hampton last year 41-34 at Atmstrong Stadium.

"We have to put it all together. It seems that once we put a finger in the dyke and stop a leak, another appears," Pirate coach Van Malone said. "We are disappointed and hurt. Our guys hung in there and fought and this is something we can build on."

Hampton (1-3) took the opening kick and marched 65 yards in eight plays capped by an Amari Pryear's 21-yard run to give the Pirates a quick 7-0 advantage.

Norfolk State (2-2) answered with 10 consecutive points to take a 10-7 lead midway through the first quarter. Marco Peery booted a 21-yard field goal to put the Spartans on the scoreboard with 7:18 to go in the first period. On its next possession, Norfolk State's Deljay Bailey bulled in the from the one-yard line to make it 10-7 after one quarter.

Hampton retook the lead five seconds into the second quarter when Tre'Von Taylor hit Noah Colon with a six-yard TD pass. Brett Starling's PAT put the Pirates up 14-10.

Following an interception and penalty by the Pirates, Norfolk State took over on the Pirate 27-yard line. The Spartans were unable to move the ball and settled for a career-long 48-yard field goal by Peery with 9:32 left before halftime to close the Hampton lead to 14-13.

Norfolk State retook the lead after a Bryan Ramirez 40-yard punt was returned 76 yards for a touchdown by Jason Wonodi to put the Spartans on top 19-14 with 6:42 to go in the half Norfolk State got the ball back after a Hampton three-and-out. Aided by a Pirate penalty, Peery's 32-yard field goal on the final play of the half gave the Spartans a 22-14 advantage at intermission.

The halftime statistics proved a close game with Norfolk State amassing 187 yards to Hampton's 172. Pryear, who left the game due to an injury, led the Pirates with 48 yards on the ground. Taylor completed 7-of-14 passes for 62 yards and a score. Norfolk State's Daniels had 75 first-half yards and Bailey clicked on 6-of-11 passes for 77 yards and a TD.

Peery's 46-yard field goal on Norfolk State's first possession of the second half made it 25-14 in favor of the homestanding Spartans. On Norfolk State's next possession, the Spartans drove to the one-yard line. But the Prate defense stiffened on three plays inside the two-yard line keeping Norfolk State from scoring. The third quarter ended with Norfolk State ahead 25-14.

A 27-yard field goal by Peery, his fifth of the game, upped the lead to 28-14 with 11:59 to go in the contest. The Spartans would add two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter before Hampton's Sejhe Jackson hauled in a 51-yard pass from Taylor in the game's final minutes to make the final score 41-21.

Norfolk State finished with 424 yards and Hampton amassed 283 total yards. Taylor clicked on 113-of 24 for 178 yards and two touchdowns.

The Pirates host Campbell on Sept. 25 at 6 pm in the Coastal Athletic Association contest at Darling Stadium.