After a grueling start to the season, Morgan State is preparing to reset its campaign as it returns home to face Division II Central State on Saturday at Hughes Stadium.
The Bears (0-3) opened the year with a punishing non-conference slate, including two FBS opponents in South Alabama and Toledo. Head coach Damon Wilson acknowledged the toll the early schedule has taken, particularly after a lopsided loss to Toledo in Week 3.
“We allowed that [Towson] game to beat us twice,” Wilson said during Monday’s MEAC coaches’ media availability. “I didn’t do what I needed to do in that situation. Taking nothing away from Toledo — that’s probably the best ball club we’ve faced since I’ve been here.”
Despite flashes of promise, the Bears struggled to maintain momentum in their most recent outing. Wilson said his team gave up an advantageous field position and couldn’t recover after a disastrous second quarter.
“One thing I can say — the guys kept playing,” he said. “We played 77 guys during the course of the game, so we’re evaluating a lot of our roster.”
Now, Morgan State returns to the comfort of home in Baltimore, aiming for its first win of the season in a noon matchup on ESPN+ against Central State, a team coming off a loss to Benedict.
“Central State is a feisty team,” Wilson said. “They’re well-coached and get after it. I was a Division II coach for 13 years, so I know exactly the mindset they’ll bring into this ball game.”
The Bears will look to lean on several emerging leaders, including senior linebacker Blanche Gold, who has taken on a bigger role this season.
“Blanche is a guy that’s never been a starter for us until this year,” Wilson said. “He’s constantly competing at practice and in games. I’m really proud of the leadership he’s bringing to the team.”
Wilson remains focused on progress despite the 0–3 start and believes the early adversity will prepare his team for MEAC play.
“We minimized the penalties and reduced the turnovers this week. Now we have to eliminate them altogether,” he said. “We want to play a consistent, full game of Morgan State football.”
Kickoff is set for Saturday, Sept. 20, at noon ET. Morgan State will look to take advantage of the opportunity to regroup and gain momentum before beginning its MEAC schedule.