BALTIMORE — Morgan State football begins its 2025 season Saturday night with a challenging road test against the University of South Alabama, as the Bears look to extend their season-opening winning streak to three games.
The Bears are coming off a 6-6 season in 2024 and are seeking their first winning season since 2009. Under fourth-year head coach Damon Wilson, Morgan State returns 20 starters this season — nine on offense, six on defense and five on special teams.
Saturday's matchup marks the first-ever meeting between Morgan State and South Alabama. While the Bears have won their last two season openers, they face a significant challenge as they remain winless against FBS opponents with an 0-9 all-time record.
Coach Wilson speaks on the team ahead of Saturday's season opener
"[We're] excited about it. There's a lot of unknowns with the transfer portal and that sort of deal. So it's a lot of players that they had on their roster that's no longer on their roster," Wilson said. "However, it's a really, really good football team we're playing against. We have to be physical all four quarters and play very well in all three phases to have an opportunity to win the ball game."
The Bears will be led by their captains, including Erick Hunter, who was named the preseason Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Wilson praised his defense's preparation and energy heading into the opener.
"Playing with speed, you know, it's 11 hats to the ball. These guys are flying around, which is great," Wilson said. "A lot of times if you make a mistake, you can make up for it when you're playing fast. These guys are playing fast and they're playing physical with the ball."
The road-heavy early schedule continues a challenging start for Morgan State, with four of their first seven non-conference games away from home.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Saturday in Mobile, Alabama.
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