2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football season

The 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football season was the XXth season for MEAC Football, as part of the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season.

2015 MEAC football season
LeagueNCAA Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision)
SportFootball
DurationSeptember 3, 2015 – December 19, 2015
Number of teams12
Season championsNorth Carolina A&T Aggies
Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
North Carolina Central Eagles[Notes 1]
2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 21 North Carolina A&T +  7 –1   10 –2  
Bethune–Cookman +  7 –1   9 –2  
North Carolina Central +  7 –1   8 –3  
South Carolina State  6 –2   7 –4  
Hampton  5 –3   6 –5  
Morgan State  4 –4   4 –6  
Norfolk State  4 –4   4 –7  
Savannah State *  1 –7   1 –9  
Florida A&M *  1 –7   1 –10  
Delaware State  1 –7   1 –10  
Howard  1 –7   1 –10  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • Florida A&M and Savannah State ineligible for postseason due to APR violations
Rankings from STATS Poll

Previous season

22nd ranked Bethune-Cookman, along with North Carolina A&T, South Carolina State, North Carolina Central & Morgan State finished the season in a five-way tie for the MEAC Championship. Due to the MEAC's tiebreaker system, Morgan State earned the conference's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs marking the Bears's first time in the FCS playoffs.[1] Morgan State lost to Richmond in the first round of the playoffs, eliminating the MEAC's lone representative in the postseason.

Head coaches

Rankings
Legend
  Increase in ranking
  Decrease in ranking
  Not ranked previous week
Main article: 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football rankings
 PreWk
1		Wk
2		Wk
3		Wk
4		Wk
5		Wk
6		Wk
7		Wk
8		Wk
9		Wk
10		Wk
11		Wk
12		Final
Bethune-Cookman STATS FCS RV RV RV RV RV RV RV RV RV RV RV
Coaches RV NV NV NV NV RV RV RV RV 25 23
Sheridan 5 5 3 4 4 4 4 6
BoxtoRow 3 5 4 5 4 3 3 (1) 4 4
Delaware State STATS FCS NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV
Coaches NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV
Sheridan NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV
BoxtoRow NV RV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV
Florida A&M STATS FCS
Coaches
Sheridan
BoxtoRow
Hampton STATS FCS
Coaches
Sheridan NV 10 10 10 RV RV RV RV
BoxtoRow RV 10 8 6 9 RV RV 8 9
Howard STATS FCS
Coaches
Sheridan
BoxtoRow
Morgan State STATS FCS
Coaches
Sheridan RV RV RV RV RV RV 9 RV RV
BoxtoRow 9 RV RV RV RV 9 9 RV RV
Norfolk State STATS FCS
Coaches
Sheridan NV NV RV RV 10 7 RV RV
BoxtoRow NV RV RV NV RV T-10 RV RV RV
North Carolina A&T STATS FCS RV RV RV RV RV RV RV 24 20 19 19 16 22
Coaches RV NV RV RV RV RV RV 24 20 19 14
Sheridan 2 (7) 2 (10) 2 (11) 2 (10) 2 (10) 2 (10) 2 (10) 1 (19) 3
BoxtoRow 2 (3) 1 (5) T-2 (3) 2 2 (11) 2 (11) 2 (2) 1 (18) 1 (20) 1 1 1 5
North Carolina Central STATS FCS
Coaches
Sheridan 9 7 8 8 8 10 7 8
BoxtoRow 7 4 (1) 7 10 8 T-10 10 9 8
Savannah State STATS FCS NV NV NV NV NV NV
Coaches NV NV NV NV NV NV
Sheridan NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV
BoxtoRow RV RV RV NV NV RV NV NV NV
South Carolina State STATS FCS
Coaches
Sheridan 4 3 9 9 9 9 RV 9
BoxtoRow 4 2 (5) 5 3 3 5 6 6 6

Regular season
Index to colors and formatting
MEAC member won
MEAC member lost
MEAC teams in bold

All times Eastern time.

Rankings reflect that of the Sports Network poll for that week.

Week One
DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendanceReference
September 56:00 pmBethune-CookmanMiami (FL)Sun Life Stadium • Miami Gardens, FLESPN30-4543,467[2]
September 57:00 pmDelaware StateLibertyWilliams Stadium • Lynchburg, VALFSN13–3218,803[2]
September 57:00 pmFlorida A&MSouth FloridaRaymond James Stadium • Tampa, FLESPN33–5130,434[2]
September 56:00 pmKentucky StateHamptonArmstrong Stadium • Hampton, VA20-356,354[2]
September 53:30 pmHowardAppalachian StateKidd Brewer Stadium • Boone, NCESPN30-4924,314[2]
September 53:30 pmMorgan StateAir ForceFalcon Stadium • Colorado Springs, CORTRM7-6333,734[2]
September 512:00 pmNorfolk StateRutgersHigh Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, NJESPNews13-6347,453[2]
September 56:00 pmShawNorth Carolina A&TAggie Stadium • Greensboro, NCLTV7-6113,828[3]
September 56:00 pmSaint Augustine'sNorth Carolina CentralO'Kelly-Riddick Stadium • Durham, NC0-726,111[2]
September 54:00 pmSavannah StateColorado StateHughes Stadium • Fort Collins, CO13-6524,571[2]
September 612:00pmSouth Carolina StateUAPBOrlando Citrus Bowl • Orlando, FL
(MEAC/SWAC Challenge)		ESPN35-77,257[2]

Players of the week:

Offensive Defensive Rookie Special teams
Twarn Mixson Hampton Javon Hargrave SC State Nigel Macauley NCCU John Fleck
Caleb Gabriel		 Howard
NC A&T

Week Two
DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendanceReference
September 121:00pmHowardBoston CollegeAlumni Stadium • Chestnut Hill, MAESPN30-7626,132[2]
September 122:00pmFlorida A&MSamfordSeibert Stadium • Homewood, ALESPN321-584,714[2]
September 125:00pmBethune-CookmanGrambling StateEddie Robinson Stadium • Grambling, LA56-5312,019[4]
September 126:00pmDelaware StateKent StateDix Stadium • Kent, OHESPN313–4515,091[2]
September 126:00pm#22 RichmondHamptonArmstrong Stadium • Hampton, VA31-283,515[2]
September 126:00pmNorth Carolina A&TNorth CarolinaKenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, NCESPN314-5344,000[2]
September 126:00pmNorth Carolina CentralDukeWallace Wade Stadium • Durham, NCESPN30-5533,941[2]
September 126:00pm#3 Coastal CarolinaSouth Carolina StateOliver C. Dawson Stadium • Orangeburg, SC41-1412,023[2]
September 126:30pmMorgan StateIllinois StateHancock Stadium • Normal, ILESPN214-6713,391[2]
September 127:00pmNorfolk StateOld DominionForeman Field • Norfolk, VAASN10-2420,118[2]

Players of the week:

Offensive Defensive Rookie Special teams
Jawill Davis Bethune-Cookman Terrick Colston Delaware State Devin Bowers Florida A&M Hadji Gaylord Norfolk State

Week Three
DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendanceReference
September 1912:00pmSavannah StateAkronInfoCision Stadium–Summa Field • Akron, OHESPN39-5216,763[2]
September 177:30pmFlorida A&MSouth Carolina StateOliver C. Dawson Stadium • Orangeburg, SCESPN30-3614,987[2]
September 187:30pmHowardHamptonRFK Stadium • Washington, D.C.
(Nation's Football Classic/Battle of the "Real" HU)		ESPNU19-3716,342[2]
September 192:00pmChowanDelaware StateAlumni Stadium • Dover, DE31-301,995[5]
September 196:00pmNorfolk StateMarshallJoan C. Edwards Stadium • Huntington, WVASN7–4524,114[2]
September 196:00pmLaneBethune-CookamnMunicipal Stadium • Daytona Beach, FL3-75,026[2]
September 196:00pmNorth Carolina A&TElonRhodes Stadium • Elon, NC14-79,729[2]
September 196:00pmNorth Carolina CentralFIUFIU Stadium • Miami, FL14-3916,567[2]

Players of the week:

Offensive Defensive Rookie Special teams
David Watford Hampton Darius Leonard South Carolina State Caleb York South Carolina State Juwuan Tolbert Savannah State

Week Four
DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendanceReference
September 264:00pmHowardMorgan StateMetLife Stadium • East Rutherford, NJ
(New York Urban League Classic)
ESPN313-2165,500[2]
September 264:00pmSavannah StateBethune-CookmanMunicipal Stadium • Daytona Beach, FLESPNU12-425,975[2]
September 264:00pmHamptonNorfolk StateWilliam "Dick" Price Stadium • Norfolk, VA
(Battle of the Bay)		14-246,549[2]
September 266:00pmTennessee StateFlorida A&MBragg Memorial Stadium • Tallahassee, FL30-1418,020[2]

Players of the week:

Offensive Defensive Rookie Special teams
Quentin Williams Bethune-Cookman Deon King
Craig Johnson		 Norfolk State
Howard		 Donnell Pleasant Howard Jonathan Cagle Bethune-Cookman

Week Five
DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendanceReference
October 312:00pmNorth Carolina A&THamptonArmstrong Stadium • Hampton, VA45-312,139[6]
October 31:00pmNorfolk StateHowardWilliam H. Greene Stadium • Washington, D.C.15-126,088[2]
October 32:00pmMorgan StateDelaware StateAlumni Stadium • Dover, DE26-61,528[2]
October 34:00pmBethune-CookmanNorth Carolina CentralO'Kelly-Riddick Stadium • Durham, NC28-262,024[2]
October 37:00pmSouth Carolina StateFurmanPaladin Stadium • Greenville, SC3-171,022[2]
October 37:00pmFlorida A&MSavannah StateTed Wright Stadium • Savannah, GA27-374,679[2]

Players of the week:

Offensive Defensive Rookie Special teams
Tarik Cohen North Carolina A&T C.J. Moore North Carolina Central Dorrell McClain North Carolina Central Khris Gardin North Carolina A&T

Week Six
DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendanceReference
October 102:00pmDelaware StateHamptonArmstrong Stadium • Hampton, VA7-217,010[2]
October 102:00pmNorth Carolina A&TNorfolk StateDick Price Stadium • Norfolk, VA27-36,194[2]
October 104:00pmSavannah StateMorgan StateHughes Stadium • Baltimore, MD3-422,479[2]
October 105:00pmNorth Carolina CentralFlorida A&MBragg Memorial Stadium • Tallahassee, FL27-249,263[2]

Players of the week:

Offensive Defensive Rookie Special teams
Tarik Cohen North Carolina A&T Robert Way Bethune-Cookamn Oral Varcciann
Julius Reynolds		 Hampton
North Carolina A&T		 Peterson Janvier Morgan State

Week Seven
DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendanceReference
October 171:00pmHamptonMorgan StateHughes Stadium • Baltimore, MD20-107,749[2]
October 171:00pmBethune-CookmanNorth Carolina A&TAggie Stadium Stadium • Greensboro, NC14-2412,471[2]
October 172:00pmNorth Carolina CentralSavannah StateTed Wright Stadium • Savannah, GA39-225,649[2]
October 172:00pmHowardSouth Carolina StateOliver C. Dawson Stadium • Orangeburg, SC10-4916,033[2]
October 173:00pmDelaware StateFlorida A&MBragg Memorial Stadium • Fallahassee, FL13-4122,678[2]

Players of the week:

Offensive Defensive Rookie Special teams
Carson Royal Florida A&M John Boston
Chris Pauling		 Florida A&M
SC State		 Darien Williams Hampton Lynard Jamison SC State

Week Eight
DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendanceReference
October 241:00pmHoward#24 North Carolina A&TAggie Stadium Stadium • Greensboro, NCLTV14-6521,500[2]
October 242:00pmDelaware StateSouth Carolina StateOliver C. Dawson Stadium • Orangeburg, SC7-345,388[2]
October 242:00pmMorgan StateNorth Carolina CentralO'Kelly–Riddick Stadium • Durham, NC17-204,336[2]
October 243:30pmHamptonWilliam & MaryZable Stadium • Williamsburg, VA7-4011,736[2]
October 244:00pmNorfolk StateBethune-CookmanMunicipal Stadium • Daytona Beach, FL49-599,875[2]

Players of the week:

Offensive Defensive Rookie Special teams
Quentin Williams Bethune-Cookman Javon Hargrave South Carolina State Dorrell McClain NC Central Tevin Richard South Carolina State

Week Nine
DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendanceReference
October 311:00pmSavannah StateHowardWilliam H. Greene Stadium • Washington, D.C.9-551,056[2]
October 311:30pmHamptonSouth Carolina StateOliver C. Dawson Stadium • Orangeburg, SC20-3419,821[2]
October 312:00pmNorfolk StateNorth Carolina CentralO'Kelly–Riddick Stadium • Durham, NC16-2411,965[2]
October 312:00pmBethune-CookmanDelaware StateAlumni Stadium • Dover, DE49-211,283[2]
October 315:00pm#20 North Carolina A&TFlorida A&MBragg Memorial Stadium • Tallahassee, FL28-1010,279[2]

Players of the week:

Offensive Defensive Rookie Special teams
Kalen Johnson Howard Deon King Norfolk State Kalen Johnson Howard Antonio Hamilton SC State

Week Ten
DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendanceReference
November 71:00pmHowardStony BrookKenneth P. LaValle Stadium • Stony Brook, NY9-145,109[2]
October 311:00pmFlorida A&MHamptonArmstrong Stadium • Hampton, VA0-332,211[2]
October 311:30pm#19 North Carolina A&TSouth Carolina StateOliver C. Dawson Stadium • Orangeburg, SC
(Rivalry Game)		9-615,283[2]
October 312:00pmDelaware StateNorth Carolina CentralO'Kelly–Riddick Stadium • Durham, NC10-433,051[2]
October 312:00pmSavannah StateNorfolk StateDick Price Stadium • Norfolk, VA17-2010,744[2]
October 314:00pmMorgan StateBethune-CookmanMunicipal Stadium • Daytona Beach14-387,461[2]

Players of the week:

Offensive Defensive Rookie Special teams
Quentin Williams Bethune-Cookman Darius Spruill North Carolina Central Dorrell McClain North Carolina Central Cameron Marouf Norfolk State

Week Eleven
DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendanceReference
November 141:00pmNorth Carolina CentralHowardWilliam H. Greene Stadium • Washington, D.C.41-63,702[2]
November 141:00pmFlorida A&MMorgan StateHughes Stadium • Baltimore, MD7-211,167[2]
November 141:00pmSouth Carolina StateNorfolk StateOliver C. Dawson Stadium • Orangeburg, SC17-104,959[2]
November 141:00pmDelaware State#19 North Carolina A&TAggie Stadium • Greensboro, NCESPN36-278,732[2]
November 145:00pmHamptonSavannah StateTed Wright Stadium • Savannah, GA42-32,940[2]

Players of the week:

Offensive Defensive Rookie Special teams
David Watford Hampton Deon King Norfolk State Kylil Carter North Carolina A&T Nigel Macauley North Carolina Central

Week Twelve
DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendanceReference
November 211:00pmNorfolk StateMorgan StateHughes Stadium • Baltimore, MD10-171,007[2]
November 211:00pmNorth Carolina Central#16 North Carolina A&TAggie Stadium • Greensboro, NC
(Rivalry Game)		LTV21-1618,409[2]
November 211:00pmSouth Carolina StateSavannah StateTed Wright Stadium • Savannah, GA59-294,959[2]
November 212:00pmHowardDelaware StateAlumni Stadium • Dover, DE32-311,983[2]
November 212:30pmFlorida A&MBethune-CookmanOrlando Citrus Bowl • Orlando, FL
(Florida Classic)		ESPN Classic
ESPN3		35-1445,728[2]

Players of the week:

Offensive Defensive Rookie Special teams
Dorrell McClain North Carolina Central Theo Livingston North Carolina Central Kobie Lain Delaware State Brycen Alleyne Delaware State

Postseason

Since 1996, the MEAC earned an automatic bid into the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. As of the 2015 season, the conference champion will abstain from participating in the playoffs and compete against the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in the newly created Celebration Bowl.[7] Any other team from the MEAC is able to participate in the playoff if they earn an at-large bid.

Bowl Games
Main article: Celebration Bowl
Date Game Site Television Teams Affiliations Results
Dec. 19 Celebration Bowl Georgia Dome
Atlanta Georgia
 ABC #22 North Carolina A&T
Alcorn State		 MEAC
SWAC		 41-34

Post Season Awards
2015 Postseason Honors
  • Offensive Player of the Year— Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T
  • Defensive Player of the Year— Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State
  • Offensive Lineman of the Year— Brandon Parker, North Carolina A&T
  • Rookie of the Year— Dorrel McClain, North Carolina Central
  • Coach of the Year— Terry Sims, Bethune-Cookman
Source: .

As the MEAC regular season came to an end, the conference post season awards were announced. North Carolina A&T running back Tarik Cohen and South Carolina State's Javon Hargrave were named Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the year, both of which received the top honors the previous season. Rounding out the postseason player selections were North Carolina Central’s Dorrel McClain, who earned Rookie of the Year, and North Carolina A&T’s Brandon Parker, was selected as the Offensive Lineman of the Year.[8]

First-year head coach Terry Sims of Bethune-Cookman was selected as the MEAC Coach of the Year. Sims led the Wildcats to a share of the conference title, including a 9-2 overall finish and 7-1 mark in conference play. Highlights of the Wildcat's season include a victory over rival Florida A&M in their final game of the season which secured their stake in the conference title and entering the STATS FCS Top 25 poll in the final ranking of the season (25th) and reaching the FCS Coaches Poll with a 21st spot.[8]

All Conference Teams

The following players were named to the MEAC All Conference Teams:[9]

^ indicates that there was a tie in the voting

Records against other conferences

MEAC vs. FCS conferences
Conference Record
Big South 0–2
CAA 1–4
MVC 0–1
OVC 0–1
Patriot 0–0
SoCon 0–2
SWAC 3–0
Total 4–10

MEAC vs. FBS conferences
Conference Record
ACC 0–4
American 0–1
Big Ten 0–1
Conference USA 2-4
MAC 0–2
MWC 0–2
Sun Belt 0–1
Total 2–15

Attendance
Team Stadium Capacity Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5 Game 6 Total Average % of Capacity
Bethune-Cookman Municipal Stadium 10,000 5,026 5,975 7,462 9,875 7,461 35,799 7,160 72%
Delaware State Alumni Stadium 7,000 1,995 1,528 5,388 1,283 1,983 12,177 2,435 35%
Florida A&M Bragg Memorial Stadium 25,500 18,020 9,263 22,678 10,279 60,240 15,060 59%
Hampton Armstrong Stadium 17,000 6,354 3,515 2,139 7,010 2,211 21,229 4,246 25%
Howard William H. Greene Stadium 10,000 6,088 1,056 3,072 10,216 3,405 61%
Morgan State Hughes Stadium 10,000 3,763 2,479 7,749 1,167 1,007 16,165 3,233 32%
Norfolk State William "Dick" Price Stadium 30,000 6,549 6,194 10,744 4,959 28,446 7,112 24%
North Carolina A&T Aggie Stadium 21,500 13,828 12,471 21,500 9,732 18,409 59,380 11,876 55%
North Carolina Central O'Kelly–Riddick Stadium 10,000 6,111 2,024 4,336 4,965 3,051 20,487 4,097 41%
Savannah State Ted Wright Stadium 8,000 4,679 5,649 2,940 2,900 16,168 4,042 51%
South Carolina State Oliver C. Dawson Stadium 22,000 12,023 14,987 16,033 19,821 15,283 78,147 15,629 71%

Notes
  1. North Carolina A&T, Bethune-Cookman & North Carolina Central each finished the season tied for first place. As a result of the MEAC tiebreaker, North Carolina A&T was invited to the 2015 Celebration Bowl

References
  1. "Five-Way Tie for MEAC Football Title; Morgan State Earns AQ". meacsports.com. Mid-eastern athletic conference. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  2. "Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Schedule - 2015". espn.go.com. ESPN. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  3. "2015 NC A&T Aggies Football Schedule". ncataggies.com. NC A&T Sports Information. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  4. "Bethune Cookman vs Grambling State Game Summary". B–CUAthletics.com. September 12, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  5. "NCAAF College Football Scores-MEAC". espn.go.com. ESPN. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  6. "North Carolina A&T fends off Hampton in 45-31 win". espn.go.com. ESPN. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  7. "MEAC & SWAC to Play in Newly Created Celebration Bowl". meacsports.com. MEAC Media Relations. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  8. "- MEACsports.com - The Official Site of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference". MEACSports.com. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Archived from the original on 25 December 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  9. "www.meacsports.com/pdf9/4195708.pdf" (PDF). Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
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