HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University football team will return to Armstrong Stadium on Saturday to kick off a three-game homestand – looking to bounce back against the Bulldogs of South Carolina State at 1 p.m.
 
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Last Time Out: The Pirates (3-4, 3-2 MEAC) are coming off a 31-14 loss at Florida A&M this past weekend, while the Bulldogs (3-3, 3-0 MEAC) are coming off a 30-3 win at Delaware State this past Saturday.
 
The Series: The Pirates are 11-9 all-time against South Carolina State, despite the Bulldogs winning each of the last eight meetings – including a 34-20 loss in Orangeburg, S.C. Hampton last defeated S.C. State in 2005, a 14-10 victory at Armstrong Stadium, ending a string off 11 wins in 12 meetings between the two teams. Hampton is 5-3 against the Bulldogs at Armstrong Stadium.
 
Pirates at Home: The Pirates went 3-2 at home last season, picking up wins over Kentucky State, Delaware State, and Florida A&M, and in two-plus seasons under head coach Connell Maynor, Hampton is a combined 6-7 at Armstrong Stadium. Hampton is 1-1 at home so far this season, falling 24-14 to William & Mary back on Sept. 10 before defeating Morgan State 21-12 on Oct. 15. Three of the Pirates' last four games this season will be at home, starting with this Saturday's game against the Bulldogs.
 
Pirates Against the MEAC: The Pirates are 208-180-6 all-time against schools currently competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) after a 31-14 loss at Florida A&M this past Saturday. 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.
 
Proctor Coming On: After back-to-back 100-yard games -- a career-high 188-yard performance on Sept. 29 at North Carolina A&T, in which he caught 12 passes, and a 102-yard, seven-catch effort at Delaware State -- wideout Rashawn Proctor leads the MEAC in both receiving yards (99.0) and receptions per game (7.0). He caught nine passes for a then-career-high 161 yards in the season opener at Old Dominion (the first 100-yard receiving game of his career), and he added eight catches for 61 yards and a touchdown against William & Mary. Against Morgan State, Proctor caught six passes for a team-high 93 yards and a touchdown.
 
Williamson Airing it Out: Seven weeks into the 2016 season, quarterback Jaylian Williamson leads the MEAC in passing, averaging 214.3 yards in the air per game. A large part of that came to the tune of 388 yards on 32-for-54 passing on Sept. 29 at North Carolina A&T. That total ranks fifth in program history; Williamson now has two of Hampton's five best single-game passing performances (in terms of yardage); he also holds the program record for passing yards in a game, thanks to the 407 he racked up in 2014 at Old Dominion. Williamson followed that up on Oct. 8 with 252 yards and a score on 17-for-22 passing at Delaware State.
 
At or Near the Top: Through seven weeks, the Pirates lead the MEAC in passing offense (226.4 yards per game) and fourth-down conversions (64.3 percent), while ranking second in the conference in scoring defense (25.1 points per game), total offense (369.3 yards per game), and rushing defense (149.7 yards per game). The Pirates are third in the MEAC in total defense (357.4 yards per game), rushing offense (142.9 yards per game), punting (33.5 yards per punt), sacks against (12), third-down conversions (36.8 percent), time of possession (32:11 per game), and redzone defense (76.9 percent).
 
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. Carter ranks eighth in the MEAC in rushing (49.0 yards per game), and he rushed for a career-high 127 yards at Delaware State – his first 100-yard game of the season.
 
Johnson Breaks Out: Yahkee Johnson had his breakout with the Pirates on Sept. 10, 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 seven games so far this season, Johnson is third in the MEAC in rushing, averaging 77.0 yards per game after rushing for a team-high 97 yards at Florida A&M.
 
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. He led the Pirates with 57 rushing yards against Howard, averaging 6.3 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. Faber-Kinney leads the MEAC in punting after seven weeks (41.7 yards per punt).
 
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.