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DMV College Football Week 7 Preview: Homecoming Battles, Road Test For Morgan State, And More
Week seven of the college football season is here, and an exciting slate of matchups awaits this weekend. From pivotal homecoming battles for the Maryland Terrapins and Howard Bison, to a key road test for the Morgan State Bears, teams across the DMV will look to build momentum as the season reaches a critical stretch.
The Bowie State Bulldogs will aim to extend its winning streak to four games, while the Georgetown Hoyas look to keep their momentum going. With teams looking to gain ground and establish consistency heading into the second half of the season, it's shaping up to be another exciting weekend of college football.
Maryland Terrapins Set For Homecoming Clash Against Conference Rival
The Maryland Terrapins will host Big Ten Conference rival, the Rutgers Scarlett Knights, for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 17 at SECU Stadium.
Maryland enters the Homecoming matchup at 2-4 so far on the season and 0-4 in conference play. The Terrapins began the season with wins over Hampton and UConn but has since lost four straight to Virginia Tech, UCLA, Nebraska, and No. 5 Ohio State. They also enter Saturday's matchup having lost 10 consecutive Big Ten matchups.
Rutgers is coming into the matchup 1-4 so far this season and 0-2 in conference play after a bye week. Their lone win of the season so far came against Howard University on in week three at home. But the Scarlett Knights have dropped games to USC, Boston College, and Indiana.
Maryland and Rutgers sit at the bottom of the Big Ten standings, making Saturday's matchup an opportunity for either program to gain momentum and ground in conference play. The Big Ten programs have met annually since joining the conference in 2014, with Saturday marking their 13th consecutive matchup.
The Terrapins lead the all-time series between the two programs 12-9, including a 5-4 advantage in College Park. However, Rutgers has won the last two meetings, including a 35-20 victory last season at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, NJ and a 31-17 victory in 2024 at SECU Stadium.
With both teams looking to turn their seasons around, Saturday's Homecoming matchup offers Maryland an opportunity to end their losing streak. Meanwhile Rutgers looks to extend their recent success against the Terrapins and emerge out of the last spot in the conference standings.
Kickoff in College Park, Maryland is set for 12:30p.m. and will air on Big Ten Network.
Howard Bison Host Morehouse Maroon Tigers In Historic Homecoming Matchup
The Howard Bison will welcome the Morehouse Maroon Tigers to Greene Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 17 for a Homecoming matchup that brings one of the most celebrated rivalries in HBCU football to the homecoming stage.
Howard and Morehouse have known to showcase their historic rivalry in recent years at the HBCU New York Classic. But now the rivalry is set take shape on the homecoming stage at The Mecca drawing thousands of alumni from Howard, Morehouse, and Spelman College for a weekend of football and tradition.
The rivalry dates back to 1923, with Howard winning six of the last seven meetings since 2011. The Bison's most decisive victory came in the 2023 home opener, when Howard defeated the Maroon Tigers 65-19. The Bison enter Saturday's matchup at 2-4 overall after a loss on the road to UPenn. But Howard returns to the nation's capital looking to rebound with a Homecoming victory before beginning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play.
Morehouse will arrive in DC at 3-4 overall after earning a Homecoming victory of their own over Savannah State. The Maroon Tigers will look to carry that momentum into Greene Stadium as both programs prepare for a rivalry showdown steeped in HBCU tradition.
Kickoff in Washington, D.C. is set for 3:30p.m. and air on ESPN+.
Morgan State Bears Faces Test On The Road
The Morgan State Bears travel to Nashville, Tennessee to take on the Tennessee State in the Tigers' Homecoming matchup at Nissan Stadium. Tennesee State holds a 4-0 advanatge in the all-time series between the two HBCU programs. The Tigers secured the most recent meeting with a 37-17 victory over the Bears on Oct. 24, 1987 in Nashville.
Morgan State enter Saturday's matchup riding high after a thrilling 28-27 Homecoming victory over Robert Morris for their homecoming in Baltimore, Maryland. The win improved the Bears' record to 5-1, marking the program's first start to the season since 2009, when Morgan State finished with a 6-5 overalled record.
The record milestone made even more history for football program. It earned the Bears their first-ever appearance in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25, debuting at No. 24 in the national media poll that was released on Monday. The debut also marked Morgan State's first time appearing on the national media, dating back to 1990.
Tennesse State enters their homecoming contest at 1-5 overal and 0-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play following a home loss to UT Martin. The Tigers will look to snap a two-game losing streak and secure a homecoming victory in front of their home crowd. Meanwhile, Morgan State aims to build on its strong start and extend its momentum beforing heading into MEAC Conference play next week.
Kickoff in Nashville, Tennessee is set for 6:30p.m. ET and will air on ESPN+.
Bowie State Bulldogs Take On Virginia Union Panthers In Key CIAA Matchup
The Bowie State Bulldogs return home to Bulldog Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 17, to host the Virginia Union Panthers in a key Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) matchup. Bowie State enters Saturday's matchup 3-3 overall and 3-1 in CIAA conference play after securing back-to-back victories over Shaw University and Winston-Salem State University.
The Bulldogs’ latest win against Winston-Salem showcased the team’s defensive strength Bowie State held the Rams scoreless at Bowman Gray Stadium while forcing six turnovers, which included three interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
Offensively, Bowie State totaled 275 yards, highlighted by a dominant ground attack that accounted for 219 rushing yards. The performance provided a strong foundation for the Bulldogs as they prepare for another challenging conference test.
Virginia Union arrives in Bowie, Maryland with a 5-1 overall record and an impressive 4-0 mark in CIAA play. The Panthers have won five consecutive games since opening the season with a loss to Lenoir-Rhyne University. Most recently, Virginia Union defeated Elizabeth City State University, 20-7, on Oct. 3, before entering a bye week.
With both teams looking to maintain their momentum in conference play, Saturday’s matchup presents an important opportunity for Bowie State to make a statement against one of the CIAA’s top teams. The Bulldogs will look to capitalize on their home-field advantage, while Virginia Union aims to protect its unbeaten conference record.
Kickoff in Bowie, Maryland is set for 1p.m. ET.
Georgetown Hoyas Face Conference Opponent On The Road
The Georgetown Hoyas will travel to Hamilton, New York, to take on the Colgate Raiders at Andy Kerr Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 17. The Hoyas are coming off its first win of the season, a victory over Bucknell last week, while Colgate returns from a bye week to begin a stretch of six consecutive Patriot League games to close out the regular season.
Ranked No. 2 in the Patriot League standings behind Lehigh, the Raiders will look to defend their home field against a Georgetown team that edged Colgate 21-17 in Washington, D.C., last October.
Despite that setback, Colgate holds a commanding 20-2 advantage in the all-time series and has never lost to the Hoyas at Andy Kerr Stadium, boasting a perfect 10-0 home record against Georgetown. The Raiders won the most recent meeting in Hamilton, 38-28, in 2024.
Georgetown will look to carry their momentum from last week to New York, as they aim to turn their season around.
Kickoff in Hamilton, New York is set for 1p.m. ET and will air on ESPN+
