PHILADELPHIA — DeSean Jackson bought the higher of his former Philadelphia Eagles’ teammate Michael Vick of their first assembly as traditionally Black faculty coaches thanks largely to Amir Anderson’s blocked punt for a rating that despatched Delaware State to a 27-20 win over Norfolk State on Thursday night time.
Jackson and Vick shared a giant embrace at midfield after the sport as fireworks went off across the stadium.
Kaiden Bennett threw a 24-yard TD go to Tahmir Ellis for the Hornets and James Jones scored on a 76-yard run within the fourth quarter to seal the newest convention win for Jackson’s workforce.
Vick and Jackson had been the signature points of interest for every program headed right into a uncommon nationally televised weeknight sport for HBCU packages at an NFL stadium.
Each gamers keyed the Eagles’ run to the 2010 NFC East championship, the place a banner is raised on the high of Lincoln Monetary Subject. Vick, the strong-armed, left-handed QB, and Jackson electrified the NFL that season once they linked on an 88-yard landing go in opposition to Washington and a 91-yarder in opposition to Dallas to assist each gamers earn Professional Bowl nods.
Jackson, who received a Tremendous Bowl with the Rams and retired after the 2022 season, made the pitch to maneuver the sport from campus to Philadelphia. Former NFL stars Hugh Douglas, Marshawn Lynch and Cam Newton, and Eagles defensive finish Brandon Graham had been on the Linc and hundreds of followers — greater than every program would common at a house sport – waited out some early rain earlier than Delaware State gave them a jolt.
Norfolk State led 6-3 — the great occasions began when Otto Kuhns hit JJ Evans for a dynamite 13-yard rating — when it punted deep in its personal territory. Anderson bought a hand on the punt and scooped the ball in the long run zone for a 10-6 lead that Delaware State took into halftime.
Kuhns and Evans broke out that outdated Vick-to-Jackson dynamic on a 70-yard rating that pulled the Spartans to 19-13 late within the fourth. Kuhns threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns, and Evans completed with 5 catches for 124 yards.
Patrick Fisher-Butler kicked discipline objectives of 30 and 26 yards for the Hornets (6-3, 2-0 Mid-Japanese Athletic Convention).
With feelings maybe charged enjoying beneath the lights, the groups bought right into a scuffle on the finish of the third and Delaware State offensive lineman Isaiah Cook dinner was ejected for throwing a punch.
Jackson and Vick’s missions are clear — use their superstar, their connections, their soccer smarts to resuscitate two long-suffering packages within the HBCU group a lot in the way in which Deion Sanders did at Jackson State on his option to a Energy 4 program at Colorado.
The 45-year-old Vick, who starred in faculty at Virginia Tech and was a four-time Professional Bowler in 13 NFL seasons, is off to a rocky begin in his rookie season.
Norfolk State, with an enrollment of about 5,100 college students, is 1-8 and has misplaced seven straight video games. Vick not too long ago fired some assistant defensive coaches as he tries to revive a Spartans’ program that has made just one playoff look since shifting to FCS in 1997.
Jackson has orchestrated a speedy turnaround at Delaware State, with an enrollment of about 6,500 college students, that already included its first convention win since 2022. The Hornets beat rival North Carolina Central 35-26 final week for his or her first win in Durham since 1977.