For the fourth consecutive year, Hampton University’s football team lost the homecoming game. None hurt as bad as this one.
The Pirates lost 23-18. It was their third consecutive loss to Bethune Cookman.
Hampton took a 10-3 lead into halftime against the undefeated Wildcats. The Pirates defense shut down the MEAC’s top offense for the first 30 minutes.
The Pirates, normally a second-half team, faltered on their first offensive play of the second half – a fumble by freshman running back Antwon Chisholm. Wildcats defender Daniel Rhodes scooped the ball and ran it back for a 54-yard touchdown, tying the game at 10-10.
All together, the Pirates turned the ball over 5 times – four fumbles – leading to 16 of the Wildcats’ 23 points.
The Pirates had two drives late in the fourth quarter; however, the offense was unable to find their rhythm on either possession. On the last drive of the game, running back Steve Robinson dropped a pass on fourth down, sealing the Pirates’ fate.
It wasn’t all bad for the Pirates on homecoming. Their offense out-gained the Wildcats 284-248 – 192 of those yards for the Pirates came on the ground; however turnovers decided this game’s outcome.
At the end of the day, the Pirates’ inability to hold onto the football was their achilles heel.
The Pirates have fallen to 5-4 (4-2 in the MEAC). Hampton’s next game is against the Florida A&M University, down in Tallahassee. The Rattlers are 6-3 overall (5-1 in the MEAC).
