NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- It's a date that's been circled on many calendars since Norfolk State and Delaware State found their current head coaches and the 2025 schedule was unveiled.
Michael Vick will lead his Spartans up against former teammate DeSean Jackson and his Delaware State Hornets. The two teams will square off at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, where Vick and Jackson used to call home as members of the Eagles.
"It's a hell of an opportunity to be across the field from DeSean," Vick said. "That's what I respect. We've worked hard for this and we'll see how it goes."
The former Warwick and Virginia Tech star says there has not been many conversations leading up to the game between him and Jackson, with both coaches focusing on their own teams. Not only will the contest kick off at the Linc, but it will be in front of a national audience on ESPNU.
"It's a great opportunity," Vick said. "It's an opportunity that the players have got to seize. This ain't about me and DeSean. This is about putting our teams in positions to go showcase their talents on a national stage and so we'll see how they handle it."
"We know the stage is high, national television," added senior quarterback Otto Kuhns. "Everyone's going to be watching, a lot of eyes on us so it's another opportunity to perform."
Norfolk State enters this contest looking to get on track. The Spartans fell to South Carolina State, 51-20, this past weekend in their MEAC opener and are 1-7 on the campaign. They'll be going up against a Hornets' squad that is finding its footing, coming into the showdown 5-3 and is fresh off its first win at North Carolina Central since 1977.
"It would mean a lot to get a win," Vick noted. "It's going to take four quarters of football. So far, all I've seen is about three quarters of football. I've seen four quarters of football one time this season. After that I haven't see four, so we'll see if they can put it all together."
"We're not down and out," proclaimed Kuhns. "We may have lost, we may have a record we don't want to have right now, but you can't count us out yet."
Norfolk State and Delaware State kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday night.
