Tigers Spoil Football Homecoming – Howard University Athletics

Yusuf Abdullah

Match Review: Football | Oct 19, 2024 8:42 p.m | Courtesy of Ed Hill, Jr., retired Howard University sports information director

Bison’s comeback fails

WASHINGTON (October 19, 2024) – The Howard University football team fell behind early and rallied twice to get within one score, but a kick return TD proved to be the turning point and made the difference as the Bison previously led 27-14 lost against Tennessee State University (TSU) to an overflow crowd of nearly 10,000 at William H. Greene Stadium.

It was Howard’s 100th birthday.

Tennessee State (6-2) appeared to take control early when Karate Benson connected with Drayden Ellis for 83 yards on the opening drive. But the Bison defense tightened up and forced a field goal attempt that went wide of the right net.

The Howard offense struggled to get anything done most of the early part of the game, but the defense stood firm and kept the ball close. Tennessee State finally got on the field and went 60 yards in 11 plays, with Ellis hitting a keeper from 27 yards with just 54 seconds left in the first quarter, 7-0.

Unable to move the ball, Howard helped Tennessee State excel on offense as a redshirt sophomore quarterback Yes, Shawn Scroggins (Las Vegas) threw the first of two interceptions. Again, the Howard defense held the Tigers to three yards and forced them to settle for a 30-yard field goal from James Lowery at 7:57 of the second period, 10-0.

Scroggins (6 of 21 for 33 yards) turned the game around again with his second pick, this time giving Tennessee State good field position at the Howard 25-yard line, but again the Bison defense limited the Tigers to three yards and They forced another field goal from Lowery, this time from 39 yards, to make it 13-0 with just under seven minutes left in the second quarter.

Howard finally got it together and managed a seven-play, 77-yard drive capped by a junior running back EdenJames (Indianapolis) with a two-yard TD run, 13-7.

Howard had some momentum coming out of halftime by gaining the first possession of the second half, but the offense stalled and Tennessee State launched a nine-play, 81-yard drive with Jaden McGill driving the ball in from four yards out as the Tigers made it It was a two-possession game, 20-7, with just under seven minutes left in the third stanza.

Howard (3-4) managed a nice drive of 54 yards in six plays. Graduate running back Jarett Hunter (Mineral, Va.) gained 35 yards and ended the game with a curling 9-yard score. With 1:28 minutes left in the third quarter the deficit was reduced to 20:14, but then came the decisive point.

CJ Evans deflected the ensuing kickoff at his own one-yard line, took off to the right, shortened fields and passed Howard for 99 yards and the score.

From there, the Tigers, who entered the game along with the Bison as one of the best sack teams in the country, forced back-to-back sacks and ran out the clock to secure their fourth straight victory.

Hunter led all rushers with 102 yards on 15 carries and a TD.

Defensively, the Bison sacked TSU’s quarterbacks twice and stopped runners behind the line of scrimmage eight times.

Graduate defensive back Kenny Gallop Jr. (6 total tackles, 2.5 TFLs and a sack) and his brother Caleb Gallop (career-high seven total tackles) Both had excellent games, along with Derrick Brown Jr. (6 total tackles), Terrance Hollon (6 total tackles, one sack and one TFL) and Robert Jones III (5 solo tackles).

NEXT: Howard opens Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play next week when they travel to Norfolk, Virginia to take on the Spartans of Norfolk State at 2 p.m

For more information, visit the official Howard Athletics website www.hubison.com.