CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (October 13, 2023) - The Howard University football team will be looking to get back on the winning track when it travels to Cambridge, Mass., to take No. 18/19 Harvard Saturday (Oct. 14). Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Harvard Stadium.
 
FOLLOW THE ACTION
 
Saturday's showdown will be aired on ESPN+.
 
You can also catch all the action on the Howard Sports Radio Network. Trevin Jones will handle the play-by-play, Nathaniel Henry on the color commentary and Sareyah Rudd will provide sideline interviews.
 
LAST TIMEOUT
 
DePrima, who ranks high in several national statistical categories, will test his skills against a Bison defense that continues to show vast improvement each week.
 
Senior safety Carson Hinton (Detroit), linebacker Christian White (Highland Springs, Va.), senior All-America safety Kenny Gallop, Jr. (Portsmouth, Va.), linebacker Terrence Hollon (Cleveland) and senior defensive back Ray Williams (Detroit) combined to hold Northwestern in check, which was its best effort of the season.
 
On offense, the team continues to show the desired balance of rushing and passing. This time, the effort on the ground was led by sophomore Eden James (Port St. Lucie, Fla.), who rushed for a career-best 177 yards on 21 carries and a TD. Playing without the services of graduate running back Ian Wheeler (Houston), the Bison got an outstanding effort from James.
 
Graduate quarterback Quinton Williams (Upper Marlboro, Md.) continues to show consistency.  The 6-foot-5 graduate completed passes to 10 different receivers, good for a TD while also scoring two on the ground on short plunges. His main target in the Northwestern game as Richie Ilazarra (Clearwater, Fla.), who led all the receivers with six catches, three of which went for first downs.
 
The special teams again played with consistency.
 
SERIES RECORD
 
This the third meeting between the two institutions. Harvard leads the series, 2-0, after defeating the Bison, 41-25 in last years' Truth & Service Classic at Audi Field.
 
The score was tied at 17 at halftime before the Crimson outscored Howard, 17-0 in the third quarter. The only other time the two teams met was in 2019 when the Crimson won easily, 62-17.
 
KEY PLAYERS
 
HARVARD
 
Harvard is led offensively by junior quarterback Charles DePrima (43-of-83 for 655 yards, 9 TDs & 2 INTs; 49 carries, 452 yards & 5 TDs) , junior running back Shane McLaughlin (56 carries, 382 yards & 3 TDs), sophomore running back Isaiah Abbey (11 carries, 66 yards & a TD), sophomore wide receiver Cooper Barkate (19 receptions, 253 yards& 2 TDs) and senior tight end Tyler Neville (10 catches 145 yards & 3 TDs).
 
Defensively, the Crimson is paced by sophomore safety Ty Bartram (33 total tackles & 2 INTs), senior linebacker Matt Hudson (31 total tackles, 1 fumble recovery & INT), junior defensive lineman Brandon Svets (16 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for losses & 1.5 sacks) and sophomore defensive back AJ Lopez (21 total tackles 6 pass breakups & INT).
 
HOWARD
 
Howard is led by Wheeler (31 carries & 269 yards), senior wideout Kasey Hawthorne (15 carries, 167 yards & 4 TDs; 10 receptions, 155 yards & 2 TDs), senior running back Jarett Hunter (48 carries, 172 yards & 3 TDs; 10 receptions, 117 yards & a TD), James (42 carries, 313 yards & a TD), Williams (83-of-143, 1,011 yards, 8 TDs & INT), redshirt freshman wide receiver Breylin Smith (14 receptions, 135 yards & 2 TDs) and Ilazarra (13 receptions & 125 yards).
 
Defensively, White (25 total tackles 2.5 sacks & 2 pass breakups), Gallop (26 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble & INT), Hinton (29 total tackles, 3 tackles for a loss & a sack), Hollon (25 total tackles, team-leading 3.5 tackles or losses & a sack) and Williams (19 total tackles & INT) have combined to become a force.
 
WHAT THE COACHES ARE SAYING
 
THE COACHES: Howard is coached by Larry Scott (South Florida, '00), who is in fourth year with the program while Harvard is coached by Tim Murphy (Springfield College, 1978), who is in his 30th season.
 
TIM MURPHY, Harvard Head Coach, 30^th season
 
"Howard has good team speed on offense, defense and special teams. They manhandled a  Big Ten team Northwestern last week and Northwestern was coming off a big win over Minnesota. Biggest most athletic team we have played this year and much improved team from last season."
LARRY SCOTT, Howard Head Coach, 4^th season
 
"Harvard is a good, tough, physical football team that creates quite a challenge for us. They are balanced and sound in terms of how to they use their personnel. Their quarterback runs and reads defenses well and their defense is a bend-but-don't -break unit."
 
CRIMSON NOTES
 
This is Band Day for Harvard…DePrimas was also named the Ivy League Player of the Week...the Crimson are second nationally in fewest penalties and ninth in rushing offense...DePrimas is 17th in total offense nationally
 
BISON HOOVES
 
Hinton was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Defensive Player of the Week...the Bison sophomore placekicker/punter Aaron Bickerton (i Stoke-on-Trent, England) is having an outstanding season, a perfect 4-fo- 4 on field goals with a long of 38 yards...he is averaging a career best 46 yards per punt, including four of over 50 yards...Dylan West (Akron, Ohio), also a sophomore, serves as kickoff and PAT specialist...he is perfect on PATs this season...Through four games, the Bison have only three turnovers all season...Howard has outscored its opponents, 52-14 in the third quarter this season...Howard is ranked 17^th nationally in rushing offense, second in third down conversions (56 percent)...Wheeler is 19^th in all-purpose yards.
 
NEXT UP
 
The Bison return home to Greene Stadium for homecoming and its MEAC opener against Norfolk State. Note the early noon kickoff on ESPNU.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.