Howard University Athletics

WASHINGTON (November 11, 2023) - With its season hanging in the balance, the Howard University football team responded and put together its best all-around performance of the year to dominate No. 7 North Carolina Central University (8-2, 3-1 MEAC), 50-20, in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) showdown at Greene Stadium.
 
A lot was at stake for both teams, especially for North Carolina Central (NCCU). With a win, the Eagles would capture its second straight MEAC regular season title and trip back to the Celebration Bowl next month in Atlanta.
 
Following a disappointing 27-24 loss at South Carolina State last week (Nov. 4), the Bison (5-5, 3-1 MEAC) desperately needed a win to stay in the hunt and they played like it. 
 
Howard got on the board early when graduate quarterback Quinton Williams (Upper Marlboro, Md.) engineered an eight-play, 71-yard drive that he capped off with a one-yard plunge at the 4:59 mark of the first quarter, 7-0.
 
After the defense held the high-powered Eagles in check, the Bison got on the board again with another long drive, this time for 80 yards with sophomore running back Eden James (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) running 45 yards to daylight and giving his team a shocking 14-0 lead to start the second quarter.
 
Feeling a sense of urgency, NCCU answered on its next possession as its MEAC Player of the Year, senior quarterback Davius Richard, found a seam in the Bison defense and jaunted 89 yards down the left sideline for a score that got his team back in the game, 14-7.
 
Howard continued to put the pressure on and answered with an 18-yard strike from Williams to freshman tight end Gavin Harris (San Antonio) with 9:49 left in the second quarter, 21-7.
 
Two possessions later, the Eagles struck again on a big play, this time an 85-yard punt return for a TD by Brandon Codrington. The time left on the clock was 1:50 and most figured that the Bison would be content and go into the half, holding onto a 21-14 intermission lead, but Howard head coach Larry Scott had other ideas. 
 
It took the aggressive Bison offense eight plays and 69 yards to strike again, this time on a beautifully thrown Williams' 18-yard strike to senior wideout Kasey Hawthorne (Sebring, Fla.). It upped the mark to 28-14 and the Eagles never recovered.
 
The Bison added to their lead in the third quarter when they put together another time-consuming drive, resulting in a 17-yard TD run by senior running back Jarett Hunter (Mineral, Va.) with just 1:19 in the third period.
 
It took Howard two plays to go 65 yards and the combination of Williams to Hawthorne struck again, this time for 65 yards to increase the lead, 42-14, at the beginning of the final stanza.
 
NCCU got another score but Howard removed all doubts on its last score, another rushing TD from Hunter from 20 yards.
 
It was an all-around effort and was easily the team's best effort of the season.
 
The offense racked up 521 yards, 244 on the ground and 277 in the air.
 
Williams had his best outing of the year, completing 23-of-33 for 277 yards and three TDs and he added 15 yards rushing on four carries and another score. Hunter rushed for 113 yards on 14 carries and two scores. He also grabbed six passes for 53 yards. James came out of a two-game slump and rushed for 84 yards on nine carries and a TD. Hawthorne led the receivers with nine catches for 114 yards and two TDs.
 
Defensively, the Bison held the Eagles to 198 yards, 77 yards in the air. Graduate defensive lineman Darrian Brokenburr (Manassas, Va.), who battled injuries all of last season, had perhaps his best game in a Bison uniform. He finished with seven total tackles (five solos), including three tackles for loss, two sacks and a pair of QB hurries.
 
The quintet of graduate defensive back Clayton Perrin (six tackles), junior linebacker Terrance Hollon (five tackles), senior defensive back Ray Williams (four tackles), graduate linebacker Christian White (four tackles) and All-American defensive back Kenny Gallop, Jr. (three tackles, two pass breakups and a QB hurry) played well, collectively, in shutting down NCCU.
 
On special teams, redshirt freshman Breylin Smith (Winter Haven, Fla.) had a 58-yard punt return and sophomore Aaron Bickerton (Stoke-on-Trent, England) averaged only 31 yards on three punts but two landed inside the NCCU 10-yard line.
 
NEXT UP: Howard hosts Morgan State Saturday (Nov. 18) at 1 p.m., in what could decide the MEAC regular season title. Saturday is also Senior Day.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.