GAME INFO
 
GAME 1
Howard University (Bison) at Eastern Michigan University (Eagles)
Friday, September 1, 2023
6:30 pm
Rynearson Stadium (30,200)
Ypsilanti, MI
 
FOLLOW THE ACTION
 
WATCH: ESPN+
LISTEN: WHBC | Trevin A. Jones (Play-by-Play), Nate Henry (Color Analyst) & Sareyah Rudd (Sideline Reporter)
IN-GAME: LIVE RESULTS
 
THE GAME
 
The Bison (5-6, 4-1 MEAC) finished strong in 2022, winning four of its last five to get a share of the conference regular season title. Eastern Michigan (EMU) also had a strong finish, winning the last four en route to 9-4 overall (5-3 MAC).
 
Howard is a member of the FCS (Football College Subdivision) and EMU is a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
 
THE SERIES
 
This is the fourth meeting between the two institutions. All the games were played in Ypsilanti, Mich., with the Eagles coming out victorious in each contest. The last time the two met was in 2013 with the Eagles coming out on top, 34-24.
 
THE COACHES
 
Howard is coached by Larry Scott (USF, 2000), who is in his fourth year at the helm, while EMU is led by Chris Creighton (Kenyon 1991), who is in his 10^th season.
 
KEY PLAYERS
 
It starts up front where the Bison are led by Preseason All-American graduate offensive linemen Anim Dankwah (Ontario, Canada), Darius Fox (Washington) and DeShawn Ingram (Detroit).
 
A pro prospect, Dankwah continues to improve each year in his development. He was a first team All-MEAC selection a year ago and recently invited to the prestigious East-West 100 All-Star game.
 
Fox and Ingram, who both were named second team All-MEAC, could be primed for an outstanding season.
 
On defense, senior safety Kenny Gallop, Jr. (Portsmouth, Va.) is one of the top players in the FCS. Gallop finished second in the MEAC with 93 tackles. The hard-hitting safety is a preseason all-conference selection and a member of the All-Academic Team.
 
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
 
EMU is led offensively by junior quarterback Austin Smith (68 of 118, 774 yards, 6 TDs), graduate running back Samson Evans (249 carries, 1,166 yards, 15 TDs) and senior running back Jaylon Jackson (90 carries, 398 yards, 2 TDs).
 
Defensively, the Eagles by their dynamic linebacker duo of senior linebacker Chase Kline (team-leading 91 tackles) and graduate Joe Sparacio (89 total tackles).
 
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
 
LARRY SCOTT
 
"We want to go into every game knowing that we have a chance to win it-- feeling like we have a chance to win it --[and] be a confident team. In game one, there is always all the questions: Who is the opponent? Are they going to come out and be where they have been from last year? Obviously, a lot of people can turn over their rosters really quickly with transfers and the transfer portal and different things like that, so we are kind of going in a little bit blind as to exactly what it is that we are going to get. But, again, it is not about them, it is about us."
 
"In game one-- I discussed this with the team yesterday --it is all about who we are going to be and who we are. It does not matter who we are playing, it does not matter the opponent, no matter the color of their turf or any of those things. The sky's blue. So what? It is about us being smarter, tougher, more disciplined and together, and that is what I want to see us go through in game one."
 
"As you watch college football this past weekend, we saw some bad ball, honestly. Penalties and different things like that. People getting off to real slow starts. We want to try to avoid that by all costs, and that is what we're talking about. Just going out and playing clean, smart, tough, physical football."
 
CHRIS CREIGHTON
 
"These guys are really good, they're well-coached, and they've gotten a lot back. I think you start with their offense, you have got a fifth-year senior, All-Conference quarterback coming back. Three All-Conference offensive linemen coming back. Three All-Conference running backs coming back. I think their most productive wide receiver is gone-- but then two, three, and four are all coming back. So that keeps you up and is absolutely something that we are concerned about and need to be ready for."
 
"And then, defensively, we think their best players (are) on the defensive line, and then their best group defensively is their secondary. And again, very well-coached, and they know what they are doing, and they play really hard."
 
BISON NOTES
 
Former Howard standouts and Detroit natives, Edwin Piner and Ronald Bartell, Jr. will be halftime guests with Trevin Jones.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.