Howard University Athletics

PHILADELPHIA (October 10, 2026) - The Howard University football team jumped out to a good start, scoring on an impressive drive and later taking a 20-10 lead in the third quarter. But the Bison squandered several opportunities that allowed the University of Pennsylvania to eke out a 24-20 win in a nonconference battle at Franklin Field before an announced attendance of 5,243.
 
The loss dropped the Bison to 2-4 overall while the Quakers evened their record to 2-2 on the season.
 
Howard held Penn on downs on their opening possession and made the most of the opportunity by marching 88 yards on 14 plays while taking 5:08 off the clock.  The drive was capped off by a Ja'Shawn Scroggins (Las Vegas) one-yard burst, 7-0.
 
The Quakers countered by driving 55 yards on nine plays, but the Buffalo Soldier defense stepped up and held the host to a 20-yard field goal with 2:04 left in the opening stanza, 7-3.
 
On its ensuing possession, Penn took its first lead when reserve quarterback Karson Siqueiros-Lasky took nine plays to go 44 yards with Donnelly hauling in a 12-yard TD strike, 10-7.
 
"The quarterback did a great job of coming in and running their offense," said Howard football head coach Ted White on Siqueiros-Lasky. "Take you hats off to Penn; they called a good game and made some adjustments."
 
The Bison came back and answered when Scroggins found Zaden Jackson (Mansfield, Texas) on a 30-yards hookup that helped his team regain the lead, 14-10, with 3:20 left before the half.
 
Howard forced a fumble on the Quakers next possession and was in good position to go up by two scores. But the drive stalled and the Bison were forced to settle for a 20-yard Matt Conord (Lithia, Fla.) 20-yard field goal to end the half with Howard ahead, 17-10.
 
The Bison forced, yet, another Penn turnover and proceeded to embark on an efficient, 14-play, 71 yard drive, using up 6:10 off the clock. But again, the drive stalled and resulted in another Conord field goal, this time from 34 yards to make the score 20-10 Howard with 8:41 left on the clock in the third period.
 
Howard never scored again and the momentum shifted.
 
Penn put together a 13-play, 87-yard drive that used over seven minutes. The Quakers used a trick play with Siqueiros-Lasky coming out of the backfield to catch a TD pass. The touchdown narrowed the lead, 20-17.
 
Howard was unable to move the ball on its next two possessions, and it set up the game-winning drive, a 13-yard TD from TD pass from Siqueiros-Lasky to Isaac Lee with 57 seconds remaining to pull out the 24-20 victory.
 
 
"We did not finish well," said White postgame press conference.  "We did some good things out there today, but we have to clean some things up. Penn made some second half adjustments that gave us problems. We were not able to run the ball and that is a big part of what we do."
 
The Bison managed only 227 yards of offense.
 
Siqueiros-Lasky completed 19-of-29 for 226 yards, passing for two TDs and catching one.
 
The defense continues to play better each game, becoming an equal opportunity defense with different players making positive plays.
 
"Coach KJ (Defensive coordinator Kyshoen Jarrett) does a great job of rotating and mixing things up," White noted. "We have some young players who are taking advantage of their opportunities. But we still have some things to clean up on both sides of the ball."
 
Offensively, sophomore running back Billy Roberson II (Lake Orion, Mich.) continues to improve, finishing as the team's leading rusher with 51 yards on eight carries and a pass reception for 10 yards. Scroggin was 13-of-33 for 144 yards, a TD pass and a TD rushing. He was sacked five times and threw a late interception.
 
The Howard defense has got some sterling play from J. Augustus Olidge (Atlanta) with nine total tackles and a career-high five pass breakups.
 
Sophomore defensive back Ben Chandler IV (Washington) collected eight total tackles, an INT and a pass breakup.
 
Graduate defensive lineman Gabe Stephens (Charlotte, N.C.) had two tackles for a loss (TFL), 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
 
Sophomore linebacker Glen Vinson III (Upper Marlboro, Md.) continues to improve each week, adding six total tackles. Graduate linebacker Rodney Roane (Richmond, Va.) finished with five total tackles, a sack and a TFL.
 
Lost in the loss was the contribution of Conrod, who is now seven for 7-for-7 on field goals and 10-for-10 on PAT kicks. He leads the team in scoring.
 
NEXT UP: Howard looks to get back into the win column when it faces rival Morehouse College for homecoming Saturday, October 17, at 3:30 p.m.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.