Howard University Athletics

WASHINGTON (October 3, 2026) --The Howard University football team combined a balanced offense and strong defense to defeat Hampton University, 27-13, in the annual Battle of the Real HU before 15,389 at Audi Field.
 
The win snapped a three-game skid for the Bison (2-3).
 
The Pirates (1-5) were looking to halt a four-game losing skid when they came out and went on an efficient 12-play, 64-yard drive following the opening kickoff but the Buffalo Soldier defense stopped the drive and forced a 28-yard field goal by Brett Starling, 3-0.
 
On the Bison's second possession, junior running back Travis Kerney (Sebring, Fla.) capped off a 10-play, 52-yard drive with a two-yard run to give Howard a 7-3 lead with 1:19 remaining in the first quarter.
 
Using its effective running attack that featured Kerney, graduate running back Eden James (Indianapolis), sophomore Billy Roberson II (Lake Orion, Mich.) and graduate quarterback Ja'Shawn Scroggins (Las Vegas), the Bison moved the ball 52 yards on 10 plays with James scampering two yards to open a 14-3 lead in the second quarter.
 
"I thought the run game did a very good job today," noted Howard head coach Ted White. "James, Roberson and Kerney did a very effective job of running the ball. It is the strength of our football team."
 
But the Pirates woke up and responded by going 83 yards on eight plays with wide receiver Nare Means and quarterback Xavier Brooks hooking up from 32 yards to get back within one-possession, 14-10, just before halftime.
 
Then, Howard answered by traveling 76 yards before being stopped and settling for a 25-yard Matt Conord (Lithia, Fla.) field goal as the half ended and the Bison maintaining a 17-10 halftime advantage.
 
In the second half, the Bison defense began to impose their will on the Pirates, forcing six sacks.
 
Conord, who is a perfect 5-for-5 on the season, made it a two-possession game with a 39-yard field goal to cap off 14-play, 69-yard drive with 2:27 left in the third period. The Bison began to effectively run the ball; thus, wearing down the Pirates.
 
Hampton was able to move the ball again, temporarily, until Howard again stopped their efforts by forcing them into a field goal by Starling with 11:34 in the final stanza.
 
The Bison were able to put the game away when Roberson took a short Scroggins pass and weaved his way to 52 yards for the game's final score. It was Roberson's first TD catch of his career.
 
Scroggins led the attack with a team-high 64 yards rushing and was 23-of-34 for 267 yards and a TD.
 
"Ja'Shawn is continuing to grow at the quarterback position," assessed White of his quarterback. "Sure, he made some mistakes today, but he is continuing to get better each game."
 
The Howard defense limited the Hampton offense to only 36 yards net rushing while recording a season-high six sacks.
 
"We have some great leadership out there in Green and Gallop," White said. "They put us in the right defenses. I was very pleased with their effort."
 
Sophomore linebacker Aidan Foster (Washington) has been one of the mainstays on the defense this season and today was no exception. He finished with five total tackles (four solos) and 1.5 sacks.
 
"We came into the game focused on stopping the run," said Foster. "We were able to do that successfully for the most part. It is something to build on."
 
Defensively, it was a concerted effort. Foster, Kaleb Gallop (Portsmouth, Va.), Joseph Tabe (White Oak, Md.) and Cameron Demma (Columbia, Md.) each had five tackles apiece. J. Augustus Olidge (Atlanta), who continues to be a factor on defense, recorded three tackles and two pass breakups.
 
NEXT UP: Howard travels to Philadelphia to take on Penn at 1 p.m., Saturday (Oct. 10.).

Tanbrance Berry, Legal Communications major, c/o '28, contributed to this story.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.