Howard University Athletics

WASHINGTON (September 5, 2026) ---The Howard University football team fell behind, 20-0, and it appeared that the game was over, but this team has displayed a never-say-die attitude that is becoming its personality.
 
In the season opener against Alabama A&M (Aug. 29), the Bison led throughout, but fell behind late in the fourth quarter. They rallied with a late drive to pull out a 31-24 victory.
 
"We had a slow start offensively and defensively," said first-year Howard football head coach Ted White.
 
In the game against No. 23 Richmond, Howard turned up the heat and rallied with 21 second-half points to get within one possession, but in the end, two costly mistakes may have proven to be the difference as Howard fell, 28-21, before 3,671 fans at William H. Green Stadium.
 
The Spiders (2-0) got on the boards early, following an interception where they cashed in with quarterback Ashten Snelsire connecting with Bryce Allen for a 15-yard TD. The opportunistic Bison special team blocked the PAT attempt and Richmond led, 6-0, with 13:06 on the first quarter clock.
 
With the Bison offense sputtering, Richmond began to control the game and made it pay off on a one-yard push by Azix Foster-Powell that capped off a 63- yard drive to give the visitors a 13-0 lead just before the end of the first quarter.
 
Again, taking advantage of the Bison's lack of offensive production, the Spiders capped off a 66-yard, seven-play drive that featured a 42-yard hookup between Snelsire and Quanye Veney, upping the lead, 20-0, going into the halftime.
 
Howard (1-1) came out with a different attitude in the second half when Gabe Stephens (Charlotte, N.C.) fell on Richmond fumble in the end zone with just under three minutes into the third quarter.
 
"Coach KJ (defensive coordinator Kyshoen Jarrett) and his staff did a great job of getting us going in the second half," noted White of the momentum changer. "Out punter (Liam Allen IV) did a great job of pinning them deep and we were able to get a score. That play jump started us and got us going, no question about it."
 
Inspired by the play of the defense, the Bison offense finally got untracked when Ja'Shawn Scroggins (Las Vegas) engineered an 84-yard drive, the longest of the early season, capping off with a 30-yard dart to Antonio Hunter (Cincinnati) that cut the deficit, 20-14.
 
"Our quarterback used his legs a little more," White said. "So, we were able to provide more balance in the second half."
 
Then, came the first of two crucial mistakes in the game for the Bison.
 
Howard muffed a punt that gave the Spiders good field position at the Howard 29-yard line. It took the reeling Spiders two plays to cover the 29 yards that came on a 25-yard pass from Snelsire to Sean Clarke with a little less than two minutes remaining in the third period, 28-14, following the two-point conversion.
 
But this Howard team showed its resolve, going 75 yards in 14 plays with Billy Roberson II (Lake Orion, Mich.) finishing the drive on a one-yard push to narrow the deficit, 28-21, with 11:35 on the fourth-quarter clock.
 
"We had a lot of energy coming out in the second half," Scroggins stated, who accounted for much of the Bison's second-half production. "We were behind and had to step up our energy if we were to have a chance to win the game."
 
The Bison kept the pressure on Snelsire, forcing him into several QB hurries and sacks.
 
Then came what could have been another big play.
 
The Bison forced the Spiders to punt in their own territory. But a Howard player ran into the kicker and instead of having the ball with a chance to tie, Richmond continued the drive and although they failed to score due to some stout defense by the Buffalo Soldier defense, they were able to run the clock out and secure the hard-fourth win.
 
"Every penalty or mistake in a game like this where you come from behind is huge," said White of the costly miscues. "Those mistakes were huge and we have to be more disciplined and start faster. We will be better and learn from this as we move forward."
 
GAME NOTES: The Buffalo defense again stood tall, limiting the Spiders to only 113 yards of total offense in the second half while recording four sacks...Aidan Foster (Washington) again played a big role with a team-leading eight total tackles (seven solos) and a sack…Rodney Roane (Richmond, Va.) also showed that he is going to be a team leader after collecting eight total tackles (five solos) and a sack…Kaleb Gallop (Portsmouth, Va.) contributed seven total tackles (three solos) and a half sack.
 
NEXT UP: Howard travels to Bloomington, Ind., to take on Indiana University Saturday (Sept. 12) at noon.