Howard Bison outpace Morehouse Maroon Tigers in NYC, 35-21
The Bison get it done on the ground & in the air...And then some.
The Howard Bison entered this game with the reputation of having one of the more potent offenses in all of HBCU football, focused on their talented backfield of running backs Eden James and Mineral Virginia native Jarett Hunter.
The offensive punch in this game for the Bison came from Redshirt Senior QB Jaylon Tolbert. Tolbert had a career day, going 23 of 41 for 267 yards and 4 touchdowns, with one interception.
The passing wealth was also spread around, with a total of nine different receivers catching a pass during the game. The Bison racked up 406 total yards of offense from scrimmage.
The burst of production in the passing game will give the MEAC's defensive coordinators something else to consider as the season rolls along to conference play.
Hunter, James, and multi-position threat Kasey Hawthorne still look to be a formidable trio of offensive weapons for the Bison.
The addition of a consistent passing threat may very well be the formula to a successful defense of their MEAC crown, and a return trip to HBCU football's crown jewel, the Celebration Bowl.
Morehouse shows its Moxie in the 2nd half.
As good as the Howard University offense was in the first half of this game, it wasn't enough to put the Maroon Tigers down for the count completely. Morehouse had some moments of its own in the second half of this game, which bodes well for their own fortunes when it returns to SIAC play.
Morehouse QB Miles Scott had a pretty effective game throwing the ball on his own, going 17 and 31 for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The Maroon Tigers weren't able to replicate that success on the ground, however, finishing the game with a disturbing -36 yards rushing on 18 carries.
Morehouse will need to have more production from that part of their offense if they hope to be a serious factor in the SIAC conference race.
Ajani Williams with a beautiful back-shoulder reception for a touchdown! Morehouse 7, Howard 14 in Q2. 7-play, 59-yard drive. @hbculegends @hbcunyclassic pic.twitter.com/YgRlti51k6
— Kyle T. Mosley (@ktmoze) September 14, 2024
What's next for the Bison and the Maroon Tigers?
The defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champs follow this game up with a showdown with heated rival and Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) member Hampton University in the Truth & Service Classic at Audi Field in the Nation's Capital, Washington, D.C.
Both the Bison and Pirates have started the season in impressive fashion, which hints at this edition of the T&S Classic being as action-packed and hard-fought as previous editions of this rivalry game.
The Maroon Tigers of Morehouse return to competition the following week in another Classic. This time the venue is Chicago against fellow Division II and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) foe Kentucky State.
Both teams will look to change their fortunes, with both teams looking to notch their first wins of the season in the Windy City.
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