The Howard Bison had an exciting first home game of the season as they defeated Morehouse College 65-19 on Sept. 9. The match garnered national attention from major networks including BET and Fox Sports. 

Rainy weather didn’t stop fans from supporting the acclaimed historically Black colleges. Ponchos and umbrellas filled Greene Stadium.

Howard and Morehouse fans represented HBCU culture and celebrated the accomplishment of two HBCU teams playing against each other on ESPN+. 

The Bison dominated early on in the game, challenging Morehouse’s defense and offensive progression. 

Senior running back, Jarret Hunter, and senior wide receiver, Kasey Hawthorne, scored Howard’s first two touchdowns giving the Bison a 14-0 lead. The Maroon Tigers were able to snag a touchdown before the first half ended, but Hawthorne held on to the lead. The Bison were up 22-7 at Halftime.

Howard continued to dominate in the second half. Several series got the crowd on their feet including a 50-yard pass from graduate quarterback, Quinton Williams to graduate running back, Ian Wheeler. Redshirt freshman Breylin Smith scored the next two touchdowns. 

By the end of the night, the Bison had given spectators a taste of what’s in store this season. This is the team’s second consecutive win against Morehouse, after last year’s 31-0 victory at the HBCU New York Football Classic. 

Following this victory, Williams plans to win even more games throughout the season. 

“It’s been an interesting rivalry. We kinda let two games get away from us I would say, but moving next week we’re planning to win,” Willams shared.

Sporting events like this one underscore the sense of community HBCUs foster.

“I feel like I’m always meeting new people doing very interesting things, sometimes similar to me and sometimes not, which extends to other HBCUs,” said Gavin Rolle, a senior at Howard. “I’m excited to meet more people and expand my network.”

Nya Marshall, who is a junior at Spelman College, traveled from Atlanta to DC for the game.

“Because sports aren’t necessarily the focal point of our schools when you have a big rival game like Morehouse versus Howard— or any major rival game, it’s always good to go because they’re going to pull out all the stops. Like music, atmosphere, the vibes are going to be crazy, the halftime performance is gonna be crazy, and you get to see the alums. It’s one of those games that you don't want to miss,” she said.

The next home game for the Bison won’t be until homecoming when they take on the Norfolk State University Trojans on Oct. 2. Check out the full men’s football schedule here.