Atlanta, Georgia – The Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff in Atlanta this weekend was nothing short of sensational. The Howard University Bison and Alabama A&M Bulldogs delivered an instant classic in front of an electric crowd, with both schools showing tremendous support from their respective fan bases. In the end, it was the Bison who stood tall, holding off a furious Alabama A&M comeback to secure a thrilling 31-24 victory.
From the opening kickoff, Howard established control of the game and dominated the first quarter. The Bison moved the ball effectively while their defense kept the Bulldogs from finding any rhythm, as Alabama A&M failed to record a first down in the opening quarter. Howard quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins orchestrated an impressive opening drive, guiding the Bison down the field before finishing the possession with a one-yard touchdown run by Markus Hopson. Howard kicker Matt Conord later added an 18-yard field goal, giving the Bison a commanding 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Howard continued to apply pressure in the second quarter. Conord connected on another field goal to extend the advantage to 13-0, but Alabama A&M finally found an answer. Bulldogs quarterback Cornelious Brown IV connected with Jarel Williams on a 26-yard touchdown pass, putting Alabama A&M on the scoreboard and changing the momentum of the game. Howard quickly responded. The Bison put together a 68-yard scoring drive that ended with Scroggins finding tight end Nathaiel Clark for a touchdown. The score pushed Howard’s lead to 20-7 and appeared to put the Bison back in control.
But Alabama A&M was not going away. Brown IV once again led the Bulldogs down the field, connecting with Imari Conley on a 14-yard touchdown pass. Suddenly, what had been a one-sided game early on had become a battle. Alabama A&M’s second touchdown cut the deficit to 20-14 heading into halftime.
The Bulldogs carried that momentum into the second half. Early in the third quarter, Alabama A&M defensive lineman Kylon Roberts came up with a huge play, sacking Scroggins and forcing a fumble. The Bulldogs recovered at their own 36-yard line with an opportunity to make the game even tighter. However, Howard’s defense answered the challenge and prevented Alabama A&M from turning the turnover into points. The Bison then extended their lead once again, with Conord knocking through another field goal to make it 23-14. That set the stage for a dramatic fourth quarter. With the game hanging in the balance, Alabama A&M launched a major comeback. Brown IV directed an impressive 11-play drive that he capped himself with a touchdown run. The score brought the Bulldogs within two points at 23-21.
The Alabama A&M defense then forced a stop, giving the Bulldogs another opportunity to seize control. They took advantage. Alabama A&M drove into scoring range and connected on a field goal to take its first lead of the night, 24-23.
For the first time all game, Howard found itself trailing. But the Bison never panicked. Scroggins responded with one of the biggest plays of the night, connecting with Osborne on a 51-yard touchdown pass. The explosive play immediately shifted the momentum back to Howard and gave the Bison a 29-24 advantage. Howard then converted a two-point attempt, with Clark coming through on the conversion to make it 31-24. That proved to be the deciding score. The Bulldogs had one final opportunity to mount another comeback, but Howard’s defense held firm, allowing the Bison to escape with a hard-fought seven-point victory.
After the game, I asked Howard head coach Ted White what his team needed to do to keep the momentum going following such an impressive opening-night performance. His answer was simple: “We need to be consistent.” Consistency will certainly be important for the Bison moving forward, but if Saturday night’s performance was any indication, Howard has already shown that it possesses something equally valuable: resilience. The Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff delivered everything fans could have asked for. Big plays, momentum swings, passionate fan bases and a dramatic finish.
