By Mark F. Gray, AFRO Staff Writer, mgray@afro.com
Despite the struggles that accompany the start of the season with a new head coach, Howard took advantage of getting back to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference grind to pull off their first win of the season. Bowie State cracked the nation’s Top 25 in Division II and remained undefeated in their final non-conference game, while Morgan State struggles to remain competitive as they search for the first victory of the season.
Bowie State Wins Home Opener
Redshirt junior quarterback Gaston Cooper seems to be getting more confident and comfortable with each start and seems to have saved his best performance for their home opener. After two years of playing understudy to the incomparable Amir Hall, Cooper has improved with each victory. Cooper completed 15 of 31 passes for 148 yards as the #25 Bulldogs overmatched Alderson Broaddus 42-14.
Bowie State and Howard University won their games this past weekend, while Morgan State was defeated by Army’s Black Knights. (Courtesy Photo)
As BSU’s rushing game continued to grind, Cooper made two passes that seem to break Alderson Broaddus’ will. He connected with Geordan Clark with a beautiful place strike for a 27-yard score late in the second quarter. In the third, Cooper’s 75-yard completion also went the distance for a touchdown and the outcome then became obvious.
However, BSU’s recipe for success is a healthy dose of running the football that shifts the emphasis on defense. They ran for 286 yards as a team against a defense that was bigger, but not fast enough to compete with the explosive Bulldogs offensive weapons. Meanwhile BSU’s defense held the Battlers to just 18 rushing yards.
NEXT: vs. St. Augustine’s Sept. 28 (Bowie, Md.)
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Howard Spoils DSU’S Homecoming For First Win
As the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schedule begins, Howard finds themselves right where they want to be. The Bison disrupted homecoming plans for Delaware State fans with a 24-6 victory in Dover.
Despite being outplayed during a challenging early non-conference schedule, Howard still controls their own destiny for the MEAC Championship. The Bison defense held DSU to eleven first downs and recorded three turnovers in a victory that may reboot the entire season.
Freshman Ray Williams collected his first college interception and returned it to the DSU seven-yard line. Junior Caylin Newton then scored a seven-yard touchdown. Newton completed 24 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns for Howard, who finally plays at home this weekend.
NEXT: vs. Bethune-Cookman Sept.28 (Washington, D.C.)
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Army Rolls To Win Over Morgan State
Morgan State couldn’t sustain their strong start in either half, so their 52-21 loss doesn’t reflect the competitiveness of the game. The Bears led Army 14-7 at the end of the first half and gave up just one TD in the third quarter. However, the Bears were outscored 38-0 in the second and fourth quarters as the wishbone attack of the Black Knights was too much.
Army rushed for 408 yards against Morgan behind a wishbone offense that gives all opponents trouble since it is unconventional these days. The Bears still haven’t won a non conference road game since a 28-3 win over Bowie State five years ago.
Senior quarterback DeAndre’ Harris completed 15 of 29 passes for 230 yards to eight different receivers, led by Manasseh Bailey’s 121 and two scores.
Morgan State running back Demerius Goodwin was injured on a helmet-to-helmet hit in the third quarter. He raised his right arm and appeared to be talking before he was placed on a stretcher and taken away in an ambulance.
NEXT: at North Carolina Central Sept. 28 (Durham, N.C.)