Howard Bison Rally Past Alabama A&M Bulldogs 31-24 In MEAC/SWAC Challenge To Open Ted White Era

Skylar Nelson/WinSports

Ted White's tenure at the helm of Howard University's football program is off to a tremendous start.

The Howard Bison rallied past the Alabama A&M Bulldogs 31-24, on Saturday night at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, in the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge. The Bison opened the 2026 season in dramatic fashion giving White a memorable debut as Howard's head coach.

The Bison controlled much of the first half, taking a 20-14 lead into the break before the Bulldogs mounted a furious comeback. Alabama A&M erased the deficit and surged ahead 24-23 early in the fourth quarter, putting the Bison in danger of seeing their opening-night advantage slip away.

But it was Howard who delivered the most captivating response to Alabama A&M's lead.

Quarterback Ja'Shawn Scroggins orchestrated an 83-yard, six play drive that culminated in a perfectly executed 51-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Se'Quan Osborne with 2:41 remaining. The Bison then converted a two-point attempt from Scroggins to tight end Nathaniel Clark, stretching the margin and putting Howard in position to close out the win.

The Bison defense delivered the finishing blow, stopping the Bulldogs' final push and a game-clinching fumble forced by linebacker Aidan Foster to preserve the seven-point victory.

Scroggins finished the night completing 19-of-36 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns, while leading the Bison in rushing with 15 carries for 49 yards, a performance that ultimately earned him MVP honors in the HBCU Challenge. Kicker Matt Conord also played a pivotal role in the victory, converting all three of his field-goal attempts to account for 11 of Howard's points.

Saturday's matchup was only the second meeting between the two HBCU programs. Their first encounter occurred in 1992 ending in a 28-7 Bison victory.

This victory marked Howard's first triumph in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. The Bison had previously made their appearance in the event in 2022, falling 23-13 to the Alabama State Hornets. Howard's win also helped the conference improve to a 13-7 all-time record in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge.

The Howard Bison will return home for Labor Day weekend, hosting the Richmond Spiders on Saturday Sept. 5. Kickoff is set for 6pm.