Bethune-Cookman 29, Howard 18

The Bison must have surprised themselves when they took the opening kickoff and went 67 yards in five plays. Junior running back Vincent Neclos took it the final 17 yards for the score, but senior Jason Walker's PAT attempt failed.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Wildcats fumbled, giving Howard a short field at the B-CC 27-yard line. It took the Bison two plays, the big play coming on a 21-yard hookup from senior quarterback Roy Anderson (12 of 33, 224 yards, 1 TD, 2 interceptions, 2 sacks) to junior wide receiver Kevin Simmonds (4 receptions, 85 yards, 1 TD). Again, the PAT failed, but the Bison led, 12-0 before the Wildcats could run an offensive play form scrimmage.

Howard upped its lead to 18-0 three possessions later following a B-CC fumble. Junior running back Tauric Rice (16 carries, 52 yards) capped off a 61-yard, 5-play drive with a 13-yard touchdown run with 8:21 remaining in the half.

From that point, the Bison offense all but disappeared. Bethune-Cookman (6-3, 5-2 in the MEAC) put together an 81-yard drive that took only seven plays and a little over two minutes to get back into the game, but more importantly, change the momentum. The Wildcats' mercurical sophomore quarterback Allen Suber (100 yards passing, 35 yards rushing) did most of the damage with his passing and deft running of the option.

"He is the best option quarterback I have ever coached against," said Howard Coach Steve Wilson. "He is a playmaker and he showed that today. He never panicked."

Bethune-Cookman trailed 18-7 and it seemed to energize their flat, lackluster first half performance because they took control in the second half. Defensive lineman Steve Baggs (5 tackles, 4 tackles for losses, 3 sacks) and safety Rashean Mathis (4 tackles, 2 tackles for losses, an interception), made a number of big plays and were keys to limiting the Bison to only 10 yards of total offense in the second half (Howard had amassed 267 yards in the first half).

Howard aided and abetted the Wildcats cause by committing a whopping 21 penalties for 176 yards. Many of them either stopped drives or helped Bethune-Cookman continue drives.

"The penalties really hurt us, especially in the second half," lamented Howard All-American linebacker Tracy White. Despite all of this, neither team was able to score in the third period and Howard still appeared to be in control, at least on the scoreboard.

Early in the fourth quarter, Bethune-Cookman broke the ice when the Wildcats' multi-talented senior, Taji Parish scored from 2 yards out and added a two-point conversion run to pull his team within, 18-15. Parish led all rushers with 102 yards and 2 TDs; he completed 1 of 3 passes for 5 yards; he caught 7 passes for 72 yards; he punted once for 31 yards that landed at the Howard 1-yard; and he played defensive back in the Wildcats' prevent defense at the end of the game.

Then came the play that both sides agreed proved to be the difference. Mathis, one of the leading punt returners in the conference, fielded a Jason Walker punt at his own 27, slipped a tackle at the 30, got an outstanding block at the B-CC 35 and sprinted up the left sideline for the score to give his team its first lead of the game at 22-18.

"That punt return was huge, no doubt about it," said Wilson.

Added Suber, "We needed something to get us over the hump. After Rashean's punt return, we knew it that it was our game. You could feel it on the sideline."

There were still seven minutes left in the game, seemingly plenty of time for the Bison to get on the scoreboard. But Mathis, who has 15 career interceptions, made sure that would not happen. The junior All-American intercepted a Roy Anderson pass to snuff out a Bison scoring drive while also setting up the an insurance touchdown, Parish's 20-yard run with 4:30 left on the clock.

"We settled down in the second half and executed better, "explained Suber. "There was nothing wrong with our play calling in the first half; it was our execution. We got back to what we do best in the second half and it paid off."

"They were very patient with their offense, " added White, Howard's All-American linebacker. "You have to give them credit. We had them on the ropes, but they stayed with what they do best and it paid off.

White had another of what is becoming routine for him. He finished with 12 tackles, 3 for losses, a sack and a fumble recovery. The Bison also got an outstanding effort from junior linebacker Nicholas Henderson (8 tackles, 4 for losses, 2 sacks) and junior cornerback Rashad Frazier (8 tackles).

Senior wide receiver Jevonte Philpot, who caught three passes for 47 yards, is still 22 yards shy of the 1,000-yard mark on the season.

He will get his chance when Howard closes out the season against Delaware State next Saturday, November 17 at 1 p.m. in Dover, DE.

Front Page

Football Index