Ground game and turnovers fuel Howard past Bears, 28-14

Box Score WASHINGTON, D.C. – After all the big plays, the Bison were able to celebrate with the thousands of fans attending Howard's homecoming festivities.

Anthony Philyaw rushed for 98 yards and scored three touchdowns, leading a 28-14 win against Beltway rival Morgan State that snuffed the Bears' two-game winning streak.

The Bison (2-6, 2-3 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) took a 15-7 lead into the halftime and held off the Bears late in the game when Philyaw walked into the endzone from 4-yards out with just over 1 minutes left to play.

Howard recorded its second win in a row behind senior quarterback Greg McGhee, who finished with a game-high 122 yards on 15 carries. He also completed 11 of 21 passes for 89 yards. Overall, Howard finished with 315 yards on the ground, compared to Morgan State's 310 total yards of offense.

Morgan State (2-6, 2-2), who entered the game without injured starting quarterback Seth Higgins, turned the ball over four times. Redshirt-freshman Moses Skillon threw for 72 yards, tossed a pair of interceptions and had a fumble, while junior Robert Council completed 3 of 8 passes for 32 yards and was picked off.

Howard set the tone during the early going. McGhee engineered a 19 play drive that consumed over 7 minutes and 65-yards. The drive encompassed four fourth down conversions, the last of which culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by Philyaw. The Bison converted the ensuing 2-point conversion when David Wilson tossed a pass to tight end Richard Aiyegoro. The Bison led 8-0 with 7:31 left in the first quarter.

The Bears ran 18 plays (15 runs) and marched 65-yards during their first possession of the contest and threatened to score, but a 28-yard field goal by Chris Moller sailed wide right.

The tide swung toward Morgan State when Broderick Gager fielded Jalen Fleck's 41-yard punt and returned it 89 yards for a touchdown. It was the Bears' first return for a score since Winfred Diggs returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown against Hampton on Nov. 21, 2010. The Bears trailed 8-7 with 11:12 remaining in the first half.

Howard increased its lead when John Fleck ran a fake punt and weaved his way 52-yards for an electrifying touchdown. The extra point by Fleck gave Howard a 15-7 advantage with 3:02 remaining in the half.

Morgan State's final drive of the first half ended when Robert Council's pass was intercepted by Khari Brown. The Bison went into the locker room with a 15-7 lead.

Redshirt-freshman running back Lamont Brown III ran four times and picked up 41 yards to help put the Bears deep in Howard's territory to open the second half. However, the drive stalled when Council missed Nathan Ingram wide open in the flat on 4^th and 7.

A targeting penalty against MSU gave the Bison 1^st and 10 at the Morgan 41 with 10:54 remaining in the 3^rd quarter. On 1^st and 20, McGee raced 34 yards to help setup 6-yard run by Philyaw to extend Howard's lead to 22-7 with 8:57 left in the 3^rd quarter.

Moses Skillon entered the contest on the ensuing drive and completed an 18-yard strike to Antonio Jefferson for his first pass of the day. But on 2^nd and 18 from the 43, Skillon was intercepted on what appeared to be a touchdown pass, but Howard's Kenneth Russ wrestled the ball away from Thomas Martin in the endzone for the pick.

Following a 3–and-out by the Bison, Howard's punt went 7 yards, setting up 1^st and 10 from the Howard 13. The Bears turned Howard's miscue into points when Skillon scored on a 1-yard plunge to help trim the lead to 22-14 with 4:15 remaining in the 3^rd quarter.

The Bears found themselves knocking on the doorstep of another score following a big run by freshman Herb Walker. Walker eluded a defender in the backfield and raced 17 yards to help setup a 1^st and 10 at Howard's 38. But the drive was ended two plays later, when Skillon's pass was tipped and intercepted by Howard's Jordan Monette.

The Bears caught a couple of breaks to stay in the game. Philyaw bounced a run outside for a 16-yard touchdown run, but the play was negated due to a holding penalty. And a 43-yard field goal attempt by Fleck missed was wide right. The Bears had 3:45 to try and get back on the board.

But again the Bears were bit by the turnover bug when Moses sacked by ToaVon Sheats and Godspower Offer recovered the resulting fumble on Morgan's 32.

Following a personal foul hit on McGee on the sideline, Philyaw walked into the endzone from 4-yards out to give the homecoming crowd a 28-14 lead and a reason to celebrate.

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