Ted White’s first game as Howard University’s head football coach ended with a statement victory.
The Howard Bison defeated the Alabama A&M Bulldogs, 31-24, in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Saturday night at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, giving White his first win at Howard and the program its first victory of the 2026 season.
“I’m definitely proud of these guys. I’ve seen the work, definitely throughout the offseason,” White said. “I’ve seen it through spring football, I’ve seen it through the summer, and then getting the opportunity to see it in training camp… the message this week was to block out the exterior. To make sure that we focus on things that we need to do to win the football game.”
A significant milestone for Howard and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) also stemmed from this victory. It marked Howard’s first win in the MEAC/SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) Challenge and improved the MEAC’s all-time record in the event to 13-7. Howard previously appeared in the Challenge in 2022, falling 23-13 to the Alabama State Hornets.
The win also added another chapter to the football history between Howard and Alabama A&M. Saturday’s contest was only the second meeting between the two historically Black programs, with Howard winning the first matchup, 28-7, in 1992.
“This is my third time playing in [the MEAC/SWAC Challenge]. I got a chance in 2011 when I was coaching at Southern University to play in Orlando. I got a chance in 2018 to play when I coached at Prairie View,” said White. “Getting the opportunity to come back with my alma mater and being able to win and not only represent Howard University, but represent for the conference. We feel like the MEAC is one of the best conferences in the country.”
White, a 1998 graduate of the institution that hired him in January, watched his team take a 20-14 lead into halftime before Alabama A&M erased the six-point deficit with a 24-23 advantage early in the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs’ comeback surge threatened to spoil Howard’s strong start, but the Bison answered with a clutch fourth-quarter response.
Graduate student quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins put together an 86-yard, six-play drive that ended with a 51-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Se’Quan Osborne with 2:41 remaining. Howard then converted a two-point attempt from Scroggins to senior tight end Nathaniel Clark, extending the lead 31-24.
The Bison sealed the victory by stopping Alabama A&M’s final possession, with sophomore linebacker Aidan Foster forcing a thrilling fumble.
“For the coaches to be preaching this whole week to go 1-0, not many people in the country can go 1-0,” Foster said, “so just getting that done, following the game plan, and everything set in stone for the game, it meant a lot to me. And I’m grateful for it.”
Scroggins completed 19-of-36 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 49 yards on 15 carries. His performance earned him MVP honors for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. Kicker Matt Conord also delivered a key performance in the Bison’s win, connecting on all three of his field goal attempts.
For White and the team, the victory serves as an early statement as the new coach embarks on his tenure at Howard. On the other hand, it also provides momentum heading into the Bison’s first home game of the season.
“It means so much to me, knowing that [White] is a Howard alum,” Scroggins admitted. “Being a [graduate student] and Howard alum myself, and knowing that I could bring it for his first head coaching win, on my first start under Coach White, it means so much to me.”
The Howard Bison will return to Greene Stadium for the first time this season when they host the Richmond Spiders on Saturday, Sept. 5, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. Fans are encouraged to fill the stands in white for the team’s White Out-themed game.
Howard has faced Richmond three times since the teams first met in 2017, with all three matchups taking place on the road. The Bison are 0-3 against the Spiders and will welcome Richmond to “The Mecca” for the first time, looking to snap their three-game losing streak in the series.
“We have a special team,” White said. “And every day we come with a chip on our shoulder to be better than the day before.”
