The Script Gets Flipped
Coming in, this game looked like a mismatch on paper. Delaware State (8-3, 4-0 MEAC) rolled into this November 15 clash riding a four-game winning streak and undefeated in conference play. Howard (4-7, 1-3 MEAC)? They were 0-5 on the road and had been demolished in back-to-back conference losses by a combined 77 points.
The prediction called for a 31-17 Hornets blowout. Instead, we got a defensive slugfest that stayed tight until the final minutes—and Howard, for the first time all season away from home, showed up ready to fight.
The Bison actually moved the ball better than Delaware State for most of the game, outgaining the Hornets 295 total yards to 374. Tyriq Starks went 21-of-39 for 252 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, and Andre Cooper II was electric with 117 yards receiving on just four catches, including a 60-yard touchdown bomb in the fourth quarter that briefly gave Howard life.
But here's the thing about November football in the MEAC: style points don't matter. Delaware State did what they've done all season—they won the possession game, capitalized on turnovers, and made plays when it mattered most.
When Momentum Met Reality
Howard jumped out strong in the second quarter, matching Delaware State blow-for-blow. Matt Conord nailed a 28-yard field goal to tie it 3-3, and the Bison were moving the ball. For a team that had been dominated on the road all season, this looked like a different squad.
Then reality set in.
Delaware State quarterback Jayden Sauray punched in a 5-yard rushing touchdown with 3:01 left in the half, capping a methodical 10-play, 68-yard drive. Less than three minutes later, Ryan Pellum Taylor followed with a 4-yard touchdown run, and suddenly it was 17-3 at halftime. The Hornets took a 59-yard field with 54 seconds left and scored. That's championship football.
The third quarter belonged to Delaware State's defense. Wayne Favors III picked off Starks in the red zone and returned it 91 yards for a pick-six, extending the lead to 23-6. Game over, right?
Not quite.
Howard refused to fold. Cooper's 60-yard touchdown strike from Starks with 2:32 left in the fourth made it 26-13, and for a moment, you could feel the Bison believing. But Delaware State bled the clock, forced Howard into desperation mode, and closed it out with the kind of poise you'd expect from a team that's been winning close games all season.
MEAC Championship Stakes Just Got Real
This wasn't just another conference win for Delaware State—this was a statement. At 4-0 in MEAC play with one game remaining (South Carolina State), the Hornets control their destiny for the conference title. They've beaten Norfolk State (27-20), Morgan State (14-12), North Carolina Central (35-26), and now Howard. That's running the gauntlet.
For Howard, the road woes continue, and they're now 0-6 away from home. But this loss felt different. They played with urgency, moved the ball, and hung around in a hostile environment. Heading into next week's rivalry finale against Norfolk State at Audi Field, the Bison finally have something to build on—even in defeat.
Delaware State, meanwhile, is one win away from a potential MEAC championship and staying in the FCS playoff conversation. This team has been physical, clutch, and resilient all season. Friday morning was just another chapter.
What Delaware State Did Right
1. They capitalized on turnovers and field position.
Delaware State didn't dominate statistically—they were actually outgained—but they made Howard pay for mistakes. Favors' 91-yard pick-six was the dagger, and the Hornets consistently put themselves in short-field situations. When you're winning close games, those are the plays that separate contenders from pretenders.
2. They controlled the tempo and won the possession battle.
Delaware State held the ball for 34:33 to Howard's 25:27. That's not flashy, but it's suffocating. The Hornets kept Howard's offense off the field, shortened the game, and forced the Bison to play from behind. Marquis Gillis (92 rushing yards on 16 carries) and Jayden Sauray (21 rushing yards, 1 TD) did the dirty work, grinding out first downs and keeping the clock moving.
3. They stayed poised under pressure.
When Howard made it a two-score game late, Delaware State didn't panic. They ran the ball, chewed clock, and forced the Bison into desperation. That's veteran football from a team that's been battle-tested all season.
What Howard Couldn't Fix
1. The turnover bug bit them at the worst time.
Starks threw two interceptions, including the backbreaker pick-six by Favors in the third quarter. Howard moved the ball—252 passing yards, 43 rushing yards—but when you're already fighting an uphill battle on the road, you can't give the other team free points. Turnovers have haunted the Bison all season, and Friday was no different.
2. They couldn't finish drives in the red zone.
Howard had opportunities but came away with field goals instead of touchdowns. Conord hit two field goals (28 and 32 yards), but when you're on the road against a team playing for a conference title, settling for three instead of seven will bury you. The Bison went 1-for-3 on fourth down conversions and struggled to punch it in when it mattered most.
3. The defense couldn't get off the field.
Delaware State converted 4-of-11 third downs and dominated time of possession. Howard's defense bent but didn't break for most of the game, but they couldn't generate the stops needed to flip momentum. When Delaware State needed to drain the clock late, Howard had no answer.
The Final Word
Delaware State is 8-3, undefeated in MEAC play, and one win away from a conference championship. They're not flashy, but they're winners. Howard is 4-7 and still searching for their first road victory, but they showed more fight in this loss than they did in their previous two blowouts combined.
Sometimes, moral victories matter. For Howard, this was progress. For Delaware State, it was business as usual—find a way to win, no matter how ugly it gets.
The Hornets stay perfect. The Bison stay hungry. And the MEAC championship race just got even more interesting.
Final: Delaware State 26, Howard 13
