Howard, Tennessee State and Jackson State Secure Major Homecoming Football Victories
Howard, Tennessee State, and Jackson State posted major homecoming wins, while Alabama A&M unleashed an explosive offensive display against Grambling State. The results shifted conference standings and delivered memorable performances across the HBCU football landscape.
Across the nation, Historically Black Colleges and Universities witnessed a dramatic weekend on the gridiron as several marquee programs protected their home turf during annual homecoming festivities. Howard University, Tennessee State University, and Jackson State University all earned decisive victories in front of packed stadium crowds, according to reporting from Black Press USA.
In Washington, D.C., Howard pulled away from Morehouse College to earn a 31-17 nonconference victory at Greene Stadium. A crowd of 9,995 spectators attended the matchup as the Bison established control on the ground. Running back Eden James paced the offensive effort with 120 rushing yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins contributed 128 passing yards alongside two rushing scores. On the other side of the ball, the Bison defense restricted Morehouse to 264 total yards. Kendrick Green and Kyle Dillon anchored the defensive performance, recording six tackles apiece, Black Press USA reported.
Tennessee State also gave its homecoming crowd plenty to celebrate by knocking off Morgan State 25-16. Morgan State entered the contest positioned at No. 24 in the Stats Perform Top 25 rankings. Tigers quarterback Daylin Lee threw two touchdown passes to guide the offense, while wide receiver Jaden Jones delivered a third passing score on a successful trick play. While Tennessee State conceded 301 yards of offense, its defense proved decisive in critical moments.
The unit stopped Morgan State on nine of 11 third-down conversion attempts and halted two of three fourth-down tries. According to Black Press USA, the defeat ended a five-game winning streak for Morgan State, which had been the program's longest since 1979.
In Jackson, Mississippi, Jackson State rallied from an early deficit to secure a 27-17 conference triumph over Florida A&M. The contest drew an audience of 44,173 fans to Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. Jackson State utilized a dominant fourth-quarter push and forced four turnovers to control the game. The Tigers churned out 228 yards on the ground and possessed the ball for more than 36 minutes, pushing their overall record to 6-1 and their Southwestern Athletic Conference mark to 3-1. The loss dropped Florida A&M to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in SWAC play.
Meanwhile, Alabama A&M produced one of the most lopsided scorelines of the weekend by overwhelming Grambling State 61-31 at Louis Crews Stadium. Grambling entered the game fresh off handing Jackson State its first loss of the season, but the Bulldogs quickly took command. Alabama A&M amassed 669 yards of total offense behind quarterback Cornelius Brown IV, who threw for 417 yards and five touchdowns. Wide receiver Jaylan Bean delivered a monster outing, hauling in 10 receptions for 240 yards and four touchdowns. With the victory, Alabama A&M pulled within a half-game of Jackson State in the SWAC Eastern Division race.
The upcoming schedule features several key matchups across the HBCU football calendar. Delaware State is set to meet North Carolina Central, while Morgan State will host Howard at Hughes Stadium in Baltimore. Jackson State is scheduled to travel to Daytona Beach to take on Bethune-Cookman, and Florida A&M will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Bragg Stadium.