The Howard Bison football team represents Howard University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
| Howard Bison football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1893 | ||
| Head coach | Larry Scott 4th Season season, 14–22 (.389) | ||
| Stadium | William H. Greene Stadium (capacity: 10,000) | ||
| Field surface | Field Turf | ||
| Location | Washington, D.C. | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | MEAC | ||
| All-time record | 521–497–40 (.511) | ||
| Bowl record | 1–3 (.250) | ||
| Playoff appearances | 1 | ||
| Playoff record | 0–1 | ||
| Claimed national titles | 0 (FCS/I-AA) 5 (Black College):1920, 1925, 1926, 1993, 1996 | ||
| Unclaimed national titles | 2 (Black College): 1923, 1987 | ||
| Conference titles | CIAA: 1912, 1914 MEAC:1993, 2022, 2023 | ||
| Rivalries | Hampton Morehouse Morgan State Georgetown | ||
| Colors | Navy blue and white[1] | ||
| Marching band | "Showtime" | ||
| Website | www.hubison.com/football | ||
History
- First FBS Victory
On September 2, 2017, Howard football reached a milestone by defeating their first FBS opponent in program history. The Bison defeated the UNLV Rebels 43–40 in Sam Boyd Stadium. As of September 2017, Howard's victory against UNLV is the biggest point-spread upset in college football history, with UNLV being a 45.5 point favorite.[2][3]
Classifications
- 1937–1972: NCAA College Division
- 1973–1977: NCAA Division II
- 1978–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS
Conference memberships
- 1893–1911: Independent
- 1912–1970: Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- 1971–present: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Championships
National championships
| Year | Coach | Record | Championship | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | Edward Morrison | 7–0 | Black College National champions | |
| 1925 | Louis L. Watson | 6–0–1 | Black College National Champions | |
| 1926 | Louis L. Watson | 7–0 | Black College National Champions | |
| 1993 | Steve Wilson | 11–1 | Black College National Champions | |
| 1996 | Steve Wilson | 10–2 | Black College National Champions | |
| Total national championships | 5 | |||
Conference championships
| Year | Coach | Conference | Conference record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1912 | Ernest Marshall | Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association | 2–0 | |
| 1914 | Ernest Marshall | Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association | 1–0 | |
| 1993 | Steve Wilson | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | 6–0 | |
| 2022 | Larry Scott | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | 4–1 | |
| 2023 | Larry Scott | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | 4–1 | |
| Total conference championships | 5 | |||
See Note A
Bowl games
The Bison have appeared in four bowl games, with a current record of 1–3.
| Season | Bowl | Location | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | Orange Blossom Classic | Jacksonville, FL | Florida A&M | L 6–9 |
| 1974 | Orange Blossom Classic | Miami, FL | Florida A&M | L 13–17 |
| 1996 | Heritage Bowl | Atlanta, GA | Southern | W 27–24 |
| 2023 | Celebration Bowl | Atlanta, GA | Florida A&M | L 26–30 |
Division I-AA/FCS playoffs results
The Bison have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs one time with an overall record of 0–1.
| Season | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | First Round | Marshall | L 14–28 |
College Football Hall of Fame members
Alumni in the NFL
Over 20 Howard alumni have played in the NFL,[4] including:
- Ron Bartell
- Antoine Bethea
- Marques Douglas
- Omar Evans
- Derrick Faison
- Rupert Grant
- Gary Harrell
- John Javis
- Billy Jenkins
- Jimmie Johnson
- Troy Kyles
- Greg Pope
- Herman Redden
- Robert Sowell
- Leonard Stephens
- Elijah Thurmon
- Dominique Richardson
- Brandon Torrey
- Sean Vanhorse
- Jay Walker
- Tim Watson
- David Westbrook
- Jose White
- Tracy White
- Gary Willingham
- Marques Ogden
- Steve Wilson
- Howie Williams
Rivals
Howard's top rival is Hampton University. The two schools call their intense rivalry Battle of "The Real HU".[5][6][7][8][9]
Howard also has a strong rivalry with Morgan State University in the Howard–Morgan State football rivalry.[10][11][12]
Another of Howard's historic rivals is Morehouse College, more popularly known as the Howard/"Spel-House" rivalry due to Morehouse's close association with the all-women's HBCU Spelman College. This rivalry is not often played because Morehouse is a Division II athletic program, while Howard is Division I.[13][14][15]
A new rivalry has developed between Howard and Georgetown University. The two schools compete in a contest called The DC Cup. Currently, Georgetown holds a 2–1 series lead in the contest.[16]
See also
Notes
- A.^ Howard went 9–1 and won the MEAC championship in 1987,[17] however a later investigation by Howard University and MEAC found that coach Willie Jeffries used ineligible players.[18] All wins from the 1987 season were vacated and the MEAC Championship was transferred to Delaware State, who had been the runner-up.
- B.^ Rayford Petty was an assistant coach under Gary Harrell in 2011 and 2012. Gary Harrell stepped away from coaching Howard for the 2013 season for personal reasons, but remained under contract as the head coach to return in 2014. Rayford Petty was promoted to head coach for the 2013 season only, in a temporary role.
