Box Score
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Norfolk State football team survived a late scare and got back into the win column with a 10-9 victory over Howard on Saturday afternoon in the Bison's Homecoming at Greene Stadium.
The win broke the Spartans' four-game losing streak and improved their record to 3-5 overall, 2-4 in the MEAC. Howard fell to 1-7, 0-5.
The NSU defense held the Bison offense in check all day, limiting Howard to 78 total yards of offense, a season low for an NSU opponent. It almost went for naught, though, had it not been for a lucky break with less than four minutes remaining in the game.
With NSU leading 10-7 and trying to run out the clock with 5:15 to go in the fourth quarter, running back DeAngelo Branche (Norfolk, Va.) was stuffed on three straight plays that moved NSU back from its 21 to the 10-yard line. Howard came right up the middle on the ensuing punt, as DeAngelo Moody blocked the attempt by Troy Muenzer (Long Beach, Calif.). Unfortunately for the Bison, the ball rolled out of the end zone for a safety, keeping NSU ahead 10-9.
The Bison received the free kick and began their next drive at their own 45. But NSU held Howard without a first down, with linebacker Terrence Pugh (Chesapeake, Va.) stuffing quarterback Terry Bradden for a 2-yard loss on 4th-and-11. The Spartans ran out the clock, securing the win.
Howard took a 7-0 lead at 10:38 of the second quarter on Brandon Drayton's 1-yard TD run on 4th-and-goal. The score was set up by Lanny Kelly's interception of Chris Walley (Tallahassee, Fla.), which set Kelly returned to the NSU 20.
The Spartans tied the game at 7-all after DeAngelo Branche (Norfolk, Va.), in the Wildcat formation, faked a handoff to Donovan Cotton (Tampa, Fla.) and bolted up the middle for an 18-yard score with 4:35 remaining in the half.
The Spartans held Howard to just 33 yards of total offense on 29 first-half plays.
Dwight Fluker-Berry (Miami, Fla.) got NSU into Bison territory with a 44-yard punt return down to the Howard 31 with a little under three minutes remaining in the third quarter. Five plays later, NSU took a 10-7 lead with 22 seconds left on a 31-yard Ryan Estep (Chesapeake, Va.) field goal.
Casey Council returned the ensuing kickoff to the Spartan 47 to give Howard life. But on 2nd-and-11, Howard fumbled a handoff exchange, and NSU lineman Marcus Dodson (Danville, Va.) recovered at the NSU 49.
NSU took the ball downfield, and on 3rd-and-9 from the Howard 10, Walley was stopped just short of the first-down marker at the 2-yard line. Electing to go for it to force a two-possession game, the Spartans were again stopped as Branche was unable to convert on 4th-and-1.
Nose tackle Josh Turner (Chesterfield, Va.) led the defense with a season-high 10 tackles, two for a loss, and one sack. Pugh and Onyemechi Anyaugo (Sterling, Va.) also registered sacks. They helped limit the Bison' option running attack to 44 yards on 40 carries.
Branche had 23 carries for 77 yards and one TD for the Spartans. Sophomore receiver Reggie Garrett (Chesapeake, Va.) had a career game for a second straight week, grabbing seven passes for 87 yards.
The Spartans return home for their next two games, beginning with a 1 p.m. matchup with Morgan State next Saturday at Dick Price Stadium.
