NORFOLK, Va. – Quinton Williams passed for three touchdowns and ran for another to lead the visiting Howard Bison over Norfolk State, 49-21 on Saturday at Dick Price Stadium.

The Bison (3-5, 2-0 MEAC) amassed 460 yards of total offense while holding the Spartans (1-7, 1-2 MEAC) to 229.

Jordin Lennon rushed for a career-high 114 yards on just seven carries, including a 67-yard touchdown, for NSU. Quarterback Otto Kuhns passed for one score and ran for another in the loss.

The Spartans started off well. Howard drove into NSU territory on its first drive, but a sack by Spartan lineman Amadeu Vital ended the threat and forced a Bison punt. The Spartans took over and drove 80 yards in eight plays, capped by a 22-yard TD run by Otto Kuhns on 3rd-and-4. Grandin Willcox's PAT gave NSU a 7-0 lead with two seconds left in the first quarter.

Howard again moved into the Spartan side of the field on the next drive, but Joseph White intercepted a Williams pass inside the NSU 10-yard line to preserve the lead. The Spartans, however, were unable to get a first down and a 12-yard punt into the wind set up HU at the Spartan 21. Six plays later, Antoine Murray caught a 6-yard TD pass from Williams at the 9:01 mark of the second quarter to tie things up.

Howard took the lead for good on a 3-yard run by Kasey Hawthorne just 25 seconds before the intermission. The PAT gave the Bison a 14-7 lead going into the half.

Howard extended its lead to two scores on a 3-yard TD pass from Williams to Brennan Brown on its first drive of the second half. The Spartans had the answer on their next drive, though, as four plays after the kickoff Lennon exploded through the line of scrimmage and outran the defense for a 67-yard TD run to bring NSU within 21-14 with 9:21 left in the third period.

But the Bison scored the next 21 points to pull away. Two plays after Lennon's TD, Howard's Eden James scored on a 66-yard TD run. Then on the second play of the fourth quarter, Williams scored on an 11-yard run to extend the lead to 35-14.

Williams added a 28-yard TD pass to Matthew McDonald midway through the fourth quarter to push the Bison lead to 42-14.

NSU's final scored came after a big special teams play. Jaylen White ripped off a 65-yard kickoff return after McDonald's TD. Four plays later, Kuhns connected with tight end Ademola Faleye on a 14-yard TD pass with 4:38 left in the game.

Jaylon Tolbert scored on a 5-yard run in the game's final minute for the Bison.

The Spartans play their final non-conference game of the year next Saturday at former MEAC foe North Carolina A&T. Kickoff is at 12 p.m. in Greensboro.