Nation’s Football Classic preview: Howard vs. Morehouse

3:30 p.m. at RFK Stadium. Records: Bison 0-1; Maroon Tigers 1-0.

A tough slog: Last week, Howard had to wait an extra day before its season opener against Eastern Michigan: storms postponed the game from Saturday to Sunday. Eventually, the Bison fell, 41-9, giving up 24 points in the second quarter after taking a 6-0 lead in the first. Howard may have to deal with the elements again, as the field at RFK Stadium has taken on a lot of water in recent days.

Uphill battle: Morehouse, which competes at the Division II level, hands out only 22 scholarships (compared with 55 for Howard). The Maroon Tigers had 427 yards of offense and held Miles to just 123 yards in a 47-9 victory last Saturday. In a preseason poll, Morehouse was picked to finish third in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association East Division.

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Still struggling: Last season, Howard ranked 107th out of 117 FCS teams in total offense at 262.9 yards per game. The Bison could only manage 201 yards against Eastern Michigan in the opener, and their lone touchdown came on Julien David’s 29-yard interception return. Freshman quarterback Greg McGhee completed 15 of 27 passes for 105 yards and an interception; wide receiver Willie Carter caught five of McGhee’s passes for 67 yards.

— Matt Bonesteel