Delaware State capitalized on a bundle of Howard errors to defeat the Bison, 18-0, in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football game this afternoon.
Delaware State, 3-2, scored twice on Howard punting miscues and an interception led to its third score.
Howard's biggest problem was mounting any type of scoring threat. The Bison, 1-3, mustered only 200 yards offense and did not get past the Delaware State 25-yard line.
The Hornets scored with 2:13 remaining in the first half when Cornell Hamilton blocked a Mark Thomas punt that sailed out of the end zone and was ruled a safety.
Howard's longest series of the contest went for 15 plays but culminated in another Delaware State score. Howard punter Howard Ward bobbled a low snap from center Elliott Boisdoire and was tackled on the Bison 47-yard line.
Hornet quarterback Eddie Epps passed to split end DeCosta Brown for a 13-yard gain. On the next play, Anthony Beamon, who rushed for 107 yards on 15 carries, rambled 40 yards to make the score 8-0.
State did not score again until the fourth quarter after two Howard drives ended in a punt and an intercepted Ronald Wilson pass.
Epps moved State on six plays from 41 to the Howard 30 and Andrew Johnson kicked a 47-yard field goal for an 11-0 margin with 10:55 remaining.
State was aided by two Howard penalties on its final touchdown. An unsportsmanlike-conduct call and a face-masking penalty sandwiched around a six-yard run by Johnson advanced the ball to the two-yard line.
On the next play, Beamon scored his second touchdown.
Howard slipped from a tie for third place to fourth in the conference with a 1-2 league mark, and is 1-3 overall.
Delaware, previously tied with Howard for third, now occupies that position by itself with a 2-1 record, and is 3-2 overall.