Gary ‘Flea’ Harrell and Howard University are bringing a 90′s feel back to MEAC football, and the timing couldn’t be better for the school and the conference. The Bison earned their first win over a legit MEAC contender in Florida A&M University yesterday afternoon in D.C., and with a perfect 3-0 record, they are tied with Bethune-Cookman for the first place in the MEAC.

We saw shades of the Bison coming in 2011, when they finished with a 5-6 record that equaled their best since 2006. Signature wins over FAMU, North Carolina A&T and Hampton gave HBCU football enthusiasts reason to believe that Howard would be a contender, in at least two more seasons.

But a Bison run for the title in 2012 was about as expected as a meltdown of defending champion Norfolk State, whose 0-3 record all but eliminates Spartan hopes for a repeat. Struggling SC State and Hampton makes the outlook a lot better for Howard, which has already dispatched of NSU, and doesn’t face its closest competitor, BCU, this year.

Should teams and trends hold to form, Howard should emerge from the month of October with at least two wins over the next three weeks. Road games against North Carolina A&T and South Carolina State should prove difficult, but not overwhelming. Sandwiched between them is Howard Homecoming against Morgan State, a game the Bison should win easily.

If the Bison drop one of those, they will have to win their last two home game against Hampton and Delaware State. It’s completely possible for the Bison to win out MEAC competition in November, but one loss in October will likely equal them with BCU, whose remaining opponents with a fighting chance against them are North Carolina Central and FAMU.

The math in the best of circumstances for Howard is simple. Drop one game from here out and likely earn a share of the conference crown with Bethune-Cookman. Win out, and the Showtime band can strike up its Chuck Brown selections for the FCS playoffs.

Howard University