For Howard head coach Ted White, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge was about much more than simply winning a football game.
White had experienced the event twice before as an opposing coach — first at Southern University in 2011 and again at Prairie View A&M in 2018. This time, however, he was representing his alma mater.
And he left with a 31-24 victory over Alabama A&M in Atlanta on Saturday.
White said the opportunity to return to the event with Howard made the win particularly special.
“I got a chance in 2011 when I was coaching at Southern University to play in Orlando,” White said after the game. “I got a chance in 2018 to play when I coached at Prairie View here when we played against North Carolina Central.”
But this appearance carried a different kind of meaning.
“Getting an opportunity to come back with my alma mater and being able to get the win and not only represent Howard University, but represent for the conference,” White said.
The victory also allowed Howard to represent the MEAC on a national stage in one of the marquee matchups involving HBCU football programs.
White has plenty of respect for the conference and believes the MEAC deserves to be considered among the nation’s best.
“We feel like the MEAC is one of the best conferences in the country,” he said.
The Bison’s win was part of an opening weekend that saw all six MEAC programs take the field in Week 0. With the victory, Howard helped the league improve to 13-7 all-time in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge.
As a conference, the MEAC posted a 5-1 record over the weekend.
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Howard’s victory was anything but easy. The Bison weren’t able to simply pull away and cruise to the finish. Instead, they were forced to make plays and fight through adversity to secure the win.
That was what White appreciated most about his team.
“You know, get an opportunity to get a win the way that we won,” White said. “It wasn’t a blowout or anything. We had to dig deep to really win this football game.”
For White, that toughness ultimately made the victory even more rewarding.
“And that’s what I’m most proud about with my team,” he said.
After experiencing the MEAC/SWAC Challenge from the sidelines with Southern and Prairie View, White finally got the opportunity to participate in the game as the head coach of his alma mater.
This time, he didn’t just represent Howard.
He helped deliver a win for the Bison — and another statement for the MEAC.
