By Stephen D. Riley
AFRO Contributing Writer
Hampton senior running back LaMarcus Coker gashed the Bison for 125 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns.(Courtesy Photo)
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(Oct. 11, 2009) - It’s an 85-year-old argument between Hampton University and Howard University: who’s the “real HU”?
Including everything from basketball to marching bands, the competition has no end. But football games have the biggest importance for the two schools, and Hampton’s 37-0 rout of Howard on Oct. 10 settled the argument, for at least one day.
The Pirates rode a 23-point second quarter to take a huge lead over the Bison, and went to the locker room at halftime up 30-0. Two fumbles and a slew of big passing plays were all it took for Hampton to put the game out of reach and extend their winning steak over Howard to 13 games.
Single passing plays of 66, 22 and 50 yards highlighted the first half for the Pirates, who overcame a sloppy 23 penalties totaling 170 yards. Hampton senior running back LaMarcus Coker gashed the Bison for 125 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns. Coker has now rushed for over 100 yards in four straight games.
Hampton’s win increased their overall record to 46-39-1 against the Bison, their last loss coming on Sept, 13, 1996 at RFK Stadium. Hampton improved to 3-2 on the season while the loss halted Howard’s two-game winning streak and dropped the Bison to 2-3.
Hampton will go on the road and take on Norfolk State Oct. 17 in the Battle of the Bay before their homecoming game on Oct. 24. Howard will have a short week and travel to Baltimore to battle Morgan State on a nationally-televised game that will air on ESPNU on Oct. 15.