For the first time since his first season at Tennessee State football , coach Eddie George pushed his record above .500 after the Tigers knocked off Howard 27-14 Saturday.
The win, which came before a capacity Greene Stadium crowd in Washington, D.C., at Howard's 100th homecoming, gave George, the former Tennessee Titans All-Pro running back , a 21-20 career record in his fourth season. Midway through his first season, George's record was 5-3 — that was the last time he was above .500.
After 41 games George is off to a better start than two of TSU's past three coaches (Rod Reed, who George replaced in 2021, was one game better at 22-19). George is off to the fourth-best start since John Merritt in 1963.
George pointed out the Tigers are 12-7 since the start of the 2023 season, which shows the program is headed in the right direction.
"You take a snapshot of the last two years and I like the direction we have to program headed," George said. "In terms of my career as a head coach, I'm just elated for these young men that we're turning a corner, seeing them believe in themselves and buy into the culture."
The victory extended TSU's win streak to four games, which matches the longest in George's tenure and improved the Tigers' record to 6-2 heading into an open week.
Howard, coming off a 21-14 win over Sacred Heard, fell to 3-4 in only the second meeting between the two Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
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Draylen Ellis to Karate Brenson bombs power Tennessee State offense
Senior quarterback Draylen Ellis threw for a career-high four touchdowns in last week's 41-17 win over Eastern Illinois. Ellis also got the offense going early Saturday when he found Karate Brenson open for an 83-yard gain down the left sideline.
The Tigers failed, however, to capitalize and missed a chip shot field goal.
Ellis and Brenson hooked up again at the start of the second half. After TSU moved to midfield Ellis hit Brenson with a 31-yard strike again down the left sideline to the Howard 12.
TSU capitalized this time with a 5-yard touchdown run by Jaden McGill, which gave the Tigers a 20-7 lead. McGill is TSU's leading rusher, but that was his first touchdown.
Ellis finished 19 of 30 for 289 yards. He also had a 27-yard touchdown run. Brenson had a team-high five catches for 153 yards.
Tennessee State defense gives Howard QB Ja'Shawn Scroggins fits
Tennessee State's defense, ranked 34th in the FCS against the pass, caused trouble for Howard quarterback Ja'Shawn Scroggins.
The sophomore from Las Vegas completed just six of his first 22 passes for 33 yards and two interceptions, which came on consecutive plays. TSU's Jalen McClendon picked Scroggins off at the Bison 26 early in the second quarter. That led to a 40-yard field goal by James Lowery.
On Howard's next offensive play, Tyler Jones intercepted Scroggins at the Bison 21. Four players later, Lowery kicked a 39-yard field goal to put TSU up 13-0.
"We were sure hoping our defense against their pass was going to be an edge for us," George said. "On tape we saw some things opportunities we could take advantage of. We had to make them one-dimensional. We felt like if we could get them in third-and-long or second-and-10 situations we could be aggressive against their quarterback in terms of their passing attack."
Defensive end Eriq George, Eddie George's son, sacked Scroggins for an 11-yard loss in the fourth quarter, forcing the Bison to punt from deep in its own territory. Keandre Booker and Tyler Moore each sacked Scroggins on Howard's next drive, which turned out to be the final of the game for the Bison.
Howard did outrush TSU 176 yards to 123.
Penalties hurt Tennessee State
Tennessee State committed a season-low two penalties in last week's game against Eastern Illinois. George said he hoped it was a new trend. It was not.
The Tigers were guilty of several costly penalties throughout Saturday's game. On CJ Evans' 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown the TSU coaching staff was flagged for two unsportsmanlike penalties for celebrating with Evans.
It meant TSU had to kick off from its own 10 following the touchdown.
On Howard's second possession of the second half the Tigers were guilty of a 15-yard personal foul, which moved the Bison to the TSU 18. Scroggins scored on a nine-yard keeper four plays later.
TSU finished with a season-high 13 penalties for 107 yards. Howard had six penalties for 37 yards.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Eddie George has a winning Tennessee State football career record after Tigers beat Howard 27-14
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