Dover, Del. (Oct. 30, 2021) – Quarterback Jared Lewis completed 14-of-22 passes for a career-high 246 yards and four touchdowns to lead Delaware State to a 30-23 MEAC victory over Howard at Alumni Stadium today.
The Hornets won for the third time in the last four games, and collected their third win in a row over the Bison, to improve to 4-4 overall and 1-1 in the MEAC. The four wins this season are the most by Delaware State since posting a 5-6 mark in 2013.
The four touchdown passes by Lewis tied his career best. He also threw for four scores in the Hornets' 33-27 overtime win at Wagner on Oct. 2.
Lewis hooked up with wideout Trey Gross for two touchdowns. His 14-yard TD strike to Gross snapped a 23-23 tie with 8:26 left in the game. Gross had seven receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns.
Howard had the final possession of the game.
The Bison drove 64 yards to the Delaware State 23-yard line before Hornet defensive back Andrew Reese sacked Howard quarterback Quinton Williams for a nine-yard loss to the DSU 32 on third down with nine seconds left to play.
On fourth down, Williams scrambled in the backfield for several seconds before his desperation pass attempt to Matthew McDonald in the endzone was incomplete to end the game.
This marked the second game in a row in which Lewis and Gross torched the Bison. The pair connected five times for 123 yards and three touchdowns in the Hornets' 37-28 victory at Howard in Washington, D.C. last spring (Apr. 3).
Gross now has 137 receptions for 1,876 yards and 23 touchdowns in his Delaware State career. He passed David Jones (1985-89) today for seventh on the Hornets' all-time list for receiving yards and tied Justin Wilson (2008-11) for fourth on the career touchdowns list. Gross needs two catches to move into fifth all-time at DSU.   
Lewis also threw a 35-yard scoring pass to Jerrish Halsey, a transfer from Wesley College, and a 15-yard touchdown pass to Bizzett Woodley, both in the second quarter.
Halsey's touchdown and the extra point kick by Matt Noll gave the Hornets a 20-10 lead with 10 seconds left in the second quarter.
Howard pulled to within 20-17 when Williams capped off a 10-play, 81-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper with 2:10 remaining in the third quarter.
Delaware State stretched its lead to 23-17 on Noll's first career field goal, 25-yarder on the first play on the fourth quarter.
Howard tied the game at 23-23 on a 60-yard run by Ian Wheeler with 13:16 left to play. The Bison attempted to pull ahead on the extra point try, but the kick was blocked by Delaware State's Charles Peeler.
Wheeler rushed for a game-high 121 yards on 13 carries for the Bison to lead all players.
Howard won the total yardage battle 422-338, keyed by a 217-92 edge in rushing yards.
Delaware State outgained the Bison in passing yards 246-205.
Defensively, linebacker Brooks Parker led the Hornets with nine tackles to tie for game-high honors, including five solo stops.
Peeler had five solo tackles and an assist, along with two pass break-ups and the block on the extra point kick, while Kamari Jackson also had six tackles (five solo) and two pass break-ups.
STINGERS
Halsey had 160 all-purpose yards for DSU, including a 75-yard kickoff return … Lewis has 12 touchdown passes and just two interceptions this season … The Hornets return to action next Thursday (Nov. 4) at Morgan State. The game is set to kickoff at 7:35 p.m. and will air on ESPN2