This has been a football season to remember in Washington D.C.

No, not for the struggling NFL Washington Commanders, but for Howard University’s Bison, who have won the MEAC title and will play in the Dec. 16 Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.

Coach Larry Scott’s Bison got plenty of help from former Richmond area standouts Jamel Stewart and Christian White.

Earning All-MEAC honors, Stewart is a 6-foot-2, 275- pound junior defensive tackle from Thomas Jefferson High.

With 45 tackles at linebacker, White is a 5-foot-11, 200-pound graduate student from Highland Springs High.

Howard battled through a choppy early season but finished fast with a 6-5 overall and 4-1 MEAC mark. The key was a 50-20 rout of North Carolina Central in what amounted to the MEAC title game.

Central was then chosen for the NCAA/FCS playoffs where it lost 49- 27 at the University of Richmond on Nov. 25.

Howard shared the 2022 title with Central, with the Eagles advancing to the Celebration Bowl, where they defeated Jackson State.

This marks Howard’s first outright MEAC title since 1993, long before the Celebration Bowl was established to crown “The Nation’s HBCU Champion.”

The Bison will play the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) champion in the Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and in front of a national TV audience.

Under former Coach Mike London, Howard made history on Sept. 2, 2017, by stunning FBS Nevada-Las Vegas, a 45.5-point favorite, in an upset for the ages.

It remains the largest point-spread ever overcome by in a game involving a FBS school.