Nation's Football Classic: The Preparation

Saturday morning, senior tight end, DeAngelo Moody, will wake up with his teammates to one of the most exciting games of this season; the Nation's Football Classic game between Howard and Morehouse. After eating a big breakfast to get them started, the team will head to the RFK Memorial Stadium to face the Morehouse Tigers.

"It's a really important game rooted in tradition," Moody said. "The first game was in the 1920's, so it really is about the historic rivalry."

The rivalry seems to be one of the driving forces of the game with the winner being able to boast bragging rights until the two teams face off again. Luckily for Howard, the Bison have held the title since the last classic which was 14 years ago.

"This is the first time we've played them in almost 15 years which makes it a huge game for us," Moody said. "I think it's even more important to us because it's been so long; we are a whole different generation."

To prepare for the game, Moody says the team watches film of previous Morehouse and Howard games to study the Tigers' plays, opponents, and overall technique. According to Moody, the win will come by knowing how Morehouse will play from top to bottom so that they are prepared to defend whatever comes their way.

Athletic Director, Louis Perkins, was able to offer The Hilltop a statement about the classic.

"The AT&T Nations Football Classic is a legacy renewed for both Howard University and Morehouse College," Perkins said. "In order to prepare for this big match up, Howard University is working diligently with Events DC to make sure that everything is in place. HU fully supports this event and looks forward to continuing this tradition in years to come."