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Terrance Wolfolk

Wildcats Set for Top SIAC Matchup Against Tigers on National Stage

10/10/2023 12:49:00 AM

By: Chris Myers
FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The national stage is set for the special Thursday night marquee meeting. Fort Valley returns to Columbia area for the second time in two weeks with the biggest foe on the docket, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference defending champion Benedict College.
 
Before the season started, the Wildcats-Tigers contest was circled on the schedule. Then, it became bigger right before the start of the 2023 season when SIAC selected it as the marquee ESPN2 game of the night. The gridiron contest will kick-off at 7:30 p.m. in Johnson Stadium.
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FVSU at Benedict College
Thurs., Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m.
Charles W. Johnson Stadium
Columbia, S.C.
Tickets
ESPN2
FVSU Stats
Benedict Stats
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FVSU vs. Benedict – 33rd Meeting
     In a much more even series in recent years, FVSU and Benedict College meets for the 33rd time on Thursday night.
     Overall, FVSU maintains a 24-8 advantage over Benedict for the series.
      Last season in Fort Valley, the Tigers started strong and claimed a 45-13 win over the Wildcats on their way to the league title.
     In the last meeting in Columbia, FVSU won a hard-fought victory, 24-14, over Benedict. FVSU is 3-3 in the last 6 meetings played in the South Carolina capital city.
      The last 14 series contests, six have been decided by 10 points or less with only five having a margin of more than two scores.
     Last 14 scores (2008-22):
2008 – @FVSU 22, BC 6
2009 - @BC 28, FVSU 20
2010 - @FVSU 41, BC 13
2011 – FVSU 40, @BC 23
2012 - @FVSU 33, BC 10
2013 – FVSU 35, BC 30 (N)
2014 – FVSU 33, @BC 30
2015 - @FVSU 33, BC 3
2016 - @BC 28, FVSU 14
2017 - @FVSU 31, BC 28 OT
2018 - @BC 28, FVSU 20
2019 – FVSU 50, BC 16 (N)
2021 – FVSU 24, @BC 14
2022 – BC 45, @FVSU 13
 
Gibbs Tries for First Win over Tigers
      After only 16 games at the helm, FVSU Head Coach Shawn Gibbs secured his 13th win as a collegiate head coach (13-3 & .813) last weekend and looks to continue adding to it this Thursday night.
     It will be the second of two contests for the Wildcat director to even his mark against a foe he fell to in his inaugural year. FVSU posted an 8-2 record last fall with the only defeats to Savannah State and Benedict College.

Series Last Meeting: Tigers Pounce on Wildcats, Spoil The Valley Homecoming

     Fort Valley, Ga. (Oct. 1, 2022) -- Benedict College pounced on Fort Valley State with scoring drives on its opening two possessions and spoiled Homecoming in The Valley, 45-13, in the battle atop the SIAC East Division ranks.
     On the opening offensive play, the Tigers used a halfback sweep pass gadget play for 32 yards and it spelled the type of day it would be for both teams in opposite ways. Benedict quarterback Eric Phoenix fired scoring passes of 16 and nine yards for an early 13-0 lead and extended a 20-6 halftime advantage with 20 unanswered tallies in the third quarter for the victory over FVSU.
     After the first two Tigers scores, the Wildcats put together a long 83-yard drive with running back Emanuel Wilson providing the driving force with runs of 19 and 25 yards on back-to-back rushes. Troy Dendy capped the drive with an 11-yard touchdown burst to cut the score to 13-6, but the home team would get no closer from there.
     FVSU proved to have a tough time against Benedict on both sides of the ball Saturday. The Tigers outgained the Wildcats, 473 to 207 yards. FVSU also committed three turnovers which Benedict scored 14 points off them and suffered two quarterback sacks.
     Wilson was the offensive bright spot as the SIAC's leading rusher rumbled for 108 yards on 20 carries.
     Dialo Mosley paced the home defense with 13 tackles with 2.5 stops for a loss. Landon Austin chipped in 11 tackles and a pass breakup and Tyler Moore added 10 tackles, a tackle for loss and two breakups.
     Phoenix completed 14 of 24 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns for the Benedict offense, while he rushed for another 83 yards on seven attempts.

FVSU Moves up to No. 5 in HBCU D2 Coaches Poll
     After rising a spot to No. 6 a week ago, FVSU moved up one spot to No. 5 in the latest HBCU D2 Coaches Poll.

HBCU D2 Coaches Poll: Benedict defeats Miles, remains No. 1
boxtorow.com
     The Benedict Tigers overcame another challenge, defeating Miles on the road Saturday and remained No. 1 in the HBCU Division II Coaches Poll powered by BOXTOROW.
     The Tigers received all but one first place vote which went to No. 4 Tuskegee. No. 2 Virginia State and No. 3 Virginia Union both picked up victories and remained in respective spots from last week. Fort Valley State has won five-straight and moved up a spot to No. 5 this week, switching places with Miles who fell to No. 6. Albany State entered the poll at No. 10.
     Thursday night's game featuring Benedict and Fort Valley State which will be televised on ESPN2 will have ramifications in next week's poll.
     The HBCU Division II Coaches Poll powered by BOXTOROW is administered by BOXTOROW, and is voted on by the HBCU NCAA Division II coaches.
2023 HBCU Division II Coaches Poll powered by BOXTOROW
Week 6
(Records as of October 7, 2023)
No. Team W-L Pts Last Week
1 Benedict (20) 6-0 209 1
2 Virginia State 6-0 188 2
3 Virginia Union 5-1 160 3
4 Tuskegee (1) 5-1 150 4
5 Fort Valley State 5-1 119 6
6 Miles 4-2 104 5
7 Fayetteville State 4-2 74 8
8 Allen 5-1 53 10
9 West Virginia State 4-2 47 7
10 Albany State 4-2 37 NR
 
Others receiving votes: Johnson C. Smith (4-2) 8, Edward Waters (3-3) 4, Bowie State (3-3) 2.
(1st place votes in parentheses)

 Last Meeting in Columbia: Wildcats Handle Tigers, Open SIAC East Victorious

     (October 2, 2021) - On The game started slowly, but the Wildcats were all business on Saturday afternoon. Fort Valley State took a late-second quarter lead and never gave it up over the final 33-plus minutes on the way for the 24-14 win at Benedict College.
      Between Tyler Moore kick-starting the FVSU (3-2/1-0 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference East) defensive efforts and Emmanuel Wilson's rushing, the Wildcats controlled the play most of the day. Moore swiped a Tigers' (2-3/0-3 SIAC East) pass and returned it 40 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown with 1:09 remaining in the first frame. Wilson found the end zone for the second and third Wildcats scores from three and two yards as part of his 122 rushing yards on 27 carries to pace the offense.
     For the first time in the last three trips to Charles Johnson Stadium, FVSU came out on top to snap a two-game losing streak at the facility. The Wildcats ran its short run of wins over the Tigers to two in a row after taking the last meeting held in Greenville, S.C. in 2019 by a 50-16 margin. With the win, FVSU also improved to 1-0 in the SIAC East ranks with five games in Division games left.
     FVSU outgained the top SIAC offense, 341-233, on the day. The Wildcats posted a balanced attack with 192 passing yards by Tyrell Jackson and 149 on the ground. The visitors also held a 10:24 advantage in time of possession.
     Jackson completed 14 of 23 attempts for 192 yards. He connect on two key long passes of 42 and 48 yards to Tajee Steele, who had 4 catches for 117 yards and his first 100-yard game, to set up Wilson's two short scoring plunges on ensuing plays with 3:48 in the second quarter and 6:17 left in the third.
      Defensively, Jahseari Patterson paced the unit with seven tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss. Along with the interception for a touchdown, Moore had two breakups and two tackles. Noah Waller added six stops and 2.5 tackles for loss, while Zaquan Baldwin registered a sack.
     The Tigers did cut the Wildcats lead to one score, 21-14, on a 22-yard pass with 10:10 left in the game. The FVSU offense answered with a 57-yard, 12-play drive capped by an Andre Labat 38-yard field goal with 3:58 on the clock to seal the victory.

FVSU Last Week: Wildcats Bust Out of Half, Marshall Long Run Seals Victory Over Tigers

     FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Wildcats Fort Valley State busted out of the intermission with two touchdowns in the first 4:01 to set the tone, before Brandon Marshall busted a long 56-yard scoring run to seal the victory in a 38-24 football win over Savannah State.
      Trailing 17-10 at half, the Tigers' quarterback Jadon Adams coughed up the pigskin on a Jaydn Walker hit where DeMarcus Harris scooped up loose ball and rumbled in from nine yards on the first snap of the third quarter to tie the game. Following an immediate three-and-out by the visitors, Kelvin Durham fired a strike over the middle to Za'Tarious Anderson from 24 yards for FVSU's first lead of the game, 24-17, at 10:59 in the third frame.
     Savannah State rebounded for a strong 72-yard scoring drive on its next possession to even the score at 24. Marshall, though, had the answer of the night and repeated what has become a weekly result with the FVSU running back of long scoring runs. From the home 44-yardline, Marshall, again, busted tackles until seeing daylight on the left sideline and outraced a handful of defenders into the endzone for the 56-yard run for what would be the game-winning points, 31-24, with 2:13 in the third quarter.
     Midway through the final quarter, Marshall busted into the Savannah State secondary and had his knee hit at the visitors one-yardline. Freshman Triston Morgan sidestepped a grabbling Tiger tackler and slide into the end zone for his first career touchdown to seal the home win, 38-24, with 7:43 remaining.
     On the night, Marshall accounted for 219 yards of FVSU's 377 yards of total offense. The graduate running back carried 28 times for 187 yards (6.7-yard per carry) and the 56-yard score. He also pulled in two passes for another 32 yards.
      Durham connected on 11 of 21 passes for 137 yards with two touchdown passes to Anderson of 33 and 24 yards with one interception and ran one time for 28 yards. Anderson pulled in his two scoring catches for 57 yards. Corintheus Edmonds pulled in four passes for 36 yards.
      After allowing 188 yards in the first two quarters, the FVSU defense cut the amount almost in half to 107 yards. The Wildcat unit allowed only 59 rushing yards on 29 attempts and recorded 13 tackles for loss, two interceptions, the key forced fumble and 11 quarterback hurries.
      Malik Harp paced the home defense with nine tackles, two for loss, and one hurry. Cedric Hillsman added seven tackles, two for loss and three hurries, while Darnell Stephens posted seven stops, one for loss and a breakup. Jamal Janvier and Justin Harris picked off passes.
     After Durham scampered 28 yards on a scramble to the SSU 28-yardline on the second play of the game, the FVSU quarterback saw his first pass picked off by a jumping Savannah State player and returned 31 yards. The Wildcat turnover was turned into a touchdown six plays later.
     FVSU answered on its next possession with a Daniel Gibbs season-long 41-yard field goal. The Tigers, though, drove 60 yards for a second score to go ahead, 14-3, with 2:02 in the opening 15 minutes.
     Behind 17-3, Durham quickly drove his FVSU offense 65 yards on six plays before he found Anderson in the left corner from 33 yards to make it 17-10 and take momentum into the half.

Benedict Last Week: Late TD Lifts Benedict Over Miles, 27-24

      FAIRFIELD, Ala. – The Benedict College Tigers held off a second-half surge by the Miles Golden Bears, and Noah Zaire Scotland scored the go-ahead touchdown with 2:25 remaining as the 11th-ranked Tigers remained unbeaten with a 27-24 victory on Saturday afternoon.
      Benedict had a 21-3 lead at the half, but the Golden Bears scored on a 42-yard pass after getting the ball when Aeneas Dennis threw his first interception of the season. The PAT failed to make it 21-9 with 6:25 remaining in the third quarter.
     Benedict got the ball back on the next series and the Tigers were driving when the Golden Bears intercepted Dennis again. Miles drove 86 yards on nine plays to score again to cut the lead to 21-16 with 11:20 left in the game.
      Benedict was facing a fourth-and-one at the Miles 44-yard line, but the Tigers came up short. Miles took over and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 22-yard quarterback scramble to take a 24-21 lead after a successful two-point conversion with 7:49 left on the clock.
       The Tigers received the ball and went on a long, time-consuming drive, marching 87 yards on 12 plays. The key play on the drive was a 17-yard pass from Dennis to Jalen Jones on third-and-16. Dennis later found Jones for a 12-yard pass. Then on third-and-10 from the Miles 29, Dennis found Nicholas Sowell for an 11-yard pickup. On the next play, Dennis and Sowell combined again for a 17-yard pass to give Benedict a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line.
      Scotland got the call and scored his third touchdown of the game to give Benedict a 27-24 lead with 2:25 left in the game.
      The Bears had one final chance, but Aaron Miller sacked Miles quarterback Kamren Ivory on fourth-and-one to seal the game for the Tigers.
      Benedict gave up a season-high 362 yards to the  Golden Bears, but the defense forced five Miles turnovers, gaining four fumbles and an interception. Benedict also collected five tackles for loss, two sacks, and five quarterback hurries.
      Dennis completed 21-of-37 passes for 286 yards and one touchdown, with two interceptions. Nicholas Sowell was the top target, hauling in nine passes for 174 yards, both career highs, with one touchdown – a 73-yard first-quarter bomb that gave Benedict a 7-3 lead.
      Benedict recovered a Miles fumble at the Golden Bears' one-yard line on the next series, and Scotland scored on the next play to make it 14-3. Scotland scored on a 34-yard run in the second quarter to give the Tigers a 21-3 lead.
 
Wildcats (5-1/5-0 SIAC) vs. Tigers (6-0/4-0) – SIAC Ranks
     FVSU                                 Category                                BC
       1st (37.2 ppg)                   Scoring Offense                     2nd (36.5 ppg)
       4th (23.2 ppg)                  Scoring Defense                     1st (6.2 ppg)

       5th (368.8 yds/gm)          Total Offense                          3rd (399.7 yds/gm)
       3rd (143.2 yds/gm)          Rush Offense                         2nd (145.2 yds/gm)
       6th (225.7 yds/gm)          Pass Offense                          4th (254.5 yds/gm)

       6th (351.0 yds/gm)          Total Defense                         1st (164.3 yds/gm)
       2nd (79.5 yds/gm)           Rush Defense                         1st (55.3 yds/gm)
       13th (271.5 yds/gm)         Pass Defense                         1st (109.0 yds/gm)


 Wildcats Return to Take on the 'House for Homecoming
     The Wildcats will have a few extra days before they return home for the biggest home contest. FVSU hosts Morehouse College for the annual 'Homecoming in The Valley' on Saturday, Oct. 21st in a 2 p.m. kick-off.
 
 
 
 


 
-Wildcats-
 
 
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