FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Wildcats will celebrate an important 'Baker's Dozen' before taking on the Tigers on Saturday afternoon.

Fort Valley State entertains Benedict College for an important final home game of 2024. FVSU will kick off at 1 p.m. with a need to sweep its final two games to qualify for the SIAC Championship game.

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Benedict College (3-5/3-3 SIAC) at FVSU (5-3/5-1 SIAC)
Sat., Nov. 2, 1 p.m.
Wildcat Stadium, Fort Valley, Ga.
Tickets
HBCUGo/The Grio
FVSU Stats

BC Stats
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FVSU vs. Benedict – 34th Meeting
     In an even series the last four years, FVSU and Benedict College meets for the 34th time on Thursday night.
     Overall, FVSU maintains a 24-9 advantage over Benedict for the series.
      Last season in Columbia, the Tigers claimed the home win on Thursday night national TV with a 48-6 final score on their way to the second SIAC title in a row.
     The last 15 series contests, six have been decided by 10 points or less with six also having a margin of more than two scores.
     Last 15 scores (2008-23):
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
2023 - @BC 48, FVSU 6

Gibbs Aims for First Win over Tigers

      After only 29 games at the helm, FVSU Head Coach Shawn Gibbs has 21 victories and holds a .724 winning percentage.

One item missing from Gibbs' FVSU resume is a victory over Benedict College. The Wildcat coach is 0-2 and the lone SIAC foe he has not won a contest against in his first three years.

FVSU Game 9: Looks for 2^nd Win in a Row

The ninth game of the season over the last five seasons have been mixed results for the Wildcats. FVSU won last year's ninth game (also on 'Senior Day') over Virginia-Lynchburg (37-26). It broke a run of three-straight losses, all to Savannah State in 2022 (28-24), 2021 (24-6) and 2019 (53-24). The Wildcats won on a kick return for a TD to win 27-22 at Morehouse College in 2018.

FVSU Stands at No. 7 in HBCU D2 Coaches Poll

HBCU Football D2 Coaches Poll: JCSU remains unanimous No. 1

D2 Poll Week 9 notes:

• Johnson C. Smith is a unanimous No. 1 selection for the fourth straight week

• Virginia Union remains No. 2 and in control of its own destiny for the right to repeat as CIAA champions

• Seven of the teams in the top 10 all won games. Four of those teams moved up. Two remained in the same spot

• West Virginia State lost its second straight game and dropped five spots to No. 10 this week

In its third year, the HBCU Division II Coaches Poll is administered by BOXTOROW, and is voted on by the HBCU NCAA Division II coaches.
 

2024 HBCU Division II Coaches Poll powered by BOXTOROW
Week 9
(Records through October 26, 2024)

Others receiving: Livingstone (5-3) 6, Shaw (5-4) 6, Savannah State (4-4) 1, Lane (3-5) 1.

(1st place votes in parentheses)

FVSU Last Weekend: Wildcats Own Second Half, Defeat Maroon Tigers

ATLANTA, Ga. – The Wildcats won three of the fourth quarters and were rewarded with a win. Fort Valley State owned the second half and defeated Morehouse College, 42-20, Saturday afternoon in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football action.

Holding a 21-20 halftime edge, FVSU drove 60 yards for a pair of Brandon Marshall touchdown runs on its two third-quarter possessions, before Dejuan Bell returned his third punt for a touchdown in the early fourth. The BlueDeath Defense did its part in dominating the second 30 minutes where it didn't allow a Maroon Tigers first down and held the home team to -30 yards on 15 plays.

With the win, FVSU stays in a tight race for one of the two top spots of the SIAC at 5-1. The Wildcats (5-3) also stayed perfect under head coach Shawn Gibbs coming off losses to 8-0. Morehouse fell to 1-7 and 0-5 in the SIAC.

Leading the FVSU offense, Marshall ran for 99 yards on 15 carries with the two second-half scores of five and one-yard. Kelvin Durham completed 11 of 18 passes for 143 yards with touchdown passes of 27 and 18 yards. Za'Tarious Anderson pulled in two passes for 49 yards the 27-yard score and Hampton had three catches for 29 yards and the 18-yard touchdown catch.

Bell returned the third punt for a touchdown on the season covering 52 yards and he had three returns for 76 total yards. He also caught two passes for 47 yards.

The Wildcat defense received the biggest early boost by Jaylen Brown, who picked off a Maroon Tiger pass in the end zone for a touchdown. Along with the interception pick 6, Brown had five tackles with one for loss and a sack. David Moncrief had his best game of the season with five stops, two for a loss, and a sack.

Adeon Farmer sacked the Morehouse quarterback twice and Omarion LaRoach had one of his own. Both DeMarcus Harris and DJ Wilson contributed three tackles, two for loss with a sack.

FVSU took an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter after Durham hit Anderson from 27 yards with 9:34 left in the first before Brown batted the pass and Jamarian Stevenson caught the wayward Morehouse tipped pass in the endzone at 6:36. Durham made it two scoring passes when he found Hampton from 18 yards and gave FVSU a 21-3 lead heading to the second.

Morehouse put together its best quarter of the 2024 season with 17 points in the final 8:34, including two touchdowns in the last 1:51, and pulled to within a point, 21-20 at half.

Benedict Last Weekend: Miles Uses Pair of 2^nd Quarter Scores Over Benedict

COLUMBIA, S.C. – After an even first frame, SIAC-leading Miles College outscored Benedict College 13-0 in the second quarter and rode it to the win. The Tigers pulled to within a score late in the third quarter, 20-14, but the Golden Bears answered on the next drive for the 26-14 final score.

Charles Simmons completed 5 of 19 passes for 95 yards and a TD for Benedict. Jalen Leary rushed 13 times for 54 yards, while Troy Hillman caught three passes for 61 yards and a 15-yard score.

On defense, Nolan Jones paced the Tigers with nine tackles and one tackle for loss. Ty'Metrius Patterson added seven tackles, one for a loss and a pass breakup.

Wildcats vs. Tigers

Wildcats Head to Columbus for Fountain City Classic

The Wildcats make the annual trip to Columbus, Ga., and the biggest rivalry in the SIAC against the Golden Rams of Albany State next Saturday, Nov. 9. Kick-off will be at 2 p.m.