Credits: BCU Athletics
The final transition in the MEAC’s changing of the guard was solidified on Saturday afternoon with #14 Bethune-Cookman’s 14-3 Homecoming victory over South Carolina State in Daytona Beach.
The Wildcat defense limited the Bulldogs to just 143 yards of total offense and forced 3 SCSU turnovers including 2 in the red zone during Saturday’s contest. Marquis Drayton undercut a Richard Cue pass intended for Temarrick Hemingway to provide BCU with their first impactful defensive play of the afternoon.
On the subsequent drive, quarterback Quentin Williams guided the “good guys” on a 9 play, 81 yard touchdown drive. Williams went 5-5 on the drive with the biggest play, a 47 yard strike to Eddie Poole, requiring a little divine intervention.
“When I tell you God is good, God is good. I lost the ball in the sun for like 3 seconds but somehow it landed softly in my hands” Eddie Poole stated when commenting on the reception that gave BCU 1st and goal from the 1.
The drive culminated with a 4 yard pass from Williams to Isidore Jackson giving the Wildcats a 7-0 lead 10 minutes into the contest.
Two possessions later, BCU pushed its lead to 14-0 this time scoring on a 6 yard quarterback keeper by Williams.
Williams, who played the entire game at quarterback, finished the contest 12-16 for 220 yards and 1 touchdown. Eddie Poole caught 5 passes for 130 yards and moved up to 5th place all-time on the BCU receptions list.
Jarkevis Fields paced the Wildcats with 14 tackles; none bigger than his 4th quarter stop at the 1 yard line forcing a Justin Taylor fumble and BCU recovery in the endzone. “I saw (Taylor) coming downhill. I went down low and my helmet hit the ball. The next thing I knew the crowd was screaming so I knew it was a turnover. I looked up and thankfully Donald Smith reacted the way our coaches taught us and fell on the ball in the endzone.”
After the game, a consolatory Buddy Pough stated: “I’m going to be honest; I thought Cookman just outplayed us today.” “I have to take my hat off to Coach Jenkins and his staff. They found a couple little things that gave them a chance to get ahead early. The guy (Coach Jenkins) is a good football coach. They put together a great program. They have a great following. They have probably the most fertile group of (recruiting) talent there is in this part of the country. You put all those things together along with his connections and the great job he’s doing coaching and you win football games.”
BCU’s win over SCSU stretches their MEAC win streak to 17 games.
GAME STATS: http://www.bcuathletics.com/fls/23910/pdf/Football/BCUFB13_Gamebook_08SCSU.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=23910
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