Heading into this Bethune-Cookman vs South Carolina State matchup, I told y’all this game had more of a chance to be sneaky good game than the expected one-sided snooze fest. Turns out, we got a little of both.
Let’s put it this way. After the game, I got back home just in time to catch the Bud Crawford/Canelo Alvarez boxing match.
South Carolina State played the role of Bud Crawford, superior from the opening bell to the final horn. Bethune-Cookman was Canelo Alvarez, the proud fighter who kept throwing punches, landed some heavy shots, and fought until the end but was ultimately outmanned, overmatched and never got close enough to pose any real threat.
Jerry Bell – HailWildcats.com
If you were comparing the football game to the boxing match, South Carolina State played the role of Bud Crawford, superior from the opening bell to the final horn. Bethune-Cookman was Canelo Alvarez, the proud fighter who kept throwing punches, landed some heavy shots, and fought until the end but was ultimately outmanned, overmatched and never got close enough to pose any real threat.
The results, a 55–41 victory for the Bulldogs in a game they controlled from start to finish…just like Crawford controlled Canelo.
First Quarter: Bulldogs Blitz
From the opening drive, SCSU had their way. Physical on the ground, sharp through the air, and opportunistic on defense. By the end of the first quarter, the Bulldogs had 24 points on the board and 207 yards of total offense. The Wildcats on the other hand, just 4 yards of offense and zero first downs at that point. Yikes!
SC State 1st quarter scoring drives went as follows:
-14 plays, 83 yards ending with a 3 yard Ryan Stubblefield touchdown run.
-7 plays, 63 yard touchdown drive (1 yard KZ Adams run).
-4 yard Malik Harp fumble return for a touchdown.
-9 plays, 61 yard drive ending in a Nico Cavanillas 44 yard field goal.
In the 2nd quarter, Cavanillas added a 41 yard field goal to stretch the lead to 27-0.
Wildcats Swing Back
Then came the fight. 2nd team All-SWAC quarterback, Cam Ransom, entered the game in the 2nd quarter in place of the largely ineffective Timmy McClain who started the contest.
Ransom led the Cats on their first touchdown drive of the season with a two yard TD run with 1:56 remaining in the first half. The drive covered 17 plays, 75 yards and over 8 minutes.
After the halftime break, the Wildcats had 6 highly productive drives that went like this:
Drive 1 – 8 plays, 75 yards; touchdown.
Drive 2 – 7 plays, 67 yards (almost touchdown drive but the officials decided the ball was fumbled into the endzone for a touchdown back). 😤
Drive 3 – 3 plays, 84 yards; touchdown.
Drive 4 – 7 plays, 67 yards; touchdown.
Drive 5 – 7 plays, 75 yard; touchdown.
Drive 6 – 4 plays, 35 yards; touchdown.
That’s 5 touchdowns in 6 second-half drives. And if that disputed fumble call goes the other way? We’re talking about a perfect offensive half.
That’s the good part. But in football and boxing, you don’t just punch; you also get punched.
BCU closed the gap and had multiple chances to make the contest a one-score game, but South Carolina State answered every time. The Cats never got closer than 14.
The Difference Makers
Cam Ransom put on an absolute show. Despite not starting, he finished with:
302 yards passing and 4 touchdowns through the air; 89 yards rushing and 1 touchdown on the ground, and 391 yards of total offense.
That’s a career night against a top notched opponent.
Maleek Huggins also had his best outing of the season, torching the Bulldog secondary for 8 catches, 148 yards, and 2 touchdowns.
Antwone Watts and Nick Rawls II led the Cats on defense with 7 and 6 tackles respectively.
The Bottom Line
Bethune fought back admirably after an abysmal first quarter, and you have to applaud that effort. But effort without execution doesn’t win games. All of these positives couldn’t overcome the Wildcat mistakes. Bethune turned the ball over three times, including the 1st quarter scoop-and-score for the Bulldogs and that drive crushing end-zone fumble that erased points in the 3rd quarter. That’s a 14-point swing and wouldn’t you know it—that’s exactly the margin of defeat.
The better team—the defending MEAC champs—won the game and showed the distance between the two programs at this juncture in time.
Final: South Carolina State 55, Bethune-Cookman 41.
This young BCU team is still learning that in football, like boxing, it’s not enough to just keep swinging. Wins and losses are decided by making adjustments, being disciplined, and paying attention to the details that turn effort into results.
Jerry Bell – HailWildcats.com
The Wildcats fall to 0–3 and are still searching for that first win. This young BCU team is still learning that in football, like boxing, it’s not enough to just keep swinging. Wins and losses are decided by making adjustments, being disciplined, and paying attention to the details that turn effort into results.
The Cats will get another shot at it next week. Until then, Hail Wildcats!
| Statistic | BCU | SCS |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | ||
| Total | 29 | 28 |
| Rushing | 10 | 12 |
| Passing | 17 | 15 |
| Penalty | 2 | 1 |
| Rushing | ||
| Total (Net) | 182 | 226 |
| Attempts | 34 | 37 |
| Avg. Per Rush | 5.4 | 6.1 |
| Rushing TDs | 2 | 5 |
| Yds. Gained | 200 | 230 |
| Yds. Lost | 18 | 4 |
| Passing | ||
| Total (Net) | 325 | 335 |
| Comp.-Att.-Int. | 23–38–1 | 22-37-0 |
| Avg. / Att. | 8.6 | 9.1 |
| Avg. / Comp. | 14.1 | 15.2 |
| TDs | 4 | 1 |
| Total Offense | ||
| Yards | 507 | 561 |
| Plays | 72 | 74 |
| Avg. / Play | 7 | 7.6 |
| Fumbles – Lost | 2–2 | 0-0 |
| Penalties – Yds. | 7–69 | 5-50 |
| Punting | ||
| Punts – Yds. | 2-94 | 2-77 |
| Avg. / Punt | 47 | 38.5 |
| Inside 20 | 1 | 0 |
| 50+ Yds. | 1 | 0 |
| Touchbacks | 0 | 0 |
| Fair Catch | 0 | 0 |
| Kickoffs | ||
| Total – Yds. | 7-336 | 10–541 |
| Avg. Yds. / Kickoff | 48.0 | 54.1 |
| Touchbacks | 0 | 2 |
| Returns | ||
| Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs | 2-9-0 | 2-15-0 |
| Punt: Avg. / Return | 4.5 | 7.5 |
| Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs | 7–146-0 | 4-76-0 |
| Kickoff: Avg. / Return | 20.9 | 19.0 |
| INT: Total – Yds. – TDs | 0-0-0 | 1-0-0 |
| Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs | 0-0-0 | 1–4–1 |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| Misc. Yards | 0 | 0 |
| Poss. Time | 31:26 | 28:34 |
| 3rd. Down Conv. | 3 of 10 | 9 of 13 |
| 4th. Down Conversions | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Red-Zone: Scores – Chances | 3-4 | 7–7 |
| Sacks: Total – Yds. | 1-4 | 1-2 |
| PAT: Total – Made | 5-6 | 7–7 |
| 2PT Conversion: Total – Made | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Field Goals: Total – Made | 0-0 | 2–2 |
HailWildcats.com 
We learned a bunch of things from this game. First and foremost if we eliminate our giveaways/turnovers we can play with any HBCU team and contend for a title. Case in point; Scoop and score and fumble going in for TD in 3rd. (albeit bad officiating call). Without those two events we are in OT.
Second when we spread the field and throw it; we open up the middle of the field for the QB to pull it down and go. Most, if not all of our conference teams run the ball shortening the game clock. We have to extend the game by passing since or defense is weak.
We have the best recivers in The HBCU. We proved that against SCSU. If we put up 400+ yards per game we will win the conference. We got the receivers, let’s use them. Looks as though we will have do exactly that since our defense is not that good at this point.
Let’s Make Wildcat Football Exciting Again. MWFEA!
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