We Can Get Used to This
Daytona Stadium is starting to feel a little different these days. It’s a little louder, a little bit more lively, and dare I say it…filled with a lot more hope as Bethune-Cookman has strung together back-to-back home wins. The Wildcats are giving their fans something they haven’t truly experienced in years: a reason to believe.
Last week’s victory over Edward Waters felt more like relief. The same with last year’s home win over Grambling State. But Saturday’s win over Alabama A&M just felt different.
-That was an excellent football game against a good, well-coached A&M team.
-That was a game that sparked a lot of pride among the fans.
-That ladies and gentlemen was Wildcat football.
A Well-Played Game from Start to Finish
From the opening whistle, BCU looked sharp, well-prepared, and confident. They looked like a good football program to say it bluntly. They asserted themselves early and repeatedly against a quality SWAC opponent. They also showed just how far this squad has progressed since game one this season. Was it perfect? Nah, not even close but it was the kind of well-rounded performance that sets a tone for the weeks ahead.
When in doubt, give the ball to “Bon-Bon”
Sophomore receiver Javon “Bon-Bon” Ross had himself a game. The Deland native, nicknamed Bon-Bon by his grandmother, electrified the crowd with a breakout performance that was hard to ignore.
On the Wildcats’ very first offensive play, quarterback Cam Ransom uncorked a 79-yard bomb. It dropped perfectly into Ross’s hands and he did the rest by outrunning the defenders on his way to the endzone. On BCU’s next possession, Ross added a 41-yard touchdown run after taking a reverse to the house. Two touchdowns for Ross scored in two different ways. The fanbase now knows what the locals have known for a while…good things happen when you give the ball to Bon-Bon.
The Playmakers Keep Rising
Ross wasn’t the only local product shining on Saturday. True freshman running back Khamani Robinson continues to prove that the moment isn’t too big for him. Robinson scored BCU’s third touchdown on a 24 yard scamper giving the Cats the lead at halftime.
And then there’s Cam Ransom. Each week, he keeps getting better and right now, it’s hard to find any HBCU quarterback who is playing better. His command of the offense, his efficiency, and his growing chemistry with playmakers like Ross and Rickie Shaw, Maleek Huggins, Lorenzo Jenkins and others are changing the Wildcats’ offensive identity right before our eyes.
The Fans are Starting to Believe Too
Shoutout to the fans who showed up Saturday. The threat of rainstorms seemed to have kept a few people away. However, those who decided to attend were treated to a great HBCU experience. Not only did they witness BCU’s best overall performance in years, but they also enjoyed a SWAC Band Battle.
Daytona Stadium hosted an opposing SWAC band for the first time since BCU joined the conference. Alabama A&M’s Marching Maroon and White (MMW) made the trip to “Da Beach”. After speaking with many in attendance, the MMW headed back to Huntsville with a slew of new fans. The MMW are wecolmed back anytime.
BCU’s Marching Wildcats did what they always do…they “showed up and showed out”. Give AAMU’s band the edge in song selection and repertoire, but the Pride delivered in execution and overall sound quality. In the end, both bands represented well and it was the fans who were the biggest winners.
A Shift in the Air
It was great seeing the vibe in the stands all game. The bands helped with the atmosphere and the weather held off for the most part, but it was about more than the good bands and decent weather. The fans were active, engaged, and for the first time in a long time, anxiety-free. Cookman fans regained a bit of their mojo. They actually expected something good to happen, rather than waiting on disaster. Even after the game, I heard from at least a dozen fans. They all echoed the same sentiment…this was the best they had felt after a BCU game in years.
The excitement was palpable and the hope was contagious. You could see it in the way the team responded to mistakes. They didn’t allow miscues to beat them twice. Instead, they corrected them and overcame them in real time.
You could see it in the way the fans cheered…a little louder and a little longer.
And most importantly, you saw it on the scoreboard; Wildcats 41, Bulldogs 34.
I like this feeling. Heck, we all like this feeling. And judging by the team’s growing confidence, we may get to share this feeling a little more often and that’s something we can get used to.
| Statistic | AAM | BCU |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | ||
| Total | 22 | 25 |
| Rushing | 6 | 14 |
| Passing | 14 | 10 |
| Penalty | 2 | 1 |
| Rushing | ||
| Total (Net) | 125 | 259 |
| Attempts | 32 | 35 |
| Avg. Per Rush | 3.9 | 7.4 |
| Rushing TDs | 1 | 4 |
| Yds. Gained | 133 | 266 |
| Yds. Lost | 8 | 7 |
| Passing | ||
| Total (Net) | 355 | 257 |
| Comp.-Att.-Int. | 27–41-1 | 18-25-2 |
| Avg. / Att. | 8.7 | 10.3 |
| Avg. / Comp. | 13.1 | 14.3 |
| TDs | 3 | 2 |
| Total Offense | ||
| Yards | 480 | 516 |
| Plays | 73 | 60 |
| Avg. / Play | 6.6 | 8.6 |
| Fumbles – Lost | 1–1 | 0-0 |
| Penalties – Yds. | 4-50 | 6–61 |
| Punting | ||
| Punts – Yds. | 2-75 | 3–131 |
| Avg. / Punt | 37.5 | 43.7 |
| Inside 20 | 1 | 0 |
| 50+ Yds. | 0 | 1 |
| Touchbacks | 0 | 1 |
| Fair Catch | 0 | 0 |
| Kickoffs | ||
| Total – Yds. | 7-368 | 7-435 |
| Avg. Yds. / Kickoff | 52.6 | 62.1 |
| Touchbacks | 1 | 2 |
| Returns | ||
| Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs | 2–16-0 | 0-0-0 |
| Punt: Avg. / Return | 8.0 | 0 |
| Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs | 5-111-0 | 6-68-0 |
| Kickoff: Avg. / Return | 22.2 | 11.3 |
| INT: Total – Yds. – TDs | 2-0-0 | 1-0-0 |
| Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| Misc. Yards | 0 | 0 |
| Poss. Time | 31:59 | 28:01 |
| 3rd. Down Conv. | 11 of 18 | 8 of 11 |
| 4th. Down Conversions | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Red-Zone: Scores – Chances | 3–3 | 1-1 |
| Sacks: Total – Yds. | 0-0 | 2–4 |
| PAT: Total – Made | 4-4 | 5–6 |
| 2PT Conversion: Total – Made | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Field Goals: Total – Made | 2–2 | 0-0 |
| Qtr | Time | Scoring Play | AAM | BCU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 09:35 | AAM – Faulk,David 45 yd field goal 11 plays, 53 yards, TOP 05:21 | 3 | 0 |
| 1st | 09:20 | BCU – Ross,Javon 79 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 1 plays, 79 yards, TOP 00:11 | 3 | 7 |
| 1st | 01:27 | AAM – Nero,Kolton 2 yd run (Faulk,David kick), 4 plays, 62 yards, TOP 01:43 | 10 | 7 |
| 2nd | 13:38 | BCU – Ross,Javon 41 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 7 plays, 83 yards, TOP 02:44 | 10 | 14 |
| 2nd | 08:41 | AAM – Pierre,Franck 72 yd pass from Handley,Eric (Faulk,David kick) 4 plays, 83 yards, TOP 01:10 | 17 | 14 |
| 2nd | 01:18 | BCU – Robinson,Khamani 24 yd run ( ), 14 plays, 83 yards, TOP 07:19 | 17 | 20 |
| 2nd | 00:08 | BCU – Shaw II,Rickie 27 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 7 plays, 63 yards, TOP 00:54 | 17 | 27 |
| 3rd | 11:31 | AAM – Pierre,Franck 32 yd pass from Handley,Eric (Faulk,David kick) 3 plays, 58 yards, TOP 00:57 | 24 | 27 |
| 3rd | 10:18 | BCU – Scott Jr.,Alihaja 8 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 3 plays, 69 yards, TOP 01:07 | 24 | 34 |
| 3rd | 03:44 | AAM – Abner,Travaunta 1 yd pass from Handley,Eric (Faulk,David kick) 12 plays, 59 yards, TOP 06:25 | 31 | 34 |
| 4th | 05:58 | AAM – Faulk,David 19 yd field goal 15 plays, 57 yards, TOP 06:44 | 34 | 34 |
| 4th | 01:07 | BCU – Scott Jr.,Alihaja 26 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 8 plays, 66 yards, TOP 04:44 | 34 | 41 |
| 34 | 41 |
HailWildcats.com 