BCU Shakes the Devils Off: Finishes Undefeated at Home This Season

November 3, 2025November 3, 2025 / J Bell / Leave a comment

The Delta Devils traveled from Mississippi on the first Saturday after Halloween. They did everything in their power to haunt Bethune-Cookman’s perfect home record this season. Thankfully for the Wildcat faithful, BCU casted off some second-half complacency and “shook the Devils off” (or whatever that song says).

From the opening kickoff, it was clear Bethune-Cookman was the more complete team. They were faster, bigger, deeper and just better.

Bon-Bon Ross scores on 24 yard reception

Javon “Bon-Bon” Ross set the tone early, fielding the opening kickoff at his own 15-yard line. Fourteen seconds and 85 yards later, Ross was crossing the goal line. That electrifying return helped earn him SWAC Co-Specialist of the Week honors. Ross added a 24-yard receiving touchdown just three minutes later. At that point, it looked like this one might be a cakewalk. But football is a funny sport.

From that moment until the final whistle, Josh Brown, Mississippi Valley’s dual-threat quarterback, took over the game. He became the most dynamic player on the field. Maybe it was because his family made the short three-hour drive from Camden County, Georgia. Maybe it was the Florida sunshine. I am not sure of the reason. Whatever it was, Brown played like a man possessed for the final three and a half quarters. He had the game of his life.

And it wasn’t as if BCU’s defense played poorly. They got pressure and moved him off his spot all afternoon. But Brown had an answer for everything. He got the ball out quickly on short routes. He showed tremendous pocket awareness. He turned would-be sacks into highlight reel scrambles. It was almost hocus pocus like how he escaped free blitzers a half dozen times at least. He finished with 418 passing yards, a passing touchdown, and two rushing touchdowns. All you can do is tip your cap to the young man. A job well done sir! 👏

Still, Bethune-Cookman proved why they’re the better team. When it mattered most, they controlled the trenches. They executed in the red zone. They finished drives whenever Valley seemed to threaten the lead.

It was an Antwone Watts pick-six midway through the fourth quarter that stretched the lead and essentially sealed the deal. The Wildcats never trailed in the game and remained in control throughout, even if the Devils made things a little too interesting at times.

The biggest coaching point is this: BCU has to do a better job of respecting every opponent. They must put teams away when they have the chance. Coach Woodie said this in his postgame presser. He admitted his guys didn’t believe him. He had warned them throughout the week that Valley would put up a fight.

The Cats survived and advanced. They finish the year undefeated at home and currently sit tied for first in the SWAC East. Next up: a road trip to Grambling, where they’ll look to earn their first road victory of 2025.

If they can handle business in Louisiana, it sets up a massive first-place showdown with JSU in Jackson.

In other words — now that Mary’s Babies dealt with the Devils, it’s time to grab a few Tigers by the tail. GSU, you’re on the clock. 🐾

Statistic	MVS	BCU
First Downs
Total	29	20
Rushing	5	12
Passing	21	7
Penalty	3	1
Rushing
Total (Net)	60	200
Attempts	25	41
Avg. Per Rush	2.4	4.9
Rushing TDs	3	3
Yds. Gained	84	224
Yds. Lost	24	24
Passing
Total (Net)	418	154
Comp.-Att.-Int.	36–57–1	14-23-0
Avg. / Att.	7.3	6.7
Avg. / Comp.	11.6	11.0
TDs	1	1
Total Offense
Yards	478	354
Plays	82	64
Avg. / Play	5.8	5.5
Fumbles – Lost	0-0	0-0
Penalties – Yds.	8–64	6-62
Punting
Punts – Yds.	4-144	6–249
Avg. / Punt	36	41.5
Inside 20	1	0
50+ Yds.	0	1
Touchbacks	1	2
Fair Catch	0	0
Kickoffs
Total – Yds.	7-409	7-438
Avg. Yds. / Kickoff	58.4	62.6
Touchbacks	1	3
Returns
Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs	2-18-0	1-20-0
Punt: Avg. / Return	9.0	20.0
Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs	4-69-0	6–184–1
Kickoff: Avg. / Return	17.3	30.7
INT: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	1–32–1
Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	0-0-0
Miscellaneous
Misc. Yards	0	0
Poss. Time	32:14	27:46
3rd. Down Conv.	7 of 16	7 of 14
4th. Down Conversions	1 of 3	1 of 1
Red-Zone: Scores – Chances	4–4	3-3
Sacks: Total – Yds.	2-15	3–19
PAT: Total – Made	4-4	6–6
2PT Conversion: Total – Made	0-0	0-0
Field Goals: Total – Made	2–2	0-0

Qtr	Time	Scoring Play	MVS	BCU
1st	14:46	BCU – Ross,Javon 85 yd kickoff return (Dominguez,Juan kick)	0	7
1st	11:27	BCU – Ross,Javon 24 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 4 plays, 41 yards, TOP 02:00	0	14
1st	09:02	MVS – Brown,Josh 5 yd run (Jovisic,Marko kick), 6 plays, 78 yards, TOP 02:18	7	14
1st	03:07	BCU – Scott Jr.,Alihaja 1 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 13 plays, 91 yards, TOP 05:50	7	21
2nd	14:34	MVS – Brown,Josh 2 yd run (Jovisic,Marko kick), 8 plays, 72 yards, TOP 03:28	14	21
2nd	10:32	BCU – Ransom,Cam’Ron 2 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 9 plays, 77 yards, TOP 03:56	14	28
2nd	03:28	MVS – Jovisic,Marko 48 yd field goal 15 plays, 54 yards, TOP 06:56	17	28
3rd	12:04	MVS – Jovisic,Marko 31 yd field goal 9 plays, 58 yards, TOP 02:56	20	28
3rd	01:01	BCU – Robinson,Khamani 19 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 10 plays, 68 yards, TOP 04:41	20	35
4th	11:45	MVS – Fant,DePhabian 12 yd run (Jovisic,Marko kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:16	27	35
4th	09:43	BCU – Watts,Antwone 32 yd interception (Dominguez,Juan kick)	27	42
4th	06:48	MVS – Nelson,Cameron 35 yd pass from Brown,Josh (Jovisic,Marko kick) 6 plays, 88 yards, TOP 02:49	34	42
			34	42

Home Sweet Homecoming — Wildcats Win by 17 over UAPB

October 27, 2025 / J Bell / Leave a comment

Johnny Harris III and Antwone Watts – Homecoming 2025

A Win to Remember

Saturday nights don’t come much sweeter than this past one if you’re a Bethune-Cookman supporter. There were lots of laughs, lies, and liquor being shared at Bethune-Cookman’s homecoming.

Oh, and there was a football game too. Thankfully for the nearly 10,000 BCU fans that packed into Daytona Stadium, the Wildcats rolled to a 31–14 victory over Arkansas–Pine Bluff.

Game Recap — How It Went Down

From start to finish, Raymond Woodie’s men were more steadily assertive than flashy. It took the offense a little while to knock off the rust from the bye week and from the homecoming jitters. But it was pretty clear from the start that Bethune was the better football team.

First quarter: BCU struck early with a 1-yard Ransom rush to make it 7–0.

Second quarter: BCU squandered several offensive drives with miscues and were eventually punished by UAPB. The Lions blocked and recovered a BCU punt at the Wildcat 2 yard line. One play later, Jaylen Jenkins rushed it in to tie the score at 7 apiece with 3:15 remaining before halftime.

Alihaja Scott Jr scores from 5 yards out

Soon after, Bethune woke up and asserted their dominance in the contest. The Cats used a 9-play, 65 yard drive, capped by a Alihaja Scott Jr. rush from 5 yards to stretch the lead to 14–7 going into the break.

Third quarter: BCU put the game away with TD runs from Ransom and Khamani Robinson pushing the lead to 28–14.

Fourth quarter: A chip-shot field goal by Juan Dominguez sealed the deal at 31–14.

Breaking the Homecoming Hex

2025 is the year BCU football is getting its mojo back yall. On an evening in which the Wildcats were not at their peak, they still cruised to a comfortable homecoming victory. Allow me to say that again: Comfortable. Homecoming. Victory.

That’s worth smiling over because homecomings had become a sore spot around these parts in recent memory. The last win in front of a homecoming crowd came in 2018.

That’s seven years of heartbreak and bad juju… but not today Satan.

With the stands full, the Pride in full voice, the liars still lying and the liquor finally wearing off under the setting sun, Coach Woodie’s guys owned the moment and broke hex.

Undefeated at Home — and Unfinished Business

The win allowed the Wildcats to remain undefeated at home this season and the program continues to trend upward. Heck, the program ain’t that far away from saying “we’re back”. They can certainly say “we’re back in the SWAC East Title conversation”.

Eyes on the Prize — SWAC East and Beyond

Saturday’s win helped the Wildcats remain firmly in the SWAC East title hunt. The goal is simple for BCU: win the remaining games on your schedule. It’s that simple from the Wildcat perspective.

If the Cats keep winning, they will still need an Alabama State loss to be crowned the East representative in the SWAC Title Game. So for the next two weeks, the BCU contingent will be rooting for either Prairie View or Texas Southern to take down Big Bama State.

I know that’s a lot of “ifs and buts”; however, it’s just fun to be in conversations about conference titles this late in the season again.

Like I said, BCU football is getting its mono back; and that ain’t no lie or liquor talking!

Statistic	UAP	BCU
First Downs
Total	16	22
Rushing	6	14
Passing	8	7
Penalty	2	1
Rushing
Total (Net)	112	247
Attempts	25	53
Avg. Per Rush	4.5	4.7
Rushing TDs	1	4
Yds. Gained	134	279
Yds. Lost	22	32
Passing
Total (Net)	185	170
Comp.-Att.-Int.	20–41-0	13-20-0
Avg. / Att.	4.5	8.5
Avg. / Comp.	9.3	13.1
TDs	1	0
Total Offense
Yards	297	417
Plays	66	73
Avg. / Play	4.5	5.7
Fumbles – Lost	1–1	0-0
Penalties – Yds.	4-30	8–75
Punting
Punts – Yds.	7–264	6-201
Avg. / Punt	37.7	33.5
Inside 20	1	3
50+ Yds.	1	1
Touchbacks	1	1
Fair Catch	1	1
Kickoffs
Total – Yds.	3-72	6–383
Avg. Yds. / Kickoff	24.0	63.8
Touchbacks	0	3
Returns
Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs	2–28-0	1-0-0
Punt: Avg. / Return	14.0	0.0
Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs	1-19-0	2–65-0
Kickoff: Avg. / Return	19.0	32.5
INT: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	0-0-0
Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	0-0-0
Miscellaneous
Misc. Yards	0	0
Poss. Time	26:16	33:44
3rd. Down Conv.	6 of 16	5 of 14
4th. Down Conversions	0 of 2	1 of 2
Red-Zone: Scores – Chances	1-1	5–6
Sacks: Total – Yds.	2-16	2-21
PAT: Total – Made	2-2	4–4
2PT Conversion: Total – Made	0-0	0-0
Field Goals: Total – Made	0-0	1–1

Qtr	Time	Scoring Play	UAP	BCU
1st	06:52	BCU – Ransom,Cam’Ron 1 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 10 plays, 61 yards, TOP 05:03	0	7
2nd	03:15	UAP – Jennings,Jaylen 2 yd run (Glymph,Trey kick), 1 plays, 2 yards, TOP 00:05	7	7
2nd	00:40	BCU – Scott Jr.,Alihaja 5 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 9 plays, 65 yards, TOP 02:35	7	14
3rd	06:40	BCU – Ransom,Cam’Ron 2 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 4 plays, 43 yards, TOP 01:50	7	21
3rd	05:33	UAP – Robinson,D’Avery 34 yd pass from Peters,Christian (Glymph,Trey kick) 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:07	14	21
3rd	04:48	BCU – Robinson,Khamani 5 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 2 plays, 58 yards, TOP 00:37	14	28
4th	10:25	BCU – Dominguez,Juan 25 yd field goal 17 plays, 68 yards, TOP 08:03	14	31
			14	31

HBCU re-loading behind former NBA All-Star and P5 assistant – HBCU Gameday

October 14, 2025 / J Bell / Leave a comment

One of the best-kept secrets in HBCU and Division I sports is the rise of Bethune-Cookman from the brink of oblivion.
— Read on hbcugameday.com/2025/10/13/hbcu-is-quietly-building-up-its-athletic-programs/

Bethune COOKed ‘EM: Dominates Southern 45-14

October 13, 2025 / J Bell / Leave a comment

They say every good cook has an off dish or two. You know the type of meal where the beans are hittin’, but the collards weren’t quite what you expected. The macaroni and cheese is okay, but it could’ve used a little more seasoning. The dressing is bussin’ but that cornbread…who wants burnt cornbread?

That’s pretty much been the story of Bethune-Cookman football this season. A meal with promise, but something always just a little off. Well, not this week and not in Daytona where BCU is 3-0 this season.

On a gray, rainy afternoon inside Daytona Stadium, B-CU finally cooked a complete meal — and Southern was the barbecue chicken.

B-CU finally cooked a complete meal — and Southern was the barbecue chicken.
Jerry Bell – HailWildcats.com

Head Coach Raymond Woodie Jr. summed it up perfectly after the game:

“That was a complete game; offense, defense, special teams”… “I thought we played a team ball type of game”.

And complete it was.

🔥 Offense Still Sizzling

The Wildcats’ offense has been putting up video game numbers averaging 40.3 points per game against SWAC competition. Saturday, they served another 45-piece special with all the fixings.

Quarterback Cam Ransom was once again the chef-in-charge, carving up the Jaguar defense. The senior from Lakeland completed 75% of his passes. He was 27 of 36 for 254 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Ransom added a 13 yard touchdown run for good measure. He was smooth, efficient, and in control all afternoon.

Ransom spread the love to eight different receivers, with Maleek Huggins leading the way (8 catches, 92 yards). Rickie Shaw II and Lorenzo Jenkins hauled in touchdown grabs from Ransom from 5 yards and 33 yards respectively.

The Wildcats finished with 498 yards of offense and — get this — no punts. Not one. They scored on every offensive drive except for a missed 51-yard field goal and two failed fourth-down tries.

🥩 Defense Serving

But make no mistake about it, the real story of this game was the defense.

“All week long Coach Woodie and the coaches emphasized tackling and stopping the run,” said defensive tackle Adrian Hall after the game. “And that’s exactly what we did.”

He’s not lying.

The missed tackles and busted coverages were gone. These issues had haunted this unit earlier in the season and last week in particular. On Saturday, we saw a defense that was aggressive, disciplined, and confident. They swarmed like a “destruction” of hungry Wildcats.

The D-line was highly active with pre-snap shifts we haven’t seen yet this season. The secondary mixed coverages a lot more than usual. Overall we saw a lot more variation and pressures from the defense. The results of the adjustments?… Southern was held to just 14 points and 267 total yards.

Stephen Sparrow Jr paced the defense with 6 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a pass breakup.

True freshman, Lewon Lurry Jr., added 1.5 sacks in the afternoon.

🌧️ Blame It on the Rain

Before kickoff, it looked like Mother Nature might side with the Jaguars. Rain. Wind. Sloppy field conditions. All of it seemed to favor Southern’s power-running style over Bethune’s balanced attack.

And when SU quarterback CamRon McCoy hit Darren Morris on a 71-yard slant for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, a few fans groaned, “Here we go again.”

But no sir…not this time.

The Wildcats shook it off and regrouped. They then unleashed an offensive onslaught. They scored 38 unanswered points on six of their next seven possessions.

And for those brave fans who sat through the soggy weather, you witnessed history. Saturday was the first-ever Bethune-Cookman win over Southern on the gridiron.

Those in attendance can officially say, “We were there when the Bethune finally COOKed ‘Em.”

💍 Bonus Halftime Moment

And just when you thought the afternoon couldn’t get any sweeter, the halftime show gave us a bonus proposal. Fedrick Ingram is currently the secretary-treasurer of the 1.8 million member American Federation of Teachers. Ingram is the former president of the Florida Education Association and former Marching Wildcat.

Just before “The Pride” began their halftime performance, band director Donovan Wells handed Ingram the microphone. Ingram stood on the 50-yard line with the love of his life, Tanya Cornell. She is a Southern grad. He then dropped to one knee and proposed. Cornell responded Yes…Absolutely! 🥰

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Pride Of B-CU (@bcumarchingwildcats)

Love in the rain, football on fire, and a long-awaited win in the books.

Now that’s a full-course meal.

Statistic	BCU	SOU
First Downs
Total	32	12
Rushing	13	4
Passing	17	8
Penalty	2	0
Rushing
Total (Net)	227	65
Attempts	43	22
Avg. Per Rush	5.3	3.0
Rushing TDs	4	0
Yds. Gained	242	97
Yds. Lost	15	32
Passing
Total (Net)	271	202
Comp.-Att.-Int.	30–39-0	14-26-0
Avg. / Att.	6.9	7.8
Avg. / Comp.	9.0	14.4
TDs	2	2
Total Offense
Yards	498	267
Plays	82	48
Avg. / Play	6.1	5.6
Fumbles – Lost	1-0	2-0
Penalties – Yds.	8-75	9-60
Punting
Punts – Yds.	0-0	4–152
Avg. / Punt	0	38
Inside 20	0	0
50+ Yds.	0	0
Touchbacks	0	1
Fair Catch	0	1
Kickoffs
Total – Yds.	8–471	3-168
Avg. Yds. / Kickoff	58.9	56.0
Touchbacks	4	0
Returns
Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs	1–3-0	0-0-0
Punt: Avg. / Return	3.0	0
Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs	3–51-0	2-19-0
Kickoff: Avg. / Return	17.0	9.5
INT: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	0-0-0
Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	0-0-0
Miscellaneous
Misc. Yards	0	0
Poss. Time	41:41	18:19
3rd. Down Conv.	8 of 13	1 of 9
4th. Down Conversions	1 of 3	1 of 4
Red-Zone: Scores – Chances	6–6	1-1
Sacks: Total – Yds.	3–16	1-2
PAT: Total – Made	6–6	2-2
2PT Conversion: Total – Made	0-0	0-0
Field Goals: Total – Made	1–2	0-0

Scoring Summary

Qtr	Time	Scoring Play	BCU	SOU
1st	09:38	SOU – Morris,Darren 71 yd pass from McCoy,Cam’Ron (Zimmer,Nathan kick) 1 plays, 66 yards, TOP 00:10	0	7
1st	02:24	BCU – Ransom,Cam’Ron 13 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 13 plays, 83 yards, TOP 07:07	7	7
2nd	13:32	BCU – Brown,Rashon 12 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 4 plays, 47 yards, TOP 01:31	14	7
2nd	06:01	BCU – Shaw II,Rickie 5 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 12 plays, 80 yards, TOP 05:12	21	7
3rd	07:00	BCU – Scott Jr.,Alihaja 2 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 05:26	28	7
3rd	02:54	BCU – Dominguez,Juan 32 yd field goal 6 plays, 11 yards, TOP 02:38	31	7
3rd	01:50	BCU – Jenkins,Lorenzo 33 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 2 plays, 33 yards, TOP 00:10	38	7
4th	13:34	SOU – Jackson,Malachi 15 yd pass from Strother,Ashton (Zimmer,Nathan kick) 11 plays, 78 yards, TOP 03:10	38	14
4th	04:59	BCU – Rodriguez,Juan 19 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 12 plays, 90 yards, TOP 08:28	45	14
			45	14

Big Bama State Bullies Bethune: Tough Lesson in the Gump

October 6, 2025October 7, 2025 / J Bell / 2 Comments

Big Bama State Bullies Bethune: A Tough Lesson in the Gump

For about 12 glorious seconds, it looked like Bethune-Cookman was about to ruin Alabama State’s homecoming.

On the Wildcats’ first play from scrimmage, Cam Ransom dropped back, spotted Maleek Huggins on a deep crosser, and hit him in stride for an 85-yard touchdown. One play. Twelve seconds. Six points.

Maleek Huggins celebrates 85 yard TD reception

The Wildcats scored on their first offensive play of the game for the second week in a row. Things were looking up. The vibe of pulling an upset had the guys from the Church School on Da Beach feeling pretty good.

But then… the Big Bama Bullies showed up.

Alabama State answered with four straight scoring drives and never looked back, bullying Bethune 52–35 in a game that reminded everyone just how good this Hornets team is.

The Reality Check

This one stung for sure. However, it also came with a clear message. This Alabama State program is where Bethune-Cookman aspires to be. It is among the elite in HBCU football.

The Hornets are averaging 40.6 points per game on offense including dropping 42 on FBS foe UAB this season. They are without question one of the best teams in HBCU football right now.

So losing to ASU is nothing to be ashamed of. You just have to tip your cap and realize that the guys from “The Gump” have dudes on scholarship too. They are a little further along in their building process than BCU.

Speaking of dudes, there are not very many playing better than quarterback Andrew Body through the midpoint of the season. Body had another brilliant game going 11 for 17 for 171 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday. He added 95 yards rushing. He was a type of “get out of jail free card” anytime the Wildcats put ASU under any sort of duress.

Too many miscues

It’s hard to win games against good teams with players like Body when you play perfectly. It is nearly impossible to beat these kind of teams when you don’t help yourself by executing cleanly. BCU had too many miscues to position themselves for an upset.

-A missed 4th-down throw early in the contest.

-A careless fumble in the second quarter.

-A missed field goal later that quarter.

-An ill-advised interception in the third.

-And tackling? Let’s just say it was very poor all game.

Defensive coordinator Robert Wimberly’s unit never quite found an answer for Body and the ASU offense. The Hornets’ exploded for 560-yards. Of those, 389 came on the ground for a whopping 10 yards per carry.

Ouch. That is not a typo. BCU gave up almost 400 yards rushing and 10 yards per carry.

Nothing in football stings worse than watching another team run the ball down your throat. And you better believe every SWAC offensive coordinator took notes.

The Bright Side

Now, before you stop reading and start yelling… breathe.

There were still plenty of positives.

BCU’s offense continues to ball out. The Wildcats posted 569 total yards and 35 points against one of the best defenses in the conference. That’s the 4th straight game the offense has scored at least 35 points. And for anyone ready to slap the “garbage time” label on those stats, consider this: BCU piled up 309 yards in the first half alone.

Maleek Huggins (7 catches, 132 yards, 2 TDs) and Javon Ross (9 catches, 137 yards, 1 TD) had over 130 receiving yards each.

Javon “Bon-Bon” Ross has big day against ASU

Running back Ali Scott added 100 “grown man” yards on the ground running over about six Hornet defenders in the process.

When Cam Ransom went down with a leg injury in the second quarter, Timmy McClain stepped in and handled business completing 73.5% of his passes for 266 yards. The senior from Sanford accounted for 4 touchdowns (2 passing and 2 rushing). McClain’s performance should give fans confidence in the depth of BCU’s QB room.

Perspective and Progress

The Wildcats exited the game with their egos bruised but this game was part of the process. The growing pains are real, but it is still growth.

BCU’s offense is electric and can hang with anybody in the HBCU landscape. The defense, though, is still learning what it takes to go toe-to-toe with the upper echelon programs like Alabama State and South Carolina State.

These are the games that teach you about where your program is and what needs to improve. They highlight your strengths, expose your weaknesses, and prepare you for the next step.

And that next step?

It comes this weekend when Southern University visits Daytona Beach for the first time ever. Our Wildcats will be looking for the first win in program history over the Jaguars. Southern leads the series 7 games to none but escaped last year’s matchup by just 2 points in five overtimes. A BCU win would keep them undefeated on home soil this season. It would also eclipse last year’s win total with 5 games remaining.

So, Wildcat Nation, lick your wounds but keep your heads high. The Maroon and Gold look to bounce back and keep the rebuild on track.

Statistic	BCU	ASU
First Downs
Total	33	25
Rushing	12	16
Passing	17	8
Penalty	4	1
Rushing
Total (Net)	207	388
Attempts	42	40
Avg. Per Rush	4.9	9.7
Rushing TDs	2	5
Yds. Gained	242	392
Yds. Lost	35	4
Passing
Total (Net)	362	171
Comp.-Att.-Int.	27–41–1	11-16-0
Avg. / Att.	8.8	10.7
Avg. / Comp.	13.4	15.5
TDs	3	2
Total Offense
Yards	569	559
Plays	83	56
Avg. / Play	6.9	10
Fumbles – Lost	2–1	0-0
Penalties – Yds.	4-37	7–73
Punting
Punts – Yds.	2-78	3–112
Avg. / Punt	39	37.3
Inside 20	0	1
50+ Yds.	0	0
Touchbacks	0	0
Fair Catch	0	2
Kickoffs
Total – Yds.	6-324	9–561
Avg. Yds. / Kickoff	54.0	62.3
Touchbacks	0	2
Returns
Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	0-0-0
Punt: Avg. / Return	0	0
Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs	7–137-0	5-43-0
Kickoff: Avg. / Return	19.6	8.6
INT: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	1–18-0
Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	0-0-0
Miscellaneous
Misc. Yards	0	0
Poss. Time	33:59	26:01
3rd. Down Conv.	5 of 10	2 of 6
4th. Down Conversions	1 of 2	0 of 0
Red-Zone: Scores – Chances	4-4	5–5
Sacks: Total – Yds.	1-2	2–13
PAT: Total – Made	5-5	7–7
2PT Conversion: Total – Made	0-0	0-0
Field Goals: Total – Made	0-1	1-1

Qtr	Time	Scoring Play	BCU	ASU
1st	14:44	BCU – Huggins,Maleek 85 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 1 plays, 85 yards, TOP 00:12	7	0
1st	09:39	ASU – Harden,Derick 13 yd pass from Body,Andrew (Abu-Akel,Andrew kick) 9 plays, 79 yards, TOP 04:59	7	7
1st	03:49	ASU – Abu-Akel,Andrew 40 yd field goal 7 plays, 29 yards, TOP 03:08	7	10
1st	01:11	ASU – Hostzclaw,Jamarie 10 yd run (Abu-Akel,Andrew kick), 4 plays, 70 yards, TOP 01:33	7	17
2nd	13:08	ASU – Ligon,Karl 2 yd run (Abu-Akel,Andrew kick), 3 plays, 35 yards, TOP 01:00	7	24
2nd	01:56	BCU – Huggins,Maleek 4 yd pass from McClain,Timmy (Dominguez,Juan kick) 10 plays, 88 yards, TOP 04:21	14	24
2nd	01:36	ASU – Jones,Jalen 30 yd pass from Body,Andrew (Abu-Akel,Andrew kick) 2 plays, 65 yards, TOP 00:20	14	31
3rd	12:13	ASU – Ligon,Karl 2 yd run (Abu-Akel,Andrew kick), 6 plays, 81 yards, TOP 02:42	14	38
3rd	06:20	ASU – Kuykendall,Jahbari 48 yd run (Abu-Akel,Andrew kick), 5 plays, 89 yards, TOP 01:58	14	45
3rd	02:16	BCU – McClain,Timmy 1 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:04	21	45
4th	13:31	ASU – Harris II,Marcus 1 yd run (Gilliam,Brandon kick), 7 plays, 77 yards, TOP 03:36	21	52
4th	06:26	BCU – McClain,Timmy 1 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 14 plays, 74 yards, TOP 06:57	28	52
4th	01:19	BCU – Ross,Javon 20 yd pass from McClain,Timmy (Dominguez,Juan kick) 8 plays, 68 yards, TOP 02:44	35	52
			35	52

We Can Get Used to This – Wildcats Secure First SWAC Win 41-34 over Bulldogs

September 29, 2025September 29, 2025 / J Bell / Leave a comment

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.

𝘿𝙊𝙉'𝙏 𝙄𝙏 𝙁𝙀𝙀𝙇 𝙂𝙊𝙊𝘿 𝙏𝙊 𝙒𝙄𝙉?

Happy Victory Sunday! 😼 #𝙃𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙨 | #𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙮𝙏𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 pic.twitter.com/T9W5hhCTxJ
— 🏈 Bethune-Cookman Football (@BCUGridiron) September 28, 2025

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

B-CU Outclasses Edward Waters 35-9

September 25, 2025 / bgillens / Leave a comment

DAYTONA BEACH, FL–In a game that was set to be billed as the winless Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman hosting the undefeated Tigers of Edward Waters, the game proved anticlimactic as the B-CU Wildcats jumped out to an early 14-0 lead and never looked back en route to a dominating 35-9 victory Saturday.

The game was one in which both the offensive and defensive lines dominated on both sides of the ball, with the offense amassing over 4 total yards (220 on the ground) while the defense sacked EWU four times and forced four turnovers.

Quarterback Cam’Ron Ramsom turned in another efficient performance completing 10 of his 20 passes for three touchdowns. His go to receiver Maleek Huggins, had a monster day hauling in nine passes for 177 yards and two scores.

Pacing the Wildcats defensively was Jaylen Brown, tallying 10 total tackes (2.0 for loss) and two sacks. Johnny Harris, III with his first interception of the season thwarts the Tigers drive giving the Wildcats the ball to start their first drive at their own seven yard line with 12:44 remaining in the first quarter.

A botched 13 yard punt by Edward Waters’ Ryan Gagne gave the Wildcats the ball at the Tiger 25 yard line. Five plays later, facing a third and goal from the EWU 20, Ransom scrambled right and found Maleek Huggins in the back of the end zone who toe tapped before falling out of the end zone. A Juan Dominguez extra point gave BCU a 7-0 lead with 3:07 remaining in the first.

The Wildcats scored their second touchdown late in the second quarter after capping a three play, 45 yard drive with a nine yard pass from Ransom to Alihaja Scott to increase their lead to 14-0 with 3:29 remaining in the first half.

On the ensuing drive, Edward Waters would hit paydirt as Noah Bodden found Makai Lovett for a 23 yard touchdown to cap an eight play, 75 yard drive over 2:00 to cut the Wildcat lead to 14-6 with 1:13 remaining in the half following the failed PAT by Gagne.

Midway through the third quarter, the Wildcat ground game got going with a 75 yard touchdown run for Khamani Robinson, his first of the season to extend the lead for B-CU to 21-6 with 9:27 remaining.

The quick strike Cats found the endzone again with 4:44 remaining in the 3rd as Ransom found Huggins for an 82 yard catch and score to give B-CU a commanding 28-6 advantage as the Marching Pride fired up their rendition of Cameo’s classic “Neck.”

On the very next drive and 1:30 later, self-inflicted penalties would rear its ugly head again for EWU as an errant throw by Bodden fell into the hands of Naim Lassiter at the Tiger 40 yard line and he raced untouched into the end zone to push the B-CU lead to 35-6 with 3:14 remaining in the third ensuring the rout was on in Daytona Beach.

Edward Waters would add a 41 yard field goal by Gagne with 6:04 remaining in the game to cut the BCU lead to 35-9 with 6:04 remaining to close out the scoring.

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 1-3 overall, while Edward Waters suffers their first defeat of the 2025 football campaign

Wildcats Flex Their Muscle and Find that Winning Feeling Again!

September 22, 2025 / J Bell / Leave a comment

Bethune-Cookman hosted Edward Waters in their first home game of the season this past Saturday.

7,927 fans watched BCU thump their Duval brethren 35-9 and quite honestly, Daytona Stadium felt more alive than it has in quite some time.

Coach Woodie’s guys flashed the kind of explosiveness on offense and backbone on defense that fans have been longing for.

By night’s end, BCU racked up 437 yards on offense including 228 on the ground. Defensively, the Cats held EWU’s vaunted offense to just 9 points despite the Tigers scoring over 40 points per game in each of their first three contests.

True Freshman running back, Khamani Robinson, accounted for 114 yards on 12 carries. His 75 yard touchdown run early in the 3rd quarter broke the game wide open. Robinson was named SWAC Newcomer of the Week for his efforts.

Wide receiver Maleek Huggins promised to give the fans a show this season and he certainly did that on Saturday. Huggins racked up 177 yards receiving and two touchdowns. One of the touchdowns was a highlight-reel 82-yard score. It ended with a Michael Jackson inspired touchdown celebration. The senior from Bradenton also received conference honors this week being named Offensive Player of the Week.

Naim Lassiter added a defensive score with a 40 yard pick-six late in the 3rd.

Mini-homecoming spoiled

I’m not gonna lie, it was really cool seeing Brian Jenkins patrolling the sidelines in Daytona. It was also cool seeing Matt Johnson, Ryan Davis, Eddie Poole, and Brian Dorsey on the sidelines. Several other former Wildcats joined them. They took pictures and shared love with their former head coach. Brian Jenkins won 46 games in 5 years as BCU’s head coach so we knew he would have his team prepared and fired up for this game.

And that he did. Just about 9 minutes before kickoff, BCU’s public address announcer, welcomed Edward Waters to the field from the locker room. But there was one big problem, Jenkins wasn’t ready for his team to leave the locker room just yet. So he waited. And waited. And waited until Bethune was invited to take the field. It was only then that he decided it was time to run out.

It was a reminder of everything we love about Brian Jenkins and his teams. Make every contest a dog fight and find any advantage that you can.

Thankfully for Bethune, the pregame happenings had no impact on the outcome of the game. Neither did the FCS Reddit betting odds, which listed the Wildcats as 5.5 point underdogs against their D2 opponent.

Once the ball was kicked off, the bigger, stronger, faster, and better team won.

Relax Cookman Fans and enjoy the moment !

Relax Cookman Fans and enjoy the moment!
Jerry Bell – HailWildcats.com

Let’s be honest — Bethune-Cookman fans have been conditioned by the past few seasons to flinch, even in the presence of good things happening. Call it sports PTSD, call it phantom pains — call it whatever you want to label it, but the scars are real. Years of heartbreak have taught this fanbase to keep its guard up at all times.

We saw it again on Saturday. BCU dominated the first half. However, costly mistakes and a pesky Edward Waters reduced the Wildcats’ lead to just 14-6 at halftime. You could feel the anxiety of the crowd. There was the proverbial “here we go again” echoing around the stadium.

But the good guys rattled off 21 unanswered points in the third and showed their dominance with a 26 point win. Even still, some folks almost didn’t know how to react.

“Should we celebrate?”

“How would Saturday’s performance translate against SWAC competition?”

“Why didn’t the team score 40+ points?”

It was a weird phenomenon but here is what I say to all of this: Relax Cookman Fans and enjoy the moment.

Wins are hard to come by in college football, and when they do come, you’ve got to savor them. So let’s try to forget the scars and live in the moment.

Saturday was fun, and it’s okay to enjoy the moment.

Was it a perfect game?…Well no. But were there big plays to celebrate, defensive swagger, 4 interceptions, 4 sacks, young guys stepping up?… Heck yeah there was and that’s the kind of football that’s worth celebrating. Who knows, if the Wildcats keep stacking performances like this together, Daytona Stadium can start feeling like the fortress it once was. Maybe then the fans can flex their muscles a little too! 💪

Statistic	EWU	BCU
First Downs
Total	20	15
Rushing	7	11
Passing	10	4
Penalty	3	0
Rushing
Total (Net)	74	228
Attempts	30	41
Avg. Per Rush	2.5	5.6
Rushing TDs	0	1
Yds. Gained	137	250
Yds. Lost	63	22
Passing
Total (Net)	173	209
Comp.-Att.-Int.	19–40–4	13-23-1
Avg. / Att.	4.3	9.1
Avg. / Comp.	9.1	16.1
TDs	1	3
Total Offense
Yards	247	437
Plays	70	64
Avg. / Play	3.5	6.8
Fumbles – Lost	1-0	0-0
Penalties – Yds.	13–94	11-89
Punting
Punts – Yds.	7-230	5-231
Avg. / Punt	32.9	46.2
Inside 20	3	2
50+ Yds.	1	2
Touchbacks	0	1
Fair Catch	3	0
Kickoffs
Total – Yds.	3-138	6–349
Avg. Yds. / Kickoff	46.0	58.2
Touchbacks	0	3
Returns
Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs	2–12-0	1-10-0
Punt: Avg. / Return	6.0	10.0
Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs	3–59-0	1-8-0
Kickoff: Avg. / Return	19.7	8.0
INT: Total – Yds. – TDs	1-0-0	4–51–1
Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	0-0-0
Miscellaneous
Misc. Yards	0	0
Poss. Time	30:49	29:11
3rd. Down Conv.	4 of 15	6 of 13
4th. Down Conversions	1 of 1	0 of 1
Red-Zone: Scores – Chances	1-1	2–4
Sacks: Total – Yds.	3-22	4–44
PAT: Total – Made	0-1	5–5
2PT Conversion: Total – Made	0-0	0-0
Field Goals: Total – Made	1-1	0-1

Qtr	Time	Scoring Play	EWU	BCU
1st	03:07	BCU – Huggins,Maleek 20 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 5 plays, 25 yards, TOP 02:57	0	7
2nd	03:13	BCU – Scott Jr.,Alihaja 9 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 3 plays, 45 yards, TOP 01:13	0	14
2nd	01:13	EWU – Lovett,Makai 23 yd pass from Bodden,Noah ( ) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:00	6	14
3rd	09:27	BCU – Robinson,Khamani 75 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 3 plays, 84 yards, TOP 01:32	6	21
3rd	04:44	BCU – Huggins,Maleek 82 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 5 plays, 92 yards, TOP 02:12	6	28
3rd	03:14	BCU – Lassiter,Naim 40 yd interception (Dominguez,Juan kick)	6	35
4th	06:04	EWU – Gagne,Ryan 41 yd field goal 17 plays, 67 yards, TOP 09:16	9	35
			9	35

Bulldogs Too Much for Wildcats, 55–41

September 14, 2025September 14, 2025 / J Bell / 1 Comment

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

Preview: BCU at South Carolina State; Sneaky Good or One-Sided 🤔

September 12, 2025September 12, 2025 / J Bell / 1 Comment

If you ask most HBCU fans to circle the big games this weekend, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone pointing to Bethune-Cookman vs. South Carolina State. And honestly—why would they?

South Carolina State is the defending MEAC champ, sitting at 1-1 currently, and looking set to defend their crown. Bethune-Cookman, on the other hand, hasn’t factored into many meaningful contests recently and have been on the butt end of a couple of whoppings the past two weeks.

On paper, this looks like a mismatch. But call me crazy, something tells me this could be a sneaky good game this weekend.

call me crazy, something tells me this could be a sneaky good game this weekend.
J Bell – HailWildcats.com

Maybe that’s the Wildcat fanatic in me talking…Probably is.

Maybe I’m still holding on to the luster of yesteryear when the BCU vs SCSU matchup carried the intensity of a prizefight when the two were MEAC heavyweights.

Or maybe—just maybe—it’s because history says these two programs rarely give us a dud on the gridiron.

Series Split over last 10 games

The series is split at 5 wins and 5 losses apiece over the past 10 matchups. It’s split 11 wins and 9 losses in favor of the Bulldogs over the past 20.

So despite the difference in expectations for these squads, the back-and-forth series record shows you don’t sleep on this rivalry; even when the Wildcats look down.

What to Expect Saturday

Here is Coach Woodie and the Wildcats’ chance to make an announcement to the HBCU world; and SCSU is the perfect opponent to do it against. Don’t expect the same watered-down schemes we’ve seen through Weeks 1 and 2 against BCU’s FBS opponents.

On Defense: Expect more blitz packages, more disruption, and more variations in coverages.

On Offense: Look for much more tempo, more creativity, more quarterback run, and more getting the ball in the hands of the playmakers quickly.

I’m NOT predicting a BCU upset but that’s not out of the question either. What I am predicting is the type of Dog and Cat fight that has made this series very competitive.
J Bell – HailWildcats.com

Let me be clear, I’m NOT predicting a BCU upset but that’s not out of the question either. What I am predicting is the type of Dog and Cat fight that has made this series very competitive and my favorite on the field matchup for BCU. And who knows, if things break right…well, let’s just say if things break right, it will be hard to shut me up next week.

Yeah, I know I’m crazy. I know how that sounds. I guess I will see y’all in Orangeburg.

Hail Wildcats!