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THE BELT
At the conclusion of this past season’s Florida Blue Florida Classic, coach Brian Jenkins was seen hugging players, celebrating with the Marching Wildcats, and very conspicuously wearing a 2012 MEAC Champions Belt that was large enough and elaborate enough to make Hulk Hogan envy.
Some fifteen (15) or so minutes after first being spotted with his new ornate accessory, coach Jenkins met with members of the media for his normal postgame recap. There it was again; this time prominently displayed on the conference room table almost touching the fiery coach’s left elbow. There was no attempt at modesty. No attempt to conceal it. It was as if coach Jenkins was silently screaming for someone to ask about THE BELT…and so I did.
The third year coach rather foxily revealed that THE BELT was an inside thing between him and his team. “I have been telling (our football team) about the belt. You want to be the one to put on the belt in the end” Jenkins exclaimed.
The story goes as follows:
Shortly after being named as the fifteenth (15) head football coach at Bethune-Cookman, Brian Jenkins had a chance encounter with a Florida A&M football fan. The FAMU fan approached the newly appointed coach and said let me show you something. He reached into his back pocket and unfolded a piece of paper. Listed on the paper were the results of all of the Florida Classics including the previous two (2); both of which FAMU won.
The FAMU fan was undoubtedly sending a clear message to the precocious new coach of what he should expect when facing the mighty Rattlers.
As fate would have it, coach Jenkins bumped into the same Rattler fan nearly a year later. The FAMU fan, feeling emboldened by his Rattlers’ upset victor over the Wildcats in the 2010 Florida Classic, even more vigorously than the year before flagged down coach Jenkins and again pulled out a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. It was an up-to-date history of the Florida Classic results. The FAMU fan proudly and boastfully pointed to his team’s upset win in 2010. It was shortly after that encounter that the idea of THE BELT was conceived in Brian Jenkins’ mind. Jenkins decided if his team could win the MEAC crown and win the Florida Classic, he would supply every graduating senior with his very own Championship Belt.
Senior Class awarded Championship Belts
What better way to memorialize the hardwork, sacrifice, and dedication that’s required to become MEAC and Florida Classic champs than to provide the senior class with Championship Belts. And besides, a Heavyweight caliber Championship Belt trumps a folded piece of paper any day.
Coach Jenkins’ statement to the media after the 2012 Florida Blue Florida Classic now makes so much more sense: “…in the end, you want to be the one to put on the belt.”
THE BELT is brilliant in everything that it represents. It is the proverbial gauntlet slap in the face, a one-upper, a ‘step ya game up’ if you will. It is a unique memento, it epitomizes excellence, symbolizes hardwork and manhood, and it is meant to draw a line in the sand. If you want THE BELT, come and take it. If you want to keep THE BELT, then be prepared to defend it. So keep your folded piece of paper and I will raise you a Championship Belt.
Interestingly, coach Jenkins stated that the last time he spotted the FAMU fan who flagged him down and showed off his folded piece of paper was shortly after the 2010 season. Coincidence? Maybe but not likely!
A source within the BCU Athletic department could not confirm whether THE BELT is a one year phenomenon or a new tradition for each senior class who wins both a MEAC and Florida Classic championship in the same season. Personally, I hope this becomes a new tradition. A new goal of sorts for each class of seniors. I think coach Jenkins said it best: “in the end, you want to be the one to put on the belt”.
Congratulations to all the guys who earned the right to wear THE BELT!!!
Top 12 Moments of 2012
Before 2012 takes its final curtain call and 2013 takes center stage, here is a look back at the Top 12 highlights of the 2012 football season.
(In no particular order)
Isidore Jackson joins 1,000 yard club:
Junior running back Isidore Jackson became just the 7th player in BCU history to rush for 1,000 in a season. It was the first time that a BCU player reach the 1,000 yard milestone since Allen Suber reached the magical mark in 2002. Jackson finished the year with 1,069 yards on the ground. He now has 2,449 yards rushing for his career which is good enough for 3rd all-time.
Steady Eddie:
Eddie Poole has played in every game of Brian Jenkins’ head coaching career. All Poole has done in that 35 game span is catch a pass in every contest and move into sixth (6th) place all-time on BCU’s touchdown receptions list with seventeen (17). No sweat; just another day at the office for Steady Eddie.
Preston Cleckley’s one hander:
The final score in the BCU/Tennessee State game did not favor the good guys; however, Preston Cleckley’s one handed grab in the back of the end zone against the Tigers may have been the single most spectacular play of the season.
The 9 yard TD strike to Cleckley was quarterback Quentin Williams’ first collegiate TD pass. The two hooked up again in the North Carolina Central game when Cleckley ran under a 76 yard Williams’ TD pass. The 76 yarder was the longest pass play of the season for the Wildcats.
Brock Waters
Comeback kids:
17 minutes into the 2012 season, BCU fans were frozen in disbelief. The Wildcat faithful watched Alabama State seize all the momentum and a 21-0 lead early in the 2nd quarter. But help arrived in the form of Louisiana Tech transfer Brodrick Waters. Waters replaced Jackie Wilson at quarterback midway through the 2nd quarter and BCU scored 38 unanswered points. BCU went on to win the contest 38-28.
The comeback theme was repeated the following week when BCU scored 27 unanswered points after South Carolina State jumped out to a 14-0 lead.
Courtesy of BCU Athletics
Defense plays lights out in the 3rd and 4th quarters:
7, 0, 0, 16, 3, 3, 3, 7, 6, 7; no those aren’t the winning Powerball numbers. Those numbers represent the total number of points the Wildcat defense surrendered to FCS competition in the second half of contests this season. That averages out to a measly 5.2 points per game in the 3rd and 4th quarters.
The Wildcat D surrendered no 2nd half touchdowns in the entire month of October. Hopefully the defense will figure out a way to extend their 2nd half achievements over 4 quarters of football and elevate themselves to a dominant defensive team in 2013.
Nick Addison’s coming out party
Redshirt freshman Nick Addison put on a display against Hampton that caused the Maroon and Gold faithful to reminisce of the days of Mathis, Collins, Williams, and Wyatt. Addison intercepted 2 passes against the Pirates including 1 he returned 90 yards for a touchdown, he recorded 11 tackles (9 solo, .5 tfl) in that contest, and he forced a fumble. That makes for one heck of a coming out party.
Henry Frazier none-to-happy….Is there a rivalry brewing???
NCCU head coach Henry Frazier disapproved of coach Jenkins’ decision to throw a pass while leading 35-17 late in the 4th quarter. A visibly upset Frazier stated after the contest that he would have elected to simply run the ball if he was in the same position and not attempt to “run up the score”. Frazier went on to state that he would remember Jenkins’ actions and have his team ready when the two schools meet again.
Could this evolve into another Bill Hayes/Alvin Wyatt type rivalry……we shall see!
8-0
For the first time in school history, the Bethune-Cookman football team finished the season with a perfect 8-0 record in MEAC play. The last time BCU finished undefeated in conference play was 1984 when quarterback Bernard Hawk led the Cats to a 4-0 mark. BCU has now won 14 straight MEAC contests dating back to 2011 and can tie South Carolina State’s all-time consecutive MEAC win mark of 22 if they finish undefeated in conference play in 2013.
Offensive line play
The BCU offensive line paved the way for the league’s leading scoring offense (29.4 points per game), rushing offense (244 yards per contest) and total offense (388.75 yards per contest). Ole Miss transfer, Terrence Hackney led the big men upfront. Hackney was named to several postseason All-American squads including the Beyond Sports College Network, The Sports Network, and Box-To-Row All-American teams. The best news for BCU fans is that Hackney has 2 years of eligibility remaining.
Lavon McCoy and Eugene Solomon were also noteworthy performers in the trenches in 2012.
He’s staying:
After entertaining offers from other colleges, namely Southern University, and at least one NFL team, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brian Jenkins decided to sign a new deal and remain the leader of the BCU football team.
Jenkins has amassed a 27-8 record, 2 conference crowns, and 2 playoff berths during his brief time at Bethune.
Run Ike Run:
Isidore Jackson’s 93 yard touchdown scamper against NCCU displayed many of the attributes that make a running back great. Jackson broke 2 tackles (power), made a couple of guys miss (vision), and outran the rest of the field (speed) on his way to the endzone.
It was the 4th longest touchdown run in school history and good enough to make the Top 12 in 2012 countdown.
Larry R. Handfield Athletic Training Center/Photo Courtesy of Daytona Beach News Journal – David Massey
State of the Art
BCU Football Operations moved into the 16,378 square foot Larry Hanfield Athletic Training Center in September. The facility features a state of the art strength and conditioning center, hydrotherapy, x-ray and treatment rooms, technology equipped meeting rooms, a Hall of Fame lobby as well as other amenities.
The Training Center adds a huge boost to BCU’s recruiting, athletic facilities and footprint along the International Speedway corridor.
Coach Jenkins continues to rack up the accolades
Photo Credits: Jerrime Bell
WACO, Texas – Bethune-Cookman football head coach Brian Jenkins has been named as this year’s American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Football Championship Subdivision Region Two Coach of the Year announced Monday morning by the AFCA office.
Recently completing his third year at the helm in Daytona Beach, Jenkins shares this year’s award with Stony Brook’s Chuck Piore who led his team to the second round of the FCS Playoffs. For Jenkins, this is the second time in the last three years he has won the award for Region Two, also picking up the honor in 2010.
Jenkins, the 2012 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Coach of the Year, led the Wildcats to an MEAC title and the first undefeated conference season for the Maroon and Gold since 1984. This past season, the Wildcats went 9-3 (8-0 MEAC) and played host to Coastal Carolina in the opening round of the FCS Playoffs at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach. It was the second MEAC title for the Cats under Jenkins – the fifth of its kind in school history – and they played host to an FCS Playoff competition for the third time in the past 10 years.
Since his arrival in Daytona Beach, Jenkins has compiled an overall record of 27-8, and an unprecedented 21-3 mark in league play. He has helped the Wildcats to two MEAC titles, two FCS Playoff appearances and been named the MEAC Coach of the Year twice.
Read on: http://www.bcuathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=23910&ATCLID=205819638
Missed Opportunities cost BCU chance to secure 1st playoff victory
You can use two words to sum up Bethune-Cookman’s 24-14 first round playoff defeat to Coastal Carolina: MISSED OPPORTUNITIES.
On BCU’s first two (2) possessions of Saturday’s matchup against the Chanticleers, quarterback Quentin Williams overshot passes to Jhomo Gordon, KJ Stroud, and Eddie Poole that would have been surefire touchdowns.
Daytona Beach native DJ Howard had an opportunity to return a pick six from inside the CCU 15 yard line on the Chants opening offensive possession, however, the Spruce Creek product was unable to hold on to the interception. So instead of the Wildcats leading by 2 or 3 scores early in the contest, they found themselves trailing 17-0 heading into halftime.
“In the playoffs you’ve got to seize opportunities. If you don’t, the opportunity will go right pass you” quarterback Quentin Williams stated. He went on to state “in the playoffs it’s not about who’s better or who’s worse, it is about who takes advantage of the opportunities”.
While BCU missed on its chances, CCU took full advantage of the Wildcats’ miscues and scored 10 points off of 2 BCU turnovers in the second quarter.
Coastal Carolina opened the game’s scoring on a 6 play 75 yard drive with 13:50 seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter. The drive was capped by a 14 yard option run by Marcus Whitener. The Wildcats initially defended the play well but senior quarterback Aramis Hillary pitched the ball late allowing Whitener to run untouched for the opening score.
The Chants doubled their lead when All Big South 1st team receiver Matt Hazel outleaped Tim Burke in the left corner of the endzone to cap a 9 play 58 yard drive with 7:23 left in the 2nd quarter.
“I told coach to call that play” Hazel stated. (They were) “in man coverage across the board. Aramis threw a great ball and I saw it at the last minute and just went and got it”.
Controversy struck on BCU’s next possession. Trailing 14-0 midway through the second quarter, Williams hit tight end Jordan Murphy for a short gain. Murphy was originally ruled down on the play but a booth review overturned the call.
Coach Brian Jenkins went ballistic when the game’s head official announced the decision to overturn the call.
“(Jordan) did fumble. We had a couple of players in the area but (when the official blew the play dead) they stopped. Their player recovered the ball but if you blow the play dead, I don’t understand how you go back and review it. My argument was you blew the play dead so it negates anything else” Jenkins stated.
Quentin Williams echoed his coach’s sentiments: “when Murph (Jordan Murphy) caught the ball, I heard the official blow the whistle. That’s why I stopped.”
Coastal took over possession at the BCU 43 yard line as a result of the play. 5 plays later, Apopka High School product, Alex Catron, pushed CCU’s lead to 17-0 on a 35 yard FG conversion. The score remained unchanged heading into intermission.
Early in the 3rd quarter, redshirt freshmen Nick Addison picked off an Aramis Hillary pass in the endzone to help breathe life into the Wildcats. But the Chanticleer defense kept BCU off the scoreboard on the ensuing possession.
Brodrick Waters entered the contest for an ineffective Quentin Williams on the Wildcats second possession in the 3rd quarter. Waters broke on a 57 yard run on his first drive under center. BCU got the ball as deep as the CCU 4 yard line on the drive but a false start penalty pushed the ball back to the CCU 11 yard line.
Coach Jenkins suffered his second visible meltdown of the game and had to be physically restrained by BCU administrators and coaches after the false start penalty was called against his squad.
“We had our guys go from a 2 point stand to a 3 point stand and they called us for a false start. None of our guys jumped. Two officials called offsides and one called illegal shift. When I asked for an explanation I got three different answers”.
Jenkins’ was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for his reaction to the call and cost his team an opportunity for a chip shot field goal. The result of the play put the ball on the 26 yard line but instead of attempting a 43 yard FG, Jenkins decided to go for it on 4th and 26.
Waters found KJ Stroud in the back of the endzone on the 4th and 26 play and BCU seemed to be back in business. But it wasn’t meant to be. The television replay showed Stroud’s hand landed out of bounds before his foot landed in the endzone. The overturned touchdown call embodied BCU’s afternoon of missed opportunities.
Coastal Carolina safety, Johnnie Houston put the game out of reach when he returned a Brodrick Waters’ interception 68 yards to put Coastal ahead 24-0. Houston’s return was the 2nd longest interception return in school history.
A 74 yard touchdown pass from Quentin Williams to David Blackwell with 6:44 left in the game gave Bethune its first points of the afternoon. Williams connected with KJ Stroud in the back of the endzone on the 2 point conversion attempt to cut the lead into a two possession contest (24-8).
Isidore Jackson’s 10 yard touchdown run capped off the game’s scoring. Jackson, who needed just 8 yards rushing to reach 1,000 on the season, finished the contest with 77 yards on the ground and 1,069 on the year. Jackson’s 1,069 yards represents the 3rd best rushing season in BCU history.
Quentin Williams threw for 215 yards and 1 touchdown. It was the first time he surpassed the 200 yard passing mark in his career.
Jarkevis Fields led the Wildcats defense with 15 tackles. Nick Addison pitched in with 10 tackles, 1 fumble recovery and an interception.
The MEAC is now 0 for its last 17 as a conference in the FCS playoffs.
Redshirt freshmen, Nick Addison and Quentin Williams, vowed to take this bad feeling and get better in the offseason. Both players stated that Bethune-Cookman will win a playoff game before their eligibility expires in three years.
The Wildcats are now 0-4 in the FCS playoffs.
The win secured Coastal Carolina’s first ever playoff victory. The Chanticleers will travel to Norfolk, Virgina next week to take on #4 ranked Old Dominion.
Live Chat – BCU vs. CCU 1st Round FCS Playoffs
or Click Here
The Live Chat will provide posters with a highly interactive platform in which they can discuss and follow the game as it is happening live. The Live Chat interfaces with Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube.
@BCUAthletics, @BCUExaminer, and @HailWildcats Twitter feeds will interface with the Live Chat. This will allow the posters to interact with the men and women who are dedicated to bringing you the most in-depth coverage of Bethune-Cookman football. The Chat will also allow users to access the most up to date gameday information from one centralized location.
You can participate in the Live Chat by posting your opinions/feedback/questions or by simply following along. All are encouraged to participate.
The Live Chat Link will become active at approximately 1:45 p.m. on gameday.
BCU/Coastal Carolina Game Preview
If Bethune-Cookman head coach Brian Jenkins and Coastal Carolina head coach Joe Moglia ever decided to talk football over a cup of coffee (or quality adult beverage), the two men are likely to share very similar coaching stories.
Moglia, who is in his first season at CCU, guided the Chanticleers to a three-way share of the Big South conference title and earned the league’s FCS playoff automatic qualifier bid. Jenkins led his Fighting Wildcats to a three-way share of the MEAC crown and the conference’s AQ in his first season at Bethune in 2010.
Jenkins and Moglia have both been named as 2012 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award finalist; both coaches are disciples of the spread offense; and they both preach the gospel of ‘developing young men’.
When the two faceoff on Saturday at 2:00 P.M. at Daytona Beach’s Municipal Stadium, both will look to secure the first ever FCS playoff victory for their respective programs. (BCU is 0-3 in the FCS playoff play while Coastal is 0-2 in the postseason tournament.)
When Coastal has the ball
The Chants are led on offense by Big South All-Conference 1st team selectee, Aramis Hillary. The University of South Carolina transfer ranked tops in the Big South and 23rd nationally in total offense (261.7 ypg). Hillary is a dual threat player who can hurt you with his legs and his arm. But coach Moglia cites a different primary reason for Hillary’s success:
“One of his biggest strengths is that he makes good decisions. We give him progressions on all of his reads, whether it be through the option run or through the pass and he’s been great at that. He’s been effective when he’s had to run and throw the ball and that’s primarily due to the fact that he’s been able to make good decisions.”
Hillary’s favorite target this season has been fellow Big South 1st team selectee Matt Hazel. The 6-3, 190 pound junior receiver has caught 49 passes for 615 yards and 5 touchdowns. Hazel was described by his coach as a precise route runner who understands coverages and has great hands.
Offensive Center Pat Williams and slot receiver/punt returner Niccolo Mastromatteo are also Big South first team performers. It was Williams and Mastromatteo that jumped off the film for coach Brian Jenkins.
“#20 (Mastromatteo) is very exciting. I really like watching him on film. I have this thing for little guys and I don’t know why”. Coach Jenkins went on to state: “the Center (Williams) is a very physical, nasty player, and I mean nasty in a good way, not in a cheap shot way. He plays the game like an old-school football player and I love that”.
Our take
The Chanticleers boost an explosive offense whose greatest strength lie in its balance. On the season, CCU has rushed for 2200 yards while gaining 2569 through the air. Quarterback Aramis Hillary has the ability to break contain and extend plays with his feet. Wide out Matt Hazel was one of the Big South’s best possession receivers this season while fellow wide-out Niccolo Mastromatteo proved to be one of the most explosive players in the conference.
The Wildcat defense has been good all year applying pressure on opposing quarterbacks and will need to do so on Saturday to help slow down the Coastal offensive attack. The defensive front and particularly the defensive ends will need to remain discipline in their pass rush responsibilities and keep their containment assignments. On the back end, BCU’s secondary has been outstanding this year at limiting big plays through the air and taking the ball away. They will need to turn in another top flight effort on Saturday in hopes of keeping the CCU offense contained.
Here is a look at the Chants’ relevant offensive statistics:
Rushing offense: 200.00 ypg
Passing offense: 233.55 ypg
Total offense: 433.55 ypg
Scoring offense: 35.18 ypg
Notable: WR/PR Niccolo Mastromatteo is responsible for the 2nd and 3rd longest scoring plays in CCU football history (a 91 yard punt return against Charleston Southern in 2010 and an 81 yard punt return against Presbyterian earlier this season).
When Coastal is on defense
From a statistical standpoint, the Chanticleers defense has been less than stellar throughout the course of the season. CCU ranks in the bottom third in most of the important national defensive statistical categories. The Chants give up an average of 26.55 points per game, 181 yards rushing per contest, and over 400 yards of total offense.
Playoff bound opponent Appalachian State racked up 684 yards of offense on CCU while 3-8 Gardner-Webb piled up 547 yards of offense on the Chants.
Despite the statistics, coach Jenkins sees a defense on film who is “a well-coached football team. The defensive front is very aggressive, their linebackers run to the ball well, and the defensive secondary don’t get beat deep much”.
Sophomore linebacker Quinn Backus is an All-American candidate and was named the Big South Defensive Player of the year this season. Backus set the CCU single-season mark with 123 tackles and ranks 10th nationally averaging 11.2 tackles per contest. He was also responsible for forcing 3 fumbles and picking off 2 passes this season.
Our take
Coach Moglia stated in his weekly teleconference that the Wildcats will move the ball on his squad but his team must limit the big plays. With that in mind, BCU’s offense must take advantage of a CCU defensive unit that has been poorest at spots throughout the season. The Wildcat offense can ill-afford to help the CCU defense by putting themselves in adverse situations and piling up reckless penalties.
CCU’s base defense is a 4-2-5. BCU must use their size advantage up front to establish the running game. You would also like to see the Wildcats not struggle to the slow start that has plagued them at times this season. If the Wildcats protect the ball and execute to their normal standard, they should find great success against the Chanticleer defense.
WHAT IS A CHANTICLEER?
Chanticleer (SHON-ti-cleer) comes from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. A Chanticleer is a rooster who rules the barnyard with cunning and wit. His competitiveness never wanes as he battles to the end, using his brains to come out on top.
Quick Facts:
~ Junior running back, Isidore Jackson, needs just 8 more yards to reach 1,000 yards on the season. Jackson would be just the 6th BCU player in the modern era to reach the 1,000 yard milestone and the first to do so since quarterback Allen Suber ran for 1,035 in 2002.
~ Assuming Quentin Williams doesn’t turn an ankle in practice, this will be the first time BCU has entered a playoff contest with a healthy signal-caller. In BCU’s last playoff appearance (2010), MEAC Offensive Player of the Year, Matt Johnson, was unable to participate due to a shoulder injury. Coach Jenkins stated earlier this week that 11 starters on offense and defense were missing in that game.
~ A win on Saturday would give BCU its fourth 10-win season in history and the 2nd in the Brian Jenkins era.
BCU by the Numbers
Category Nat’l Rank Avg.
Rushing Offense 10 247.45
Passing Offense 111 38.45
Total Offense 50 385.91
Scoring Offense 34 30.82
Turnover Margin 3 1.64
Rushing Defense 28 129.55
Pass Defense 10 164.55
Pass Efficiency Def 1 95.18
Total Defense 5 294.09
Scoring Defense 10 17.73
Key Player Rankings
Rushing: Isidore Jackson (90.18 YPG) – 41st
All-Purpose Runners: Isidore Jackson (102.36 YPG) – 84th
Total Offense: Quentin Williams (156.33) – 94th
Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. The game will be streamed live on WatchESPN.com. HailWildcats.com will host a Live Chat during the game. The Live Chat will provide posters with a highly interactive platform in which they can discuss and follow the game as it is happening live. The Live Chat interfaces with Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube.
@BCUAthletics, @BCUExaminer, and @HailWildcats Twitter feeds will interface with the Live Chat. This will allow the posters to interact with the men and women who are dedicated to bringing you the most in-depth coverage of Bethune-Cookman football. The Chat will also allow users to access the most up to date gameday information from one centralized location.
You can participate in the Live Chat by posting your opinions/feedback/questions or by simply following along. All are encouraged to participate.
The Live Chat Link will become active at approximately 1:45 p.m. on gameday and will be available on the HailWildcats.com front page.
Wildcats remain perfect in MEAC with 21-16 Florida Classic victory
2012 MEAC and Fla Classic Champs
ORLAND, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman held off a late charge from Florida A&M to secure its second straight victory in the Florida Blue Florida Classic. The Wildcats, who are headed to the FCS playoffs, have now won 7 consecutive games and 13 straight in MEAC play.
Quentin Williams threw for 120 yards and one touchdown on 12-18 passing. Williams also rushed for 86 yards including a 51 yard scamper in the first quarter which helped setup Bethune’s first score of the afternoon.
After trailing 10-7 at halftime, BCU scored on a 34-yard Isidore Jackson touchdown run with 3:13 remaining in the third quarter. Jackson ended the afternoon with 77 yards rushing leaving him just 8 yards shy of reaching 1,000 on the season. Andronicus Lovette added a 1-yard rushing score with 11:30 left to push BCU’s lead to 21-10.
Florida A&M made a contest of it after Damien Fleming eluded a certain sack and connected with Dewayne Harvey for a 37-yard score to cut the lead to 5 (21-16) with 8:04 remaining.
Fleming had a final opportunity to work his magic when the Rattlers took over possession on their own 47 with 3:49 left in the contest. However, it was the BCU defense that made the game defining play. On 2nd down and 17, Harold Love III chased down Fleming forcing a fumble with 1:17 seconds left in game. Tevin Toney recovered the fumble and raced 47 yards for an apparent BCU touchdown but the officials (who did not have a particularly great day at the office) initially ruled that the runner was down on the play but reversed the call after a booth review. The touchdown did not stand, but BCU was able to take over possession and run out the clock.
Jarkevis Fields, who stated that he had quite a few family and friends in the house screaming go #1 and Go Wildcats, led the Wildcats with 11 tackles including 2 for loss.
The playoff bound Wildcats will now await word on their next opponent. The FCS playoff field of 20 will be revealed Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. on the ESPN family of networks.
HailWildcats.com 