Florida Classic

Wildcats Win An Instant Classic Florida Classic 38-34

/ J Bell / Leave a comment
Josh Evans scores winning TD with 28 seconds remaining – 2025 FL Classic

It’s the Monday after the 2025 Florida Classic and I’m just now typing out this wrap-up. Not because I’m short on words or emotion. It’s the opposite. I’ve spent the last two days trying to sort through the highs, the lows, the despair, the delirium, the absolute emotional whiplash that this game dropped on all of us. I’m still not sure I’m ready to capture that roller coaster in writing, but here goes.

For the past decade, my wife and I have made it our business to bring someone new to the Florida Classic each year. It’s a personal ministry at this point despite the fact that our Bethune-Cookman Wildcats had dropped four in a row heading into Saturday’s game. 

The Florida Classic(S), as some pronounce it, is one of the premier Black cultural events in the state of Florida. It just has to be experienced! From the trash talk within families, offices, churches, sororities and fraternities; to the food vendors lined up on Tampa Avenue. From the excellence of The Marching Wildcats and The Marching 100; to the barbs thrown at the other school at the luncheon the day prior to the game. It’s all amazing.

But as great as all of those things are, nothing…and I mean nothing tops a dramatic football moment in this extravaganza. On Saturday night we got all the dramatics we could handle. 

There were four lead changes and thirty-two points scored in the fourth quarter alone. Punch. Counter punch. Kick. Counter kick. One moment you’re talking trash, the next you’re feeling like trash.

THE SWINGING OF EMOTIONS

BCU dominated the first half and took a 24–9 lead into halftime. Wildcat fans were floating higher than those seven hills we always hear about. But FAMU opened the second half with a touchdown to cut it to 24–16. Then came a pair of missed BCU field goals, followed by a made FAMU field goal to make it 24–19 with 8:51 left in the fourth quarter.

At this point, Wildcat fans were feeling tight. And I mean, tight-tight.

A quick BCU three-and-out opened the door, and FAMU kicked it in. One play later, a 72 yard Jamal Hailey run up the gut, felt like a kick in the gut. The two-point conversion was successful and suddenly the Rattlers were up 27–24.  For the first time in probably a month, the thought occurred to me that Cookman might actually lose this ballgame. 

I was flabbergasted. Shook. Nervous.

My wife and I’s first-time Classic guest asked, “what just happened?”

On the inside I was asking the same thing. But with clinched teeth and a tight stomach I uttered: “there’s still over 7 minutes left. A lot can happen.”

BON-BON LIGHTS UP THE NIGHT

BCU got the ball back and on 2nd and 5, with both bands blasting, something special happened. Timmy McClain hit Javon “Bon-Bon” Ross on a short crosser. Bon-Bon hit the brakes, reverse-pivoted, dropped two Rattlers flat to the ground, outran another, and raced 67 yards up the FAMU sideline directly towards their band for a highlight reel touchdown.

31–27, Cats. All is well in the world again. 

I exhaled 4-years worth of Classic stress in one breath. Surely, surely, that was enough excitement for the night and BCU had this game won right?

Nope. Not yet at least. 

THE SWING… AGAIN

FAMU marched right back. On 3rd and 10 from the BCU 29, the defense came up with what looked like a massive stop. But a questionable holding call on CB Johnny Harris III extended the drive. One play later, Thad Franklin punched it in. Cats down 34–31 with 2:19 left.

I’d seen this movie. Twice this season— Grambling and Jackson State—similar situation, similar heartbreak. I told myself to accept the L. Five straight to FAMU? The dark clouds were rising. 

The bands struck up again: The 100 playing “Hey Let’s Go,” the Marching Wildcats blasting “Vice Versa.”

Me? I was playing sad songs in my head.

Sack on first down against BCU.

My sad playlist turned into a depressed playlist.

Incomplete on 2nd and 20.

Stomach now in my socks and I am  speaking in strange tongues trying to keep it all together. 

On 3rd and 20, McClain found Rickie Shaw for 17 yards—just enough to make 4th down manageable. The Cats converted and hope reentered my body.  

THE MOMENT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

Fifty-five seconds later: 4th and 8 from the FAMU 41.

A first down puts you in field goal range. No first down and it’s over. Simple math.

McClain drops back. The safe throw is there. He passes it up. He looks deep… and he finds a WIDE OPEN Josh Evans streaking untouched down the BCU sideline.

Forty-one yards. Touchdown.

Twenty-eight seconds left.

UN.

FREAKING.

BELIEVABLE.

BCU 38, FAMU 34. Final.

Our first-time guest was crying. Offensive Coordinator Donte Pimpleton was crying. Half the stadium was crying—some from heartbreak, some from pure joy. Depends on which colors you were rocking.

THE LOCAL KIDS WHO OWNED THE MOMENT

McClain and Evans—two Central Florida Area kids transferred to BCU to be closer to home. Playing in front of their people; in the biggest game of the year; they are now forever etched into the lore of this rivalry.

McClain called it “an out-of-body experience” in the postgame presser. No lie detected.

As for our guest? She rated it a 10 out of 10 experience. Said it was way better than advertised. Said she’ll be back every year.

That’s what this event is about. Abject agony for some; utter joy for others. Lasting memories for all.

The 2025 edition…An Instant Classic Florida Classic.

QtrTimeScoring PlayFAMBCU
1st08:33FAM – Porto,Daniel 45 yd field goal 7 plays, 36 yards, TOP 04:2230
1st04:38BCU – Jenkins,Lorenzo 25 yd pass from McClain,Timmy (Dominguez,Juan kick) 7 plays, 61 yards, TOP 03:2837
2nd13:31BCU – Dominguez,Juan 30 yd field goal 7 plays, 43 yards, TOP 03:38310
2nd06:52BCU – Robinson,Khamani 50 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 1 plays, 50 yards, TOP 00:10317
2nd04:04FAM – Burris,Armand 44 yd pass from Johnson III,RJ ( ) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:48917
2nd00:23BCU – Huggins,Maleek 7 yd pass from McClain,Timmy (Dominguez,Juan kick) 10 plays, 90 yards, TOP 03:33924
3rd11:56FAM – Burris,Armand 17 yd pass from Johnson III,RJ (Porto,Daniel kick) 8 plays, 68 yards, TOP 02:581624
4th08:49FAM – Porto,Daniel 37 yd field goal 10 plays, 62 yards, TOP 03:551924
4th07:47FAM – Hailey,Jamal 72 yd run (Lawrence,Goldie pass), 1 plays, 72 yards, TOP 00:122724
4th07:03BCU – Ross,Javon 67 yd pass from McClain,Timmy (Dominguez,Juan kick) 2 plays, 72 yards, TOP 00:362731
4th02:19FAM – Franklin, Jr.,Thad 19 yd run (Porto,Daniel kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:433431
4th00:20BCU – Evans,Josh 41 yd pass from McClain,Timmy (Dominguez,Juan kick) 8 plays, 70 yards, TOP 01:523438
3438
StatisticFAMBCU
First Downs
Total2223
Rushing1010
Passing98
Penalty35
Rushing
Total (Net)195211
Attempts2534
Avg. Per Rush7.86.2
Rushing TDs21
Yds. Gained225244
Yds. Lost3033
Passing
Total (Net)228274
Comp.-Att.-Int.22-35-022-33-0
Avg. / Att.6.58.3
Avg. / Comp.10.412.5
TDs24
Total Offense
Yards423485
Plays6067
Avg. / Play77.2
Fumbles – Lost1-12-1
Penalties – Yds.7-709–90
Punting
Punts – Yds.4–1773-146
Avg. / Punt44.248.7
Inside 2011
50+ Yds.12
Touchbacks01
Fair Catch20
Kickoffs
Total – Yds.7-3947-434
Avg. Yds. / Kickoff56.362.0
Touchbacks12
Returns
Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs1-0-01-21-0
Punt: Avg. / Return0.021.0
Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs2-44-06–138-0
Kickoff: Avg. / Return22.023.0
INT: Total – Yds. – TDs0-0-00-0-0
Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs0-0-01–5-0
Miscellaneous
Misc. Yards00
Poss. Time28:1931:41
3rd. Down Conv.3 of 104 of 12
4th. Down Conversions0 of 11 of 1
Red-Zone: Scores – Chances4–43-3
Sacks: Total – Yds.3-254-23
PAT: Total – Made2-35–5
2PT Conversion: Total – Made1–10-0
Field Goals: Total – Made2-21-3

Wildcats Flex Their Muscle and Find that Winning Feeling Again!

/ J Bell / Leave a comment
Credits: Bethune-Cookman University

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.

Credits: BCU Athletics

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.

Credits: BCU Athletics

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! 💪

StatisticEWUBCU
First Downs
Total2015
Rushing711
Passing104
Penalty30
Rushing
Total (Net)74228
Attempts3041
Avg. Per Rush2.55.6
Rushing TDs01
Yds. Gained137250
Yds. Lost6322
Passing
Total (Net)173209
Comp.-Att.-Int.19–40–413-23-1
Avg. / Att.4.39.1
Avg. / Comp.9.116.1
TDs13
Total Offense
Yards247437
Plays7064
Avg. / Play3.56.8
Fumbles – Lost1-00-0
Penalties – Yds.13–9411-89
Punting
Punts – Yds.7-2305-231
Avg. / Punt32.946.2
Inside 2032
50+ Yds.12
Touchbacks01
Fair Catch30
Kickoffs
Total – Yds.3-1386–349
Avg. Yds. / Kickoff46.058.2
Touchbacks03
Returns
Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs2–12-01-10-0
Punt: Avg. / Return6.010.0
Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs3–59-01-8-0
Kickoff: Avg. / Return19.78.0
INT: Total – Yds. – TDs1-0-04–51–1
Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs0-0-00-0-0
Miscellaneous
Misc. Yards00
Poss. Time30:4929:11
3rd. Down Conv.4 of 156 of 13
4th. Down Conversions1 of 10 of 1
Red-Zone: Scores – Chances1-12–4
Sacks: Total – Yds.3-224–44
PAT: Total – Made0-15–5
2PT Conversion: Total – Made0-00-0
Field Goals: Total – Made1-10-1
QtrTimeScoring PlayEWUBCU
1st03:07BCU – Huggins,Maleek 20 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 5 plays, 25 yards, TOP 02:5707
2nd03:13BCU – Scott Jr.,Alihaja 9 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 3 plays, 45 yards, TOP 01:13014
2nd01:13EWU – Lovett,Makai 23 yd pass from Bodden,Noah ( ) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:00614
3rd09:27BCU – Robinson,Khamani 75 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 3 plays, 84 yards, TOP 01:32621
3rd04:44BCU – Huggins,Maleek 82 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 5 plays, 92 yards, TOP 02:12628
3rd03:14BCU – Lassiter,Naim 40 yd interception (Dominguez,Juan kick)635
4th06:04EWU – Gagne,Ryan 41 yd field goal 17 plays, 67 yards, TOP 09:16935
935

Opportunity Season: The Road Back Starts Here

/ J Bell / Leave a comment

Sports has a way of giving us all kinds of sayings when the pressure’s on.

“Barbecue or mildew.”

“Put up or shut up.”

“Hunt or be hunted.”

“Run with the big dogs or stay on the porch.”

You’ve heard them. We all have. They’re different ways of saying the same thing: it’s time to deliver.

But for the 2025 Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, no catchphrase is really needed this time around.

It’s just the simple reality of new season, new opportunity.

After all, BCU is coming off the roughest four-year stretch in its 100-year history.

But isn’t that what we love about new seasons? It’s a reset. A chance to change the narrative. And while it may be difficult to believe from the outside, there are reasons to feel optimistic about the 2025 campaign.

🏆 A Legacy Worth Fighting For

Bethune-Cookman boasts a proud football tradition with a resume stacked with decades of wins, championships, and pro-level pedigree. The Wildcats are:

  • Top 25 in FCS All-Time Winning Percentage with an all-time record of 510–351–27 (.590). That’s good enough for seventh all time amongst HBCUs.
  • 5 Conference Titles over the past 20 years and 14 Conference Titles overall.  
  • 4 claimed Black College National Championships.
  • A NFL Hall of Famer in Larry Little. A Buck Buchanan Award winner in Rashean Mathis. Several NFL All-Pros, Pro- Bowlers, etc.

Bottomline, there is a ton of heritage attached to this BCU football program.

😔 A Historic Low Point

While Cookman has a ton of history to celebrate on the gridiron, we can’t pretend that the past four seasons have not been difficult for the maroon and gold. The Wildcats suffered 2–9 seasons in 2021 and 2022, a 3-8 season in 2023, and a 2–10 finish in 2024. The nine wins over the past four years represent the worst 4-year run in the program’s 100 years of playing tackle football as mentioned previously.

🔥 Why 2025 Could Be the Barbecue Season (No, Really)

Entering his third season, Coach Raymond Woodie Jr’s positive impact is being felt off the field.

  • Team GPA has risen from 2.4 to 3.25.
  • 19 players earned 4.0 GPAs last season.
  • The team was removed from NCAA mandated practice time restrictions due to Academic Progress Rate (APR) penalties.
  • New on-campus locker room. ✅. New showers. ✅. New facility upgrades. Underway.

These are all positives happening within the program and worth celebrating. But let’s take a look at why 2025 has a chance to be different ON THE FIELD.

🔁 Experience Returning

The 2025 version of the Bethune-Cookman football team is easily the most experienced team of the Raymond Woodie era. Heck, for the first time in 3 years, they actually had enough players to host a traditional Spring game.

Offense

Team continuity is a precious commodity in the current transfer portal era. Fortunately for Bethune, nine starters return on offense alone. That’s not to say that BCU was not impacted by the portal on offense. In fact, last year’s leading rusher, running back Dennis Palmer, and second leading receiver tight end Thomas Nance, transferred to FBS programs Troy and Temple respectively.

Beyond that, all other starters return on the offensive side of the ball. That’s HUGE!

QB Cam Ransom completed over 62% of his pass attempts last year throwing for 1843 yards and 11 touchdowns in the process. The big left hander from Lakeland was named to the Preseason All-SWAC 2nd Team. Ransom has the arm, the legs, and the poise to give BCU a chance on every snap. Transfers Tim McClain (Arkansas State) and Amari Jones (Florida International) are expected to push Ransom for snaps and provide the Wildcats with three top notch signal callers.

WR Malik Huggins is another Preseason All-SWAC 2nd Teamer. Huggins is dangerous in both the return game and in the slot. A six-yard slant can quickly become a 60-yard see-ya once Huggins gets his hands on the ball. Fellow slot receiver Javon Ross, had an incredible Spring and seems poised for a breakout sophomore campaign. Pitt transfer Lorenzo Jenkins showed what he can do outside the numbers last season. Add all of that up, throw in a handful of newcomers who are expected to contribute right away and BCU has quietly put together one of the better wide receiver rooms in the SWAC.

O-Line: The entire starting group is back and anchored by freshman All-American Teko Shoats. This group got better as they got younger last season which is a crazy statement. Bethune finished 2024 with 3 true freshmen starting on the offensive line in the last few games. Ironically, the offense performed its best during that same span. The unit was bolstered in the offseason by getting a few guys healthy again, as well as adding new faces via the portal and on national signing day. Let’s see if the Wildcats can make the next leap forward as a collective unit in the trenches. If they can, watch out!

Defense

Seven starters return on defense. AJ Hall anchors the front seven from his defensive tackle position. Hall is yet another All-SWAC performer who will be joined by Preseason All-SWAC LB, Malik Stinnett and last year’s All-SWAC Preseason linebacker, Dearis Thomas, who spent the last 10 games of 2024 nursing an injury.

BCU suffered far more attrition to the portal on the defensive side of the ball losing 4 linemen and a linebacker to FBS and FCS schools alike. That means the newcomers in the front seven will have to produce right away to help offset these losses.

🗺️ The 2025 Roadmap

The Wildcats start the year on the road to face 3 of their 4 toughest opponents: at FIU, at Miami, and at South Carolina State respectively.

The non-conference slate wraps up on September 20th when a Brian Jenkins led Edward Waters visits Daytona Stadium for the first home game of the year.

The final 8 games are all against SWAC opponents. The home matchups include Alabama A&M (9/27), Southern (10/11), UAPB (10/25 homecoming), and MSVS (11/1).

BCU visits ASU (10/4), Grambling (11/8), JSU (11/15), and that school from one of those hills in Tallahassee on (11/22) in Orlando for the Florida Classic.

💥 The Case for BCU in 2025

Bethune lost 4 conference games a season ago by a combined 13 points. That’s painful. To add insult to injury, the Wildcats had the ball with a chance to win on the final possession in all 4 of those games. 2025 will look different if BCU can find a way to start winning the close games; or as Coach Woodie often says, “they have to finish”.

We expect the offense to be better; but how much better can they be is the real question yet to be answered.

The glass half empty crowd will point to the fact that the offense ranked in the bottom third of the conference in most major offensive metrics last year. The most important of which was 11th in points per game at a mere 20.2.

The glass half full crew understands that the current unit is more established, more experienced, and has more depth. We think the offense will need to be at least a 7-8 points better per game if they are to secure their first winning season in 5 years. That’s a huge number for sure but 27 points per game in modern college football is a more than reasonable expectation for winning squads.

On the defensive side of things, Coach Woodie has to hope that his unit performs closer to the way they did in his first season in 2023. That year, they finished 2nd in FCS in tackles for loss with 7.8 per game and gave up around 26 ppg.

If the season kicked off tomorrow, the Wildcats would be more than a one score underdog in 4 games (FIU, Miami, SC State, and Jackson State); they would likely be favored in 3 games (Edward Waters, UAPB, and MSVS); and the other 5 would likely be games under a one touchdown scoreline which we are considering toss up games (AAMU, ASU, SU, GSU, and FAMU). The straightest path to a .500 or better season is to win the games you’re favored in, and win more of the toss up games than you lose. That alone gets you to 6 wins if our point spread assumptions are true. If they can pull an upset or two or win a few more toss up games, now you’re talking a 7 or 8 win season. I think that would be a fully successful season in year 3 for Coach Woodie.

The good news is we won’t have to guess and “what-if” for much longer. We will soon get our answer as to whether the 2025 Wildcats will “barbecue or mildew”, “hunt or be hunted”, “run with the big dogs”… Like I said, you get the point.

Bethune-Cookman Falls Short in 41-38 Florida Classic Thriller

/ J Bell / Leave a comment
Credits: Tallahassee Democrat

Bethune-Cookman Falls Short in 41-38 Florida Classic Thriller

The 2024 Florida Classic lived up to its billing as one of the most exciting matchups in HBCU football as Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M delivered a nail-biter and one of the best HBCU games of the season. Despite both teams entering the contest on two-game losing streaks, the Wildcats and Rattlers gave fans an entertaining and well-played 41-38 game that came down to the final drive and highlighted the best of this storied rivalry.

Game Summary

The game began with fireworks as FAMU’s Thad Franklin Jr. opened the scoring with a 17-yard touchdown run on FAMU’s first possession. 

Bethune-Cookman responded quickly with an amazing 77-yard punt return TD by Maleek Huggins, tying the game at 7-7. After a FAMU field goal, the Wildcats’ defense faltered momentarily, allowing a 12-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Richardson to Jamari Gassett early in the second quarter.

Bethune-Cookman fought back with freshman sensation Dennis Palmer breaking free for a 19-yard touchdown run, narrowing the gap to 17-14. Quarterback Cam’Ron Ransom connected with Huggins on a 56-yard bomb with time winding down in the first half, giving the Wildcats a 21-17 lead at halftime and sending the BCU faithful into a frenzy.

The third quarter saw both teams trade scores. Cade Hechter’s 43-yard field goal extended BCU’s lead to 24-17 before Franklin Jr. struck again for FAMU with a 2-yard touchdown to even the game. A late field goal by Cameron Gillis put the Rattlers ahead 27-24 entering the fourth quarter.

The final quarter was nothing short of a rollercoaster. The Wildcats lined up for a would be 47-yard game tying field goal attempt early in the 4th but unfortunately, Hecter’s attempt sailed wide left.

On FAMU’s next snap, Franklin Jr. broke loose for a 70-yard touchdown to give FAMU a 34-24 lead.

Props to Cookman for coming right back and answering with a 5 play, 59 yard drive that ended with a 1-yard Palmer  touchdown run to bring BCU within three (34-31).

After Kelvin Dean scored on an 11-yard run for FAMU (41-31), Palmer capped off his brilliant day with a 2-yard touchdown (41-38).  But it wasn’t enough, as BCU’s final drive ended on an unsuccessful Hail Mary attempt as time expired. 

Key Moments

The Wildcats had their highest scoring output of the year in Saturday’s matchup (38), but two key moments in the final quarter helped sealed Bethune-Cookman’s fate:

  1. Missed Field Goal: Cade Hechter  came up short on a 47-yard attempt with 12:21 remaining in the contest. BCU could have tied the game at 27 with a successful field goal but the kick sailed wide. The deflated defense took the field after the change of possession and gave up a 70 yard Rattler TD run on the first snap. BCU never tied or saw the lead again after that moment.
  2. Another Missed Opportunity After Turnover Late in the game: Perhaps the biggest missed opportunity of the contest came later in the fourth quarter. BCU’s defense forced a FAMU turnover with 9:32 remaining. The Wildcat offense took over with great field position at the FAMU 39 yardline; and trailed by just three points (34-31). However, the Cats couldn’t capitalize, and stalled on 4 straight run plays. It was another late game missed opportunity and one that may have cost Bethune the contest.

Bright Spots for the Wildcats

There were plenty of positives for Bethune-Cookman. Junior Maleek Huggins announced his claim as a top playmaker in the SWAC with a career day, including his 77-yard punt return touchdown and a career high 177 receiving yards. 

Freshman Dennis Palmer also showcased his potential, rushing for 178 yards and three touchdowns. These standout performances offered a glimpse into a brighter future for BCU football.

Safeties Antwone Watts and Raymond Woodie III paced the defense with 11 and 10 tackles respectively. Watts also collected an interception on the evening. 

A Classic to Remember

The two teams accounted for over 900 yards of total offense and treated the fans with momentum swings throughout the contest. From BCU’s late touchdown in the second quarter to give the Wildcats a 21-17 halftime lead; to FAMU scoring 17 unanswered points in the second half. The game was very memorable and a reminder of why this matchup holds such a special place in the black college football world.

Bethune-Cookman will now shift its focus to the offseason, with plenty of lessons to build on from this rollercoaster season. With emerging stars like Huggins and Palmer, the Wildcats have a foundation to be optimistic about as they aim to turn the corner in 2025.

BCU prepare for new era, release depth chart

/ J Bell / 1 Comment

Hello Wildcat Nation! After a rather eventful offseason, the 2023 college football season is finally here.

Before we jump in head first, I need you to do me a huge favor. Take a deep breath in, now exhale.

That feels good right? It feels almost like a slice of normalcy. And haven’t we missed normalcy over these past nine months.

Let’s all hope that we can get use to some “good normalcy” around our football program. If judging by some of the things happening around the program as of late, there just might be some light on the horizon for “Dear ‘Ol Bethune-Cookman”.

  • Our own Wildcat alumnus, Head Coach Raymond Woodie, is now in charge of the football program.
  • The new turf practice field is nearing completion.
  • The upgrades to the stadium were recently finalized.

But let’s keep it real, or as my college aged kids say, let’s keep  it a buck, while we appreciate the changes AROUND the program, what we are truly eager for is progress WITHIN the program.

The Wildcats are unveiling a fresh look, with 19 new starters taking the field against the The Memphis Tigers this Saturday at 7:00pm.  

Meet the Starting Line-Up:

  • Offense: QB Tylik Bethea (Delaware State grad transfer), RBs Jaiden Bivens & Jimmy Robinson III, TE Kahlil Overton, WRs Daveno Ellington, Dacarri Allen-Johnson, and Tink Boyd (Va Tech transfer), OL Miguel Sahagun, Antuan Wells, Christina Loving, Jahmari Sylvester (FIU transfer), and Trevaris Hammond.
  • Defense: DL Eddie Walls III, Andrian Hall, Deonte Washington (Texas St transfer), and Amarie Jones. LBs Dearis Thomas (FAU transfer) and Shelton Quarles Jr. (Samford transfer), and Secondary Stephen Sparrow, Iverson Clement (Temple transfer), Ja’Bari Joudon, Johnny Harris III, and Omari Hill-Robinson.

For a detailed Week One depth chart, click here.

Notes and Observations:

  • Although the Week One depth chart offers a glimpse into guys who should see regular playing time, it’s essential to avoid making too many assumptions based on the current depth chart. There are a few names not currently listed but who may emerge as significant contributors this season. Here are a few.

  • Quarterback Cam Ransom: The McNeese State/Georgia Southern transfer showcased leadership and skill during Fall Camp, but rumor has it that he’s awaiting the NCAA’s verdict on his pending waiver for immediate eligibility after transferring to his second school.
  • Jaylin Terzado: This 3-star wideout transfer from Western Carolina showed immense promise in Fall Camp. However, the speedy receiver is currently nursing an injury. We’re rooting for a quick recovery.
  • Eddie Walls III: Speaking of immense promise, no one had a better Fall Camp than the 6’3”, 250lb defensive end from South Ft. Myers High School. Walls showed flashes last season but is looking even more formidable this year coming off the edge. 
  • LaQuan Johnson: A late addition to the Bethune-Cookman roster is a high motor defensive end transfer from Central Michigan. He, along with Walls, may  provide the level of disruption from the Edge position that has been missing from the Wildcat defense over the past two seasons. 
  • Cornerback Dynamics: With two time All-SWAC performer Omari Hill-Robinson and Temple University/University of Florida transfer Iverson Clement, Cookman  might just have one of the best cornerback tandems in the conference.

Anticipation is building, and the clock’s ticking down to the season’s first kickoff at 7:00pm. As always, a contingent from HailWildcats.com will be in the house. If you can’t join us in Memphis, TN, the game’s airing on the ESPN network. For those looking to join HailWildcats.com at the game, visit letsgowildcats.org for travel details.

Finally, The HailWildcats Gridiron radio show will resume this Thursday, August 31st, from 8:00pm-10:00 on Joy 106.3 FM and Joy1063FM.com. Join us live to talk Bethune-Cookman football.

Top “9” Moments from the 2019 Florida Classic

/ J Bell / Leave a comment

Credits: Orlando Sentinel

The Florida Classic is the largest football game in the nation between two historically black colleges. After experiencing Bethune-Cookman’s thrilling 31-27 victory over a red-hot Florida A&M squad this year, you can make a great case that the Florida Classic is not only the biggest, but also the best football game in HBCU sports.

In honor of BCU’s 9th straight Florida Classic win, here are the Top 9 moments from this weekend’s contest.

Credits: Orlando Sentinel

Trevor Merritt’s pick six – You don’t usually highlight a play 7 minutes into the first quarter as the game’s most important but Merritt’s 23-yard interception and touchdown return of FAMU’s Ryan Stanley may have been just that. After struggling in the prior 3 games and failing to convert on the game’s opening possession, the Wildcats needed to grab early momentum in the game. Merritt’s pick six provided the spark needed and helped set the tone for the rest of the evening. BCU led most of the contest, finished with 3 turnovers and Merritt earned the Week 13 Black College Football Player of the Year Spotlight for his efforts.

Steffon with the smooth 28 yard TD grab – Midway through the 2nd quarter, Akevious Williams hooked up with Steffon Francois for a 28 yard TD. Francois beat the cover and hauled in a spectacular catch, twisted and lunged to put BCU up 21-7.

Middle Finger U – A big shout out to Donovan Wells and the Marching Wildcats for forming an amazing “deuces” picture formation at halftime. In route to forming the 2 finger deuces sign, the middle finger transitioned into position first creating what could be construed as…well let’s just call it a middle finger salute. Rather this was intentional or not, I think fans “got the point” to use the words of Marching Wildcats announcer Ken Moore.

Scoop and almost score – FAMU started to seize momentum in the contest and trailed 21-20 late in the 3rd Linebacker Marquis Hendrix ended the Rattler drive when he forced a Ryan Stanley fumble and Devin James scooped up the loose ball and appeared to run it in for a score. Replay officials determined James stepped out at the FAMU 11 yard line but 4 plays later, wide receiver Jonathon Thomas converted his first college field goal to push the Wildcats ahead 24-20.

Akevious to Francois to setup the game winner – BCU took over possession of the football with 5:38 remaining in the contest and trailing 27-24. On 2nd down and 25, Williams found Francois running free in the middle of the field. The two connected on a 44 yard pitch and catch setting up the game winner.

Credits: Orlando Sentinel

Washington scores the game winner – One play after the Williams to Francois 44 yard reception, running back Isaac Washington scored from 15 yards out to put BCU ahead 31-27. The 15 yard score ended up being the final of the game. “A lot of things could have went bad on that play but thank God they didn’t” Washington stated after the contest. When pressed about what could have went bad and whether it was a broken play, Washington stated the details would remain between him and the quarterback but did state “God was looking out for us”.

JT Money – Wide Receiver Jonathon Thomas was pressed into emergency place kicking duties after Xavier McDonald injured his ankle in practice on Thursday. Thomas, who kicked extra points and field goals at Treasure Coast High School, accounted for 7 points going 4/4 on extra points and 1/2 on field goals. For the record, BCU won by 4 points. Big props to the JT and the coaching staffing for coming up clutch.

Devin James seals the deal – Speaking of Treasure Coast High School, Thomas high school teammate Devin James picked off Stanley on 4th and 3 on the Rattlers last drive of the evening. Not only did James’ pick seal the Wildcats 9th straight FL Classic win, it was also the 3rd consecutive year that BCU ended FAMU’s potential game winning drive with an interception of Ryan Stanley. Diquan Richardson (2017), TyDarius Peters (2018) and Devin James (2019) all ended FAMU’s hope of breaking the streak with final possession INTs.

The Florida Classic itself – The best moment of the weekend was the Florida Classic itself. After years of rebuilding, the Florida Classic is fully back. 55,730 attendees inside the stadium, twice that number outside the stadium, the buzz surrounding the game, the bands, food, trash talk and comradery; yeah The Classic is back. The expectations surrounding this year’s game as well as the supercharged atmosphere throughout the entirety of this year’s contest made this the best Classic in a decade and amongst the best of all-time. Congratulations to Florida A&M on a great season. All Hail to the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University for their “Devine 9” win. Hopefully next year’s game will be as good as this one.

 

 

 

$35.00 Roundtrip on HAILWILDCATS.COM Fan Bus to the 2019 FLORIDA BLUE FLORIDA CLASSIC 11/23/19

/ D Will / Leave a comment

 

HAIL WILDCATS Faithful! HWFB

You are cordially invited to hop onboard the HailWildcats.com ‘Road to the Celebration Bowl’ Fan Bus as we support and cheer on our BCU Football team under the direction of Head Coach Terry Sims. Our Fighting Wildcats will travel to “Camping World” Stadium in Orlando, Florida for the 2019 Florida Blue FLORIDA CLASSIC on Saturday November 23rd, 2019 to take on the FAMU Rattlers, kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.

Forget having to drive and park into busy Orlando, for the low rate of $35.00 you will be guaranteed transportation to and from this annual game and still be able to tailgate. Sit back and relax and allow us to do the driving for you, Hailwildcats Fan Bus even has electric outlets under every seat to charge your electronics!

The bus will depart from Daytona at 11:30 am, make a pickup at the Home Depot on Lee Road at 12:15 and will arrive at the Florida Citrus Bowl around 1:00 pm so that you can enjoy the festivities. The Bus will depart back to Daytona around 8:00 pm to allow you to participate in the after game celebration.

Seats are available on a first come, first serve basis. No seats are guaranteed until final payment has been received. Refunds will be granted on a case by case basis!

We encourage the use of secure checkout form below for a fast, safe, and convenient method of securing your seat with a Credit/Debit card.  If you prefer to pay with cash or with Credit/Debit card in person or over the phone, please coordinate with Jerry Bell or Darold Williams at the numbers below. Checks will NOT be accepted.

Seats are filling up quickly, so be sure to lock yours in today.

PICKUP LOCATIONS:

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -Home Depot -11:30 AM 2455 W International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114

ORLANDO, FL -Home Depot -12:15 PM 5351 Diplomat Cir, Orlando, FL 32810

If you have any questions, please call or text Jerry Bell at 407-494-5302 in the Orlando Area or Darold Williams at 386-463-2287 in the Daytona Area.

*Please remember that Camping World Stadium has a “Clear Bag” Policy, please see the link below for more info.

http://www.floridaclassic.org/faq


IMG_4399

Hail Wildcats!
_________________________________________________________

80 Hours Removed from the 2018 Florida Classic; Here are 8 Perspectives of this Weekend’s 33-19 Win

/ J Bell / 1 Comment

1- Bethune-Cookman shuts down FAMU in Florida Classic, blocks Rattlers’ shot at MEAC title

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/college-gridiron-365/os-sp-florida-classic-1118-story.html

2- 99-yard TD run carries Bethune-Cookman to victory over Florida A&M

https://www.macon.com/sports/college/article221767225.html#storylink=cpy

3- Bethune-Cookman scores twice in 4th, Beats FAMU 33-19

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2018/11/17/bethune-cookman-scores-twice-in-4th-beats-florida-am-33-19/38553827/

4- FAMU Collapses again in Florida Classic, lose 33-19 to BCU

http://www.thefamuanonline.com/news/view.php/1036152/FAMU-collapses-again-in-Florida-Classic-

5- FAMU drops disappointing verdict in Classic

http://www.wtxl.com/sports/famu-drops-disappointing—verdict-in-classic/article_6e263e3e-ebb9-11e8-a904-d7de18eef6a6.html

6- Bethune-Cookman downs FAMU, 33-19

https://bcuathletics.com/news/2018/11/17/football-bethune-cookman-downs-famu-33-19.aspx?path=football

7- Super 8! BCU wins eighth straight Florida Classic behind big plays, late turnovers

https://www.news-journalonline.com/sports/20181117/super-8-b-cu-wins-eighth-straight-florida-classic-behind-big-plays-late-turnovers

8- Bethune-Cookman spoils FAMU celebration bowl berth with Florida Classic win

https://hbcusports.com/2018/11/17/bethune-cookman-spoils-famu-celebration-bowl-berth-with-florida-classic-win/

Wildcats look to rebound after TSU setback

/ J Bell / Leave a comment

There is a gentlemen by the name of Dr. K. Jackson who has a thriving pediatric dentistry practice in the Great Atlanta Area. I know you don’t really care about that, unless of course your Little Johnny has a gator-sized overbite in which case you may want to rush out to one of Dr. Jackson’s offices IMMEDIATELY, but humor me if you will.

When we were both seven years old, some older kids in the neighborhood provoked me to start a fight with Dr. J. I had a pretty good history up to that point of holding my own against kids at my level so what the heck. Let’s do this!

Let’s just say things did not go the way I anticipated that day.

Dr. Jackson’s 7 year old self kicked my 7 year self’s butt. It was awful. I cried real tears y’all. I am not exaggerating. He beat me up and sent me home crying real tears. The most frustrating thing is I felt like I had no answers. I just remember thinking whatever the 7 year old version of ‘somebody throw in the dang towel already’ while I was eating a plate full of future dentist fists.

He outthought me, outmaneuvered me, out-classed, out-witted, out-manned, outperformed…I was just…well ‘out’ that day. It was a completely one sided affair.

For those of you who witnessed Bethune-Cookman’s contest against Tennessee State this weekend, it was pretty much the same; only BCU was me and TnST was Dr. Jackson. The Tigers “out-everything” Bethune last Saturday. They outrushed (201-66), out passed (324-178), out-executed, outcoached and of course outscored (34-3) Cookman.

Fortunately for 7 year old me, it all worked out in the end. I live a pretty good life now and Dr. Jackson and I are best of friends to this day. It was also the last fight I loss so I have that to hang my hat on too.

The Wildcats are looking for a similar story line. A lopsided defeat early in the season does not have to define this team and it can mostly be erased from the memory banks if they can course-correct. Objective number one if they are to steer this ship back towards the Celebration Bowl is to fix the offensive line woes. That’s easily spoken but not easily resolved.

Now granted, the offensive line is young and Tennessee State is not exactly the defense you want to break in the new tires against. The Tigers threw a myriad of pressures at the young Wildcat front and frankly BCU simply were not good enough to handle it. Even though the OLine failed their first test, they must rebound if this team wishes to finish the season at or near the top of the conference standings.

Surely the Wildcats will look to set the tone and build much needed confidence in the offense and throughout the entire team when Virginia University of Lynchburg roll into Daytona Beach this Saturday.

The Dragons are a gift from Ms. Mary McLeod to her beloved Wildcats in Week Two of the College Football Season. Virginia Lynchburg are not members of the NCAA, instead, they compete in the lower and less competitive NCCAA or National Christian College Athletic Association. Yet it’s still an official contest against other grown men and after last week’s drubbing, you could not find a better place on the schedule for it. The Wildcats need to not only win this contest but they need to play the role the big bruiser in this fight and get that swagger back that comes not just from winning but dominating your opponent. Doing so would pump a gulp of fresh air into Wildcat nation. I am sure it would also make 7 year old Dr. Jackson really proud.

Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00pm.

$30.00 Roundtrip on HAILWILDCATS.COM Fan Bus to the 2017 FLORIDA BLUE FLORIDA CLASSIC NOV. 18th, 2017

/ D Will / Leave a comment

 

HAIL WILDCATS Faithful! HWFB

You are cordially invited to hop onboard the HailWildcats.com ‘Road to the Celebration Bowl’ Fan Bus as we support and cheer on our BCU Football team under the direction of Head Coach Terry Sims. Our Fighting Wildcats will travel to “Camping World” Stadium in Orlando, Florida for the 2017 Florida Blue FLORIDA CLASSIC on Saturday November 18th, 2017 to take on the FAMU Rattlers, kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m.

Forget having to drive and park into busy Orlando, for the low rate of $30.00 you will be guaranteed transportation to and from this annual game and still be able to tailgate. Sit back and relax and allow us to do the driving for you, Hailwildcats Fan Bus even has electric outlets under every seat to charge your electronics!

The bus will depart from Daytona at 10:00 am, make a pickup at the Home Depot on Lee Road at 10:45 and will arrive at the Florida Citrus Bowl around 11:30 pm so that you can enjoy the festivities. The Bus will return back to Daytona around 6:00 pm to allow you to participate in the after game celebration.

Seats are available on a first come, first serve basis. No seats are guaranteed until final payment has been received. Refunds will be granted on a case by case basis!

We encourage the use of PayPal for a fast, safe, and convenient method of securing your seat. We have attached the PayPal links/options below for your convenience. You do NOT need a PayPal account to complete your transaction. If you prefer to pay with cash or with Credit/Debit card in person or over the phone, please coordinate with Jerry Bell or Darold Williams at the numbers below. Checks will NOT be accepted.

Seats are filling up quickly, so be sure to lock yours in today.

PICKUP LOCATIONS:

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -Cracker Barrel -10:00 AM 2325 W International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114

ORLANDO, FL -Home Depot -10:45 AM 5351 Diplomat Cir, Orlando, FL 32810

If you have any questions, please call or text Jerry Bell at 407-494-5302 in the Orlando Area or Darold Williams at 386-463-2287 in the Daytona Area.

*Please remember that Camping World Stadium has a “Clear Bag” Policy, please see the link below for more info.

http://www.floridaclassic.org/faq


Hail Wildcats!
__________________________________________________________

*CURRENT BCU STUDENTS (Student ID will be Verified) BCU vs FAMU 2017 Florida Blue Florida Classic – Orlando, Fl (Transportation Option only)

paypal_buynow $16.00

Bus Seat to BCU vs FAMU 2017 Florida Blue Florida Classic – Orlando, Fl (Transportation Option only)

$30.00