We Got The Finish – Wildcats Take Down Jackson State 24-21 in Battle for 1st Place

October 26, 2026October 26, 2026 / J Bell / Leave a comment

Heading into the 2026 football season, there was a popular thought circulating around HBCU football circles. That thought was Bethune-Cookman might have a little something to say about who wins the SWAC East.

The thinking was that the Wildcats could play spoiler to one of the division’s preseason favorites, Alabama State or Jackson State.

Well, the Wildcats handled Alabama State in early October. And there they stood Saturday afternoon in Daytona Beach, trailing defending SWAC East champion Jackson State 21-17, facing 3rd-and-11 from the Tigers’ 19-yardline with under a minute remaining.

Quarterback Tyler Jefferson took the snap and looked left. First read wasn’t there. He stepped up in the pocket. Nothing. Jefferson scrambled right, buying just enough time to spot Rickie Shaw working his way across the field.

Shaw found a sliver of daylight in the right corner of the end zone.

TOUCHDOWN WILDCATS!

Bethune-Cookman 24. Jackson State 21.

Forty seconds remaining.

Pandemonium swept through the stadium as Shaw celebrated with his Kappa Alpha Psi shimmy!

But for a few of us, there was no pandemonium. Not yet.

We’ve been here before.

You know, this close to a win only to watch it slip through your fingers in the most agonizing fashion.

So while the stadium erupted, a few of us suspended our excitement and began an almost ritualistic chant:

“WE GOT TO FINISH! WE GOT TO FINISH!”

Heck, Athletic Director Reggie Theus was standing in that same end zone where Shaw had just scored. Amid the celebration, he looked me squarely in the eyes and said the exact same thing.

“We got to finish.”

Jackson State took the ensuing possession and marched into field goal range with six ticks remaining.

Here we go again.

But something funny happened.

The winds that had seemingly calmed down from the earlier downpour picked up almost on cue, blowing toward the left of the uprights.

Good snap.

Good hold.

Good contact.

But Andrew Ivaniciuc’s 49-yard attempt sailed left as time expired.

WILDCATS WIN!

What an ending.

What. A. Game.

And just like that, Bethune had knocked off the defending SWAC East champions, 24-21, and moved into a tie for first place in the division.

The Wildcats found a way to finish.

Was it a perfect game? Absolutely not. But that’s kinda what’s encouraging about this win. BCU left plenty opportunities on the field. But they were able to overcome their own mistakes, and STILL take down the Tigers. That says an awful lot about where Coach Raymond Woodie has this program right now.

The question now is was Saturday simply a big win, or was it an announcement?

You know, the kind of victory that shifts not just the momentum of a season, but the trajectory of a program.

DEFENSE, DEFENSE, AND MORE DEFENSE

As dramatic as Jefferson’s game winning touchdown pass was, the real story Saturday was Bethune’s suffocating defense.

The Wildcats slowed down Jackson State’s vaunted rushing attack and controlled their offense as a whole.

Consider these numbers from BCU’s defense

held JSU to 33 rushing yards on 36 attempts.
13-of-28 passing, under 50 percent.
10 tackles for loss.
4 sacks.
1 forced fumble.

Pure dominance.

Stephen Sparrow was everywhere, collecting 11 tackles, a sack, and two tackles for loss.

Isaiah Washburn wasn’t far behind, recording seven tackles, a sack, and three tackles for loss.

The Wildcats pressured, pressured, and pressured the Tigers bringing 5 or 6 defenders on seemingly 90% of the snaps.

Offensively, Jefferson once again showed why his emergence has been one of the more intriguing developments of this season.

A week after providing the spark against Mississippi Valley State, Jefferson delivered three touchdown passes against Jackson State.

A 21-yarder to Josh Evans.

A 33-yarder to Rashon Brown.

And, of course, the 19-yard game winner to Rickie Shaw.

Jefferson hasn’t solved every issue with Bethune’s passing game. But he’s demonstrating a knack for making big plays when the Wildcats need them most. Plus he is a huge asset in the running game.

A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON

Here’s something you probably wouldn’t know unless you’re a football nerd like me.

Before BCU entered the SWAC, the Wildcats actually held a slightly better all-time historical winning percentage than Jackson State.

Heading into the 2020 season, the historical records looked like this:

Think about that for a moment.

For all the deserved attention JSU has has received throughout the years, Bethune-Cookman has its own rich football tradition.

But since joining the SWAC, the programs have traveled vastly different roads.

JSU has been one of the conference’s standard bearers, collecting SWAC championships and national attention.

Meanwhile, BCU has been fighting to rediscover the winning tradition that once made the Wildcats one of the most respected programs in HBCU football.

And that’s why Saturday mattered.

Not simply because Bethune beat Jackson State.

But because Jackson State represents the level BCU is trying to get back to.

The question surrounding this program has been whether the Wildcats could once again compete consistently with the SWAC’s best.

Well, on Saturday, they didn’t just compete. They won.

NOW COMES THE FUN PART

Let’s see how the Wildcats handle success.

But something about this victory and their recent play tells me they will.

Maybe it’s the way the defense has developed into one of the conference’s most disruptive units.

Maybe it’s Jefferson’s emergence.

Or perhaps it’s the growing confidence of a team that is beginning to believe it belongs in the championship conversation.

Will this be the catalyst that returns the Wildcats to the ranks of year in and year out contenders?

We don’t know that yet.

But we do know this: The Wildcats are contenders RIGHT NOW.

THE PATH FORWARD

The most straightforward path to the SWAC East crown is simple enough.

Win out and hope Alabama A&M drops a game.

If that happens, Bethune wins the East.

There are other potential scenarios, but with several weeks of football remaining, it’s far too early to start untangling every possible tiebreaker.

The Wildcats have more immediate concerns.

Get healthy.

Stay focused.

And take care of business against Arkansas-Pine Bluff this weekend.

Saturday was a huge win. Perhaps the biggest of the Raymond Woodie era.

But if this team wants to turn a signature victory into a championship season, it has to embrace the very words that echoed through the stadium during those final 40 seconds.

WE GOT TO FINISH.

Gameday Photos Against JSU

BIG Bounce Back! Bethune-Cookman Takes Down Valley 34–14

October 18, 2026October 21, 2026 / J Bell / Leave a comment

You know what’s great about college football? EVERYTHING.

It’s the greatest sport on earth. And part of what makes it so amazing is its unpredictability.

I mean, look at the chaos surrounding the Wacky SWAC over the past two weeks. Or consider the madness in the AP Top 10, where five of the nation’s top seven teams fell yesterday.

Then there are our Wildcats, whom many were ready to write off following last week’s hurricane drenched contest.

But in the immortal words of Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friend!”

Bethune-Cookman answered the bell Saturday with a BIG bounce-back win in the Delta, taking down Mississippi Valley State 34–14.

I know. There will be a bunch of folks who dismiss this as merely a game BCU was supposed to win.

But remember, Valley entered Saturday as one of the hottest teams in the conference, fresh off back-to-back victories over reigning SWAC champion Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern. There were plenty of the self-proclaimed, social media prognosticators who even picked the Wildcats to fall.

Instead, Bethune delivered a businesslike performance, controlling the contest from start to finish.

Defense Sets the Tone

First, BCU’s defense was absolutely lights out.

Outside of a handful of plays where you simply tip your cap to quarterback Josh Brown and the Valley offense, the Wildcats smothered the Delta Devils’ rushing attack and extinguished their aerial assault.

By day’s end, BCU had forced 4 turnovers, registered 6 sacks and 11 tackles for loss, and held Valley to just 14 points.

No one had a bigger hand in that than Jaden Davis.

The redshirt junior safety out of Tampa’s Plant High School had an afternoon he will one day tell his grandkids about.

Three interceptions. A scoop and score fumble return touchdown. Nine tackles. A sack. And a tackle for loss.

Yeah, take a bow young king!

But this was hardly a one man show.

Keyontae Byas tied a NCAA record with 9 pass breakups. Joseph Evans added two sacks and three tackles for loss, Steven Sparrow and Isaiah Washburn also got into the backfield for sacks and tackles for loss.

Just a tremendous afternoon for the Wildcat defense.

Jefferson Answers the Call

On the offensive side, you have to give a HUGE shout out to quarterback Tyler Jefferson for his performance in relief of the injured Amari Jones.

Jones moved the football effectively during the opening possessions but appeared to reaggravate the ankle injury that has sidelined him for much of the season.

Enter Jefferson.

The sophomore quarterback stepped in and delivered exactly what the Wildcats needed. He finished the afternoon responsible for four touchdowns; two rushing and two passing.

Both touchdown passes went to Rickie Shaw II, and both covered 23 yards.

Jefferson didn’t need to be Superman. He simply took advantage of the opportunities in front of him, made the right plays, delivered the ball on time, and helped the Wildcats put Valley away.

And considering the criticism and struggles surrounding BCU’s quarterback play this season, you have to be happy for Jefferson.

Great job, TJ. Here’s hoping for more of the same in the weeks ahead.

Right Back in the Hunt

Speaking of the weeks ahead, here’s where things get interesting.

BCU finds itself tied atop the SWAC East standings, with Jackson State preparing to come to town.

And in a league as unpredictable as the Wacky SWAC, that’s exactly where you want to be.

I’m not sure what the social media experts will predict about the JSU game.

What I do suspect is that when Bethune plays the kind of football we witnessed Saturday… opportunistic on defense, timely offensive execution, and disciplined, complementary football, the Wildcats can compete with and beat anybody in this conference.

Last week, we asked, “What’s next for BCU?”

We got that answer: a Big Bounce Back!

Now let’s keep it going!

Hail Wildcats!

Q&A with Coastal Carolina Blog/Fan Forum: CoastalFans.com

November 29, 2013November 29, 2013 / J Bell / 1 Comment

So we caught up with Randy from the CoastalFans.com blog/forum for a Q&A session on this weekend’s 1st round matchup between Bethune-Cookman and Coastal Carolina. A big thank you to Chanticleer super-fan Randy for his time and effort.

Q1) After securing the first playoff win in school history a season ago, how have expectations changed this season for Coastal Carolina? Would Chanticleer fans consider this year a disappointment if CCU did not win a playoff game?

A: Expectations were hopeful after last season, with many fans predicting CCU would finish somewhere in the neighborhood of 9-3 heading into the postseason. I don’t think it would be fair to the hard work & effort our players have put in this year to brand their entire season – a 10-2 effort which has set a ton of all-time program records – as a “disappointment” just because of one loss.

Q2) Head Coach Joe Moglia has hit the ground rolling in Conway leading CCU to back to back Big South titles and playoff appearances in his first two seasons. What has made Coach Moglia so successful so quickly? Is he not long for the office in Conway or do you expect him to stick around with the hopes of building CCU into a FCS powerhouse?

A: Coach Moglia has consistently said that it would take a “dream job”-type scenario to pull him away from Conway. Specifically, he says it would have to be a job where both CCU’s AD & President tell him that he has to take it. Moglia’s not going anywhere for the likes of Toledo, Buffalo or UConn. He will be here for the foreseeable future unless that “dream job” comes along. Personally, I’m more worried about us retaining OC Dave Patenaude if our offense continues to put up the numbers it has been putting up since he came on board.

Q3) Any concerns about the mood/health of the team after losing to SEC power South Carolina 70-10 in your last outing and 2 of the last 3 games overall?

A: There is absolutely no concern about the team’s health after playing South Carolina. We came out of that game with no new injuries to any of our players. As far as the “mood” of the team, I don’t think losing a game to a top-10 FBS team is really cause for much concern. Besides – if I recall correctly, Bethune-Cookman got blown out by ACC powerhouse Florida State by a score of 54-6 & went on to win their next five games by an average margin of 19.4 points.

The loss to CSU, a five point loss on the road against a top-20 FCS school, did indeed sting. But I think it refocused our players on their ultimate goal, which is to still be playing football in January.

Q4) Running back Lorenzo Taliaferro is a Walter Payton Award Finalist, linebacker Quinn Backus is a Buck Buchanan Finalist, Matt Hazel has had a stellar career there, but who are some of the lesser known guys who have made significant contributions this season?

A: Other players to look out for include RB DeAngelo “Hop” Henderson, WR DeMario Bennett and KR Devin Brown. Hop has consistently shown himself to be our future starter at RB, rushing for 536 yds on the season. Bennet, a Senior transfer from South Carolina, has been our #2 receiver all year and is just as dangerous as Hazel. Brown, a RS Freshman, has been explosive on special teams for us this year. Brown set a program record with a 95 yd kickoff return for a touchdown against VMI.

Q5) Prediction on Saturday’s 1st round contest?

A: Bethune-Cookman is certainly no pushover, with one of the top defenses in the FCS. However, CCU has already squared off against several of the top-10 defenses at our level & done very well. We are winning games by an average of 22.6 PPG, and while BCU is only giving up an average of 12 PPG against FCS competition – I don’t think they’ve faced an offense quite like ours this season.

The Wildcats also consistently hurt themselves with penalties, having been flagged a total of 115 times for 944 penalty yards on the season. While the “energetic” coaching style of Brian Jenkins may indeed inspire his players, it unfortunately causes his team to make too many mistakes on which I think the Chanticleers will capitalize.

I do expect this to be a hard-fought game, and I do expect BCU to come out with a chip on their shoulder as they seem to feel they need to avenge their loss to the Chanticleers in last year’s FCS playoffs. The Wildcats obviously have a stellar defense, and it will be interesting to see how they contain RB Lorenzo Taliaferro (who has only lost 11 yards all season) and how they respond to our threats at WR. All that said – I think the Chants take this contest at home, 31-20.

BCU draws Coastal Carolina for 2nd straight year in FCS Playoffs 1st Round

November 24, 2013 / J Bell / Leave a comment

For the second consecutive year, Bethune-Cookman (10-2) and Coastal Carolina (10-2) will square off in the first round of the FCS playoffs.

The Wildcats, who fell to the Chanticleers 24-14 in Daytona Beach last season, will travel to Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C. for a 1:00 kickoff according to www.ncaa.com.

The BCU/CCU winner will travel cross-country for a matchup with Montana who received a first-round bye and the tournaments 8^th seed.

Bethune-Cookman defeated their in-state rival Florida A&M 29-10 in this past Saturday’s Florida Blue Florida Classic. The 45,321 fans in attendance watched the Wildcat defense dominate the FAMU offense limiting the Rattlers to just 89 yards of total offense on the afternoon.

BCU is one of three HBCU teams headed to the FCS playoffs this season. MEAC Co-Champion, South Carolina State (9-3), and Ohio Valley 2^nd place finisher, Tennessee State (9-3), join the Wildcats in the field of twenty-four.

South Carolina State will host their first ever FCS playoff game in a matchup against fellow Palmetto State foe Furman of the Southern Conference while Tennessee State will hit the road for a matchup against Butler (9-3) of the Pioneer League.

The Wildcats own victories over both SCSU and Tenn State this season. All three games involving HBCU squads kickoff on Saturday at 1:00 EST and can be seen on ESPN3.

Wildcats debut at #20 in FCS coaches poll

August 6, 2013August 6, 2013 / J Bell / Leave a comment

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats are ranked 20th in the 2013 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Preseason Coaches Poll. BCU, winners of two of the last three MEAC crowns, finished 23^rd in the final Coaches Poll last season and 15^th in 2010.

Two time defending FCS National Champions North Dakota State received 23 of 26 first place votes and grabbed top honors in the poll. Montana State earned the No. 2 preseason ranking, Eastern Washington is third, followed by Sam Houston State and Wofford rounding out the top 5.

The FCS Coaches Poll is based exclusively on a voting panel of head coaches in the FCS under the cooperation of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and is administered by the Southern Conference.

Preseason 2013 FCS Coaches Preseason Poll

Team (No. 1 Votes) 2012 Record Points Final 2012 Ranking

1. North Dakota State (23) 14-1 645 1

2. Montana State (1) 11-2 591 5

3. Eastern Washington 11-3 549 4

4. Sam Houston State (1) 11-4 534 2

5. Wofford 9-4 450 7

6. Central Arkansas 9-3 428 10

7. South Dakota State 9-4 410 17

8. New Hampshire 8-4 386 13

9. Villanova 8-4 381 16

10. Illinois State 9-4 379 9

11. Cal Poly 9-3 348 11

12. Towson 7-4 347 15

13. Stony Brook 10-3 326 12

14. Richmond 8-3 274 18

15. James Madison 7-4 235 21

16. Northern Iowa 5-6 218 NR

17. Lehigh 10-1 198 14

18. Northern Arizona 8-2 196 20

19. Eastern Kentucky (1) 8-3 188 19

20. Bethune-Cookman 9-3 159 23

21. Coastal Carolina 8-5 140 24

22. Montana 6-2* 135 NR

23. Eastern Illinois 7-5 120 25

24. Youngstown State 7-4 107 NR

25. Chattanooga 6-5 104 NR

Others receiving votes: Wagner (87), Colgate (67), Tennessee State (52), Harvard (48), Delaware (47), The Citadel (39), Liberty (39), Arkansas Pine-Bluff (35), Indiana State (27), Stephen F. Austin (19), McNeese State (16), Penn (13), Alcorn State (12), Jacksonville State (11), Samford (10), Norfolk State (7), Alabama State (7), UC Davis (7), Southern Illinois (6), Maine (5), Albany (5), Tennessee Tech (5), UT Martin (4), Gardner Webb (4), Sacramento State (3), Hampton (3), San Diego (2), Jackson State (1), Missouri State (1), Brown (1)

* Final 6 games of 2012 vacated

Note: The following programs are ineligible for the Coaches Poll due to their transition to the FBS- Appalachian State, Charlotte, Georgia Southern and Old Dominion.

5 Questions heading into Bethune-Cookman football camp

August 4, 2012August 29, 2012 / J Bell / Leave a comment

BCU’s 2012 football season officially kicked off on Thursday morning with the opening of Fall camp at the New Smyrna Sports Complex. The new season brings with it a ton of excitement, high expectations, and the challenges of the unknown.

Here are 5 of our most pressing questions heading into camp.

1. Who will be the Wildcat’s primary signal caller this year?

Coming out of Spring practice, Jackie Wilson was tops on the Wildcats’ depth chart at quarterback. Wilson completed over 66% of his pass attempts last year and was undefeated as a starter against FCS competition. The 6’0”, 215 pound Junior from Ft Lauderdale is expected to be pushed for the starting nod by Louisiana Tech transfer, Brock Waters (Sr.) and redshirt Freshman and 2010 Florida Mr. Football, Quentin Williams.

Waters seems to be the best of the three with his legs, Williams with his arm, and Wilson the best dual threat.

2. Which newcomer will have the greatest impact on the squad?

Many HBCU pundits rated Bethune-Cookman’s 2012 signing class as the best in all of black college football. Several of the 2012 signees will have a chance to step in and contribute right away. Here are a few of the new faces that we’ll be watching closely.

–Brandon Bryant, UCF transfer, has tremendous ability and could step in and fill one of the vacated defensive end slots right away.

–Brock Waters, La Tech transfer, is a versatile athlete who can play any of the three offensive skill positions (QB, RB, and WR).

–Ray Martin is an explosive WR/return specialist from Sanford Seminole high school. Martin was a bona fide playmaker at the high school level and a threat to “break one” at any time.

3. Will the Wildcats be able to compensate for the loss of six defensive starters from a year ago?

This year’s defensive unit may be more athletic, faster, and deeper than last year’s defensive group. The problem is this year’s defensive unit is far less experienced.

Gone are six starters from a year ago, three of whom are currently on NFL rosters (Ryan Davis-Jaguars, Jean Fanor-Chiefs, and Ryan Lewis-Dolphins).

Defensive lineman Harold Love III, linebacker Jarkevis Fields, and safety DJ Howard are all 2012 Preseason All-MEAC selectees. Love, Fields and Howard are proven playmakers at all three levels of the defense (line, linebackers, and secondary). The trio will need to provide leadership and stability to those around them and help facilitate the growth of players like Brandon Bryant, Tavarus Dantzler, and Nick Addison.

4. Will the Cats win their first ever FCS playoff game?

Bethune-Cookman is 0’fer in FCS playoff games and the MEAC is 0 for its last 12 in the FCS playoffs. This year seems as good as any to finally break those dubious streaks. But before the Wildcats can hope to win a playoff game, they must first navigate an arduous schedule and win the conference’s automatic qualifier.

The Cats first four conference matchups are against powerhouse South Carolina State (09/08), Hampton (09/29), North Carolina A&T (10/06), and Norfolk State (10/20). BCU fell to SCSU and NCA&T last season, they narrowly escaped Hampton thanks to a replay decision after regulation time expired, and NSU is the defending conference champion. YIKES!

5. Will the institution and the City of Daytona Beach resolve the issue surrounding the $3 surcharge added to game tickets before the season begins?

The City of Daytona, in hopes to offset the cost of installing the synthetic playing surface at Municipal Stadium, has once again proposed that a $3 surcharge be added to each BCU game ticket. The school has offered a counter-proposal which the City is said to be reviewing.

Neither side can afford to have this issue linger very long. An unused stadium (and consequently unsold hotel rooms and fewer dollars spent at local restaurants, retail outfits, and gas stations) serves no benefit to the City of Daytona Beach. And changing venues this close to the start of the season would be a logistical nightmare for BCU.

Let’s hope that an amicable solution can be reached in the coming days.