tenn state

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.

Wildcats escape Nashville with 12-9 win

/ J Bell / Leave a comment

Jordan Murphy hauled in a 6 yard TD pass from Jackie Wilson with 5:01 remaining in the 4th quarter giving Bethune-Cookman a 12-9 lead over Tennessee State and the game’s only touchdown. The Wildcats held on by the same scoreline and walked out of Sunday night’s John Merritt Classic with its 2nd victory over TSU in 8 tries.

Bethune dominated the opening quarter scoring on its first two possessions and limiting the TSU offense to no points and just 35 yards of offense in the process.

The only thing BCU did wrong in the opening frame was not score touchdowns.  Instead, the Cats were forced to settle on two made field goals by Werley Cagle (21, 30 ) for an early 6-0 lead.  Quarterback Brodrick Waters’ 33 yard strike to Preston Cleckley aided in setting up BCU’s initial score.

Tennessee State got its first points of the night in the 2nd quarter after Cagle botched the snap on a punt and was unable to get the kick away. TSU took over on the Wildcat 5 yard line but a stout BCU defense limited to damage to just 3 points.  A second Jamin Godfrey field goal tied the game at 6 apiece heading into the half.

The Blue Tigers took advantage of its first possession of the second half and marched 86 yards on 18 plays covering 10:22.  Godfrey’s 26 yard field goal gave TSU its first and only lead of the night.

But the Wildcats were not to be denied.  BCU sealed the victory when Wilson connected with Murphy on a 6 yard TD strike in the left endzone which capped a 12 play, 71 yard scoring drive.  Wilson went 4-4 for 40 yards on the game clinching drive.

Defensively, the Wildcats held Tennessee State without a touchdown and limited the Tigers to just 248 yards of offense.

FCS Playoff Picture

/ J Bell / Leave a comment

The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats are MEAC Champions for the second time in three years.  But unlike 2010 when the Wildcats joined South Carolina State and Florida A&M as league co-champions, the 2012 crown will not be shared.  This year’s Championship is the Cats’ first outright title since 2002.

BCU now owns 5 MEAC crowns and 11 conference championships all-time. (The Wildcats won 6 SIAC titles before joining the MEAC in 1979.) 

Possible 1st round matchups

Here is what we know: the Wildcats are headed to the 2012 FCS playoffs; and Bethune-Cookman has submitted a bid to host a first round game.  Who BCU faces and whether or not the Cats will be awarded a home game are still anyone’s guess.  The mystery will be revealed next Sunday morning when the field of 20 is announced.  We should probably refrain from speculating on who the Wildcats will face and just allow things the sort themselves out but that would be no fun. 

So let’s take a look at the most probable first round matchups based on what we know today.

Keep in mind that 12 playoff bound teams receive a first round bye; the FCS playoff committee ranks the top 5 seeds; and  teams are matched based on things such as geographic proximity.  With that in mind, the Cats are not expected to receive a first round bye and will very likely face one of the following teams in the opening round.

Wofford (Spartanburg, SC) is looking like a very probable matchup for BCU.  The Terriers, along with Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, are co-champions of the Southern Conference.  All three teams appear to be locks to make the field of 20.  In fact, Appalachian State (Boone, NC) could also be a potential first round foe.  The Wildcats will certainly have to hit the road if matched against App State as the Mountaineers almost always host their first game of the playoffs.

Coastal Carolina (Conway, SC) will likely end the season tied for first place in the Big South with Liberty and Stony Brook.  The Chanticleers will receive the conference’s automatic bid if the three teams finish the season tied for first.  Interestingly, Coastal and Bethune played one common opponent this year (North Carolina A&T) and the margin of victory was the same for both (+16 points).

Stony Brook entered the weekend ranked 6th in the Sports Network FCS poll but suffered a defeat to conference foe Liberty.  If (and that’s a big if) Stony Brook receives an at-large berth, they could very well be matched against BCU in the first round.

This week’s Tennessee State/UT-Martin (Ohio Valley) matchup is an unofficial playoff game for both teams.  The loser is definitely out of the mix.   The winner, however, could secure one of the final at-large slots and may be pitted against the Wildcats on Thanksgiving weekend.

Colonial Athletic teams James Madison, Towson, Villanova, and Richmond are all sitting on the proverbial playoff bubble and either of whom could be matched against Brian Jenkins’ squad in the opening round. 

Thank goodness we will not have to speculate much longer.  Post season play begins in less than two weeks but first things first.

The Wildcats tangle with arch-rival FAMU in Saturday’s Florida Blue Florida Classic in Orlando.  BCU will look to complete their first ever undefeated MEAC season in the regular season finale.  Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.