Wildcats Win An Instant Classic Florida Classic 38-34

November 24, 2025 / 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.

LIKE BUTTER 🧈🧈🧈

Javon Ross with the smooth moves and we're back on top!#𝙃𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙨 #𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙮𝙏𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 pic.twitter.com/5nF3tySy27
— 🏈 Bethune-Cookman Football (@BCUGridiron) November 22, 2025

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.

Hometown hero. Game-winning moment. https://t.co/IQ8sa67a7Y
— Florida Classic (@FloridaClassic) November 23, 2025

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.

Qtr	Time	Scoring Play	FAM	BCU
1st	08:33	FAM – Porto,Daniel 45 yd field goal 7 plays, 36 yards, TOP 04:22	3	0
1st	04:38	BCU – Jenkins,Lorenzo 25 yd pass from McClain,Timmy (Dominguez,Juan kick) 7 plays, 61 yards, TOP 03:28	3	7
2nd	13:31	BCU – Dominguez,Juan 30 yd field goal 7 plays, 43 yards, TOP 03:38	3	10
2nd	06:52	BCU – Robinson,Khamani 50 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 1 plays, 50 yards, TOP 00:10	3	17
2nd	04:04	FAM – Burris,Armand 44 yd pass from Johnson III,RJ ( ) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:48	9	17
2nd	00:23	BCU – Huggins,Maleek 7 yd pass from McClain,Timmy (Dominguez,Juan kick) 10 plays, 90 yards, TOP 03:33	9	24
3rd	11:56	FAM – Burris,Armand 17 yd pass from Johnson III,RJ (Porto,Daniel kick) 8 plays, 68 yards, TOP 02:58	16	24
4th	08:49	FAM – Porto,Daniel 37 yd field goal 10 plays, 62 yards, TOP 03:55	19	24
4th	07:47	FAM – Hailey,Jamal 72 yd run (Lawrence,Goldie pass), 1 plays, 72 yards, TOP 00:12	27	24
4th	07:03	BCU – Ross,Javon 67 yd pass from McClain,Timmy (Dominguez,Juan kick) 2 plays, 72 yards, TOP 00:36	27	31
4th	02:19	FAM – Franklin, Jr.,Thad 19 yd run (Porto,Daniel kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:43	34	31
4th	00:20	BCU – Evans,Josh 41 yd pass from McClain,Timmy (Dominguez,Juan kick) 8 plays, 70 yards, TOP 01:52	34	38
			34	38

Statistic	FAM	BCU
First Downs
Total	22	23
Rushing	10	10
Passing	9	8
Penalty	3	5
Rushing
Total (Net)	195	211
Attempts	25	34
Avg. Per Rush	7.8	6.2
Rushing TDs	2	1
Yds. Gained	225	244
Yds. Lost	30	33
Passing
Total (Net)	228	274
Comp.-Att.-Int.	22-35-0	22-33-0
Avg. / Att.	6.5	8.3
Avg. / Comp.	10.4	12.5
TDs	2	4
Total Offense
Yards	423	485
Plays	60	67
Avg. / Play	7	7.2
Fumbles – Lost	1-1	2-1
Penalties – Yds.	7-70	9–90
Punting
Punts – Yds.	4–177	3-146
Avg. / Punt	44.2	48.7
Inside 20	1	1
50+ Yds.	1	2
Touchbacks	0	1
Fair Catch	2	0
Kickoffs
Total – Yds.	7-394	7-434
Avg. Yds. / Kickoff	56.3	62.0
Touchbacks	1	2
Returns
Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs	1-0-0	1-21-0
Punt: Avg. / Return	0.0	21.0
Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs	2-44-0	6–138-0
Kickoff: Avg. / Return	22.0	23.0
INT: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	0-0-0
Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	1–5-0
Miscellaneous
Misc. Yards	0	0
Poss. Time	28:19	31:41
3rd. Down Conv.	3 of 10	4 of 12
4th. Down Conversions	0 of 1	1 of 1
Red-Zone: Scores – Chances	4–4	3-3
Sacks: Total – Yds.	3-25	4-23
PAT: Total – Made	2-3	5–5
2PT Conversion: Total – Made	1–1	0-0
Field Goals: Total – Made	2-2	1-3

Home Sweet Homecoming — Wildcats Win by 17 over UAPB

October 27, 2025 / J Bell / Leave a comment

Johnny Harris III and Antwone Watts – Homecoming 2025

A Win to Remember

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

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

Game Recap — How It Went Down

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

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

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

Alihaja Scott Jr scores from 5 yards out

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

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

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

Breaking the Homecoming Hex

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

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

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

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

Undefeated at Home — and Unfinished Business

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

Eyes on the Prize — SWAC East and Beyond

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bethune COOKed ‘EM: Dominates Southern 45-14

October 13, 2025 / J Bell / Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

And complete it was.

🔥 Offense Still Sizzling

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

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

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

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

🥩 Defense Serving

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

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

He’s not lying.

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

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

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

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

🌧️ Blame It on the Rain

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

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

But no sir…not this time.

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

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

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

💍 Bonus Halftime Moment

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

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

View this post on Instagram

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

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

Now that’s a full-course meal.

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

Scoring Summary

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

Big Bama State Bullies Bethune: Tough Lesson in the Gump

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

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

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

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

Maleek Huggins celebrates 85 yard TD reception

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

But then… the Big Bama Bullies showed up.

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

The Reality Check

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

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

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

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

Too many miscues

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

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

-A careless fumble in the second quarter.

-A missed field goal later that quarter.

-An ill-advised interception in the third.

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

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

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

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

The Bright Side

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

There were still plenty of positives.

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

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

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

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

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

Perspective and Progress

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

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

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

And that next step?

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

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

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

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

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

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

We Can Get Used to This

Daytona Stadium is starting to feel a little different these days. It’s a little louder, a little bit more lively, and dare I say it…filled with a lot more hope as Bethune-Cookman has strung together back-to-back home wins. The Wildcats are giving their fans something they haven’t truly experienced in years: a reason to believe.

Last week’s victory over Edward Waters felt more like relief. The same with last year’s home win over Grambling State. But Saturday’s win over Alabama A&M just felt different.

-That was an excellent football game against a good, well-coached A&M team.

-That was a game that sparked a lot of pride among the fans.

-That ladies and gentlemen was Wildcat football.

A Well-Played Game from Start to Finish

From the opening whistle, BCU looked sharp, well-prepared, and confident. They looked like a good football program to say it bluntly. They asserted themselves early and repeatedly against a quality SWAC opponent. They also showed just how far this squad has progressed since game one this season. Was it perfect? Nah, not even close but it was the kind of well-rounded performance that sets a tone for the weeks ahead.

When in doubt, give the ball to “Bon-Bon”

Sophomore receiver Javon “Bon-Bon” Ross had himself a game. The Deland native, nicknamed Bon-Bon by his grandmother, electrified the crowd with a breakout performance that was hard to ignore.

On the Wildcats’ very first offensive play, quarterback Cam Ransom uncorked a 79-yard bomb. It dropped perfectly into Ross’s hands and he did the rest by outrunning the defenders on his way to the endzone. On BCU’s next possession, Ross added a 41-yard touchdown run after taking a reverse to the house. Two touchdowns for Ross scored in two different ways. The fanbase now knows what the locals have known for a while…good things happen when you give the ball to Bon-Bon.

The Playmakers Keep Rising

Ross wasn’t the only local product shining on Saturday. True freshman running back Khamani Robinson continues to prove that the moment isn’t too big for him. Robinson scored BCU’s third touchdown on a 24 yard scamper giving the Cats the lead at halftime.

And then there’s Cam Ransom. Each week, he keeps getting better and right now, it’s hard to find any HBCU quarterback who is playing better. His command of the offense, his efficiency, and his growing chemistry with playmakers like Ross and Rickie Shaw, Maleek Huggins, Lorenzo Jenkins and others are changing the Wildcats’ offensive identity right before our eyes.

The Fans are Starting to Believe Too

Shoutout to the fans who showed up Saturday. The threat of rainstorms seemed to have kept a few people away. However, those who decided to attend were treated to a great HBCU experience. Not only did they witness BCU’s best overall performance in years, but they also enjoyed a SWAC Band Battle.

Daytona Stadium hosted an opposing SWAC band for the first time since BCU joined the conference. Alabama A&M’s Marching Maroon and White (MMW) made the trip to “Da Beach”. After speaking with many in attendance, the MMW headed back to Huntsville with a slew of new fans. The MMW are wecolmed back anytime.

BCU’s Marching Wildcats did what they always do…they “showed up and showed out”. Give AAMU’s band the edge in song selection and repertoire, but the Pride delivered in execution and overall sound quality. In the end, both bands represented well and it was the fans who were the biggest winners.

𝘿𝙊𝙉'𝙏 𝙄𝙏 𝙁𝙀𝙀𝙇 𝙂𝙊𝙊𝘿 𝙏𝙊 𝙒𝙄𝙉?

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

A Shift in the Air

It was great seeing the vibe in the stands all game. The bands helped with the atmosphere and the weather held off for the most part, but it was about more than the good bands and decent weather. The fans were active, engaged, and for the first time in a long time, anxiety-free. Cookman fans regained a bit of their mojo. They actually expected something good to happen, rather than waiting on disaster. Even after the game, I heard from at least a dozen fans. They all echoed the same sentiment…this was the best they had felt after a BCU game in years.

The excitement was palpable and the hope was contagious. You could see it in the way the team responded to mistakes. They didn’t allow miscues to beat them twice. Instead, they corrected them and overcame them in real time.

You could see it in the way the fans cheered…a little louder and a little longer.

And most importantly, you saw it on the scoreboard; Wildcats 41, Bulldogs 34.

I like this feeling. Heck, we all like this feeling. And judging by the team’s growing confidence, we may get to share this feeling a little more often and that’s something we can get used to.

Statistic	AAM	BCU
First Downs
Total	22	25
Rushing	6	14
Passing	14	10
Penalty	2	1
Rushing
Total (Net)	125	259
Attempts	32	35
Avg. Per Rush	3.9	7.4
Rushing TDs	1	4
Yds. Gained	133	266
Yds. Lost	8	7
Passing
Total (Net)	355	257
Comp.-Att.-Int.	27–41-1	18-25-2
Avg. / Att.	8.7	10.3
Avg. / Comp.	13.1	14.3
TDs	3	2
Total Offense
Yards	480	516
Plays	73	60
Avg. / Play	6.6	8.6
Fumbles – Lost	1–1	0-0
Penalties – Yds.	4-50	6–61
Punting
Punts – Yds.	2-75	3–131
Avg. / Punt	37.5	43.7
Inside 20	1	0
50+ Yds.	0	1
Touchbacks	0	1
Fair Catch	0	0
Kickoffs
Total – Yds.	7-368	7-435
Avg. Yds. / Kickoff	52.6	62.1
Touchbacks	1	2
Returns
Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs	2–16-0	0-0-0
Punt: Avg. / Return	8.0	0
Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs	5-111-0	6-68-0
Kickoff: Avg. / Return	22.2	11.3
INT: Total – Yds. – TDs	2-0-0	1-0-0
Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	0-0-0
Miscellaneous
Misc. Yards	0	0
Poss. Time	31:59	28:01
3rd. Down Conv.	11 of 18	8 of 11
4th. Down Conversions	3 of 3	0 of 0
Red-Zone: Scores – Chances	3–3	1-1
Sacks: Total – Yds.	0-0	2–4
PAT: Total – Made	4-4	5–6
2PT Conversion: Total – Made	0-0	0-0
Field Goals: Total – Made	2–2	0-0

Qtr	Time	Scoring Play	AAM	BCU
1st	09:35	AAM – Faulk,David 45 yd field goal 11 plays, 53 yards, TOP 05:21	3	0
1st	09:20	BCU – Ross,Javon 79 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 1 plays, 79 yards, TOP 00:11	3	7
1st	01:27	AAM – Nero,Kolton 2 yd run (Faulk,David kick), 4 plays, 62 yards, TOP 01:43	10	7
2nd	13:38	BCU – Ross,Javon 41 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 7 plays, 83 yards, TOP 02:44	10	14
2nd	08:41	AAM – Pierre,Franck 72 yd pass from Handley,Eric (Faulk,David kick) 4 plays, 83 yards, TOP 01:10	17	14
2nd	01:18	BCU – Robinson,Khamani 24 yd run ( ), 14 plays, 83 yards, TOP 07:19	17	20
2nd	00:08	BCU – Shaw II,Rickie 27 yd pass from Ransom,Cam’Ron (Dominguez,Juan kick) 7 plays, 63 yards, TOP 00:54	17	27
3rd	11:31	AAM – Pierre,Franck 32 yd pass from Handley,Eric (Faulk,David kick) 3 plays, 58 yards, TOP 00:57	24	27
3rd	10:18	BCU – Scott Jr.,Alihaja 8 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 3 plays, 69 yards, TOP 01:07	24	34
3rd	03:44	AAM – Abner,Travaunta 1 yd pass from Handley,Eric (Faulk,David kick) 12 plays, 59 yards, TOP 06:25	31	34
4th	05:58	AAM – Faulk,David 19 yd field goal 15 plays, 57 yards, TOP 06:44	34	34
4th	01:07	BCU – Scott Jr.,Alihaja 26 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 8 plays, 66 yards, TOP 04:44	34	41
			34	41

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Series Split over last 10 games

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

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

What to Expect Saturday

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hail Wildcats!

BCU Football Week 2: Final Takeaways on 45-3 loss to #5 MIA

September 8, 2025 / J Bell / Leave a comment

Week 2 Takeaways: Bethune-Cookman vs. Miami

Bethune-Cookman just completed the toughest stretch of its season. The team traveled to Miami in back-to-back weeks to face FBS foes. Call it BCU’s version of a “preseason,” call it the “money games season,” call it whatever you want. The bottom line is the Wildcats faced bigger, stronger teams, and more well-funded programs and now sit at 0–2 to begin the 2025 campaign. But now the real season starts.

From here on out it’s about HBCU opponents, FCS battles, conference matchups and games that matter against similar programs. South Carolina State is first up, but before we look ahead at the game against the Bulldogs, let’s focus on a few takeaways from Saturday night against No. 5 Miami.

Takeaway 1: There is Not Much to Take Away

I don’t mean this in any negative sense at all. The truth is last week’s game was about survival. You can tell by how the staff kept it simple. They held back the playbook on offense and defense. They sat and limited playing time to key contributors including two of your starting offensive linemen. It doesn’t matter if it was about rest, health, or protecting depth. The message was clear. Coach Raymond Woodie was boldly stating that conference play and HBCU play is the priority.

Takeaway 2: Quarterback Steady

Quarterback Timmy McClain continues to look the part under center. He went 13-of-16 passing Saturday night. That’s an 81% completion rate and about as efficient as it gets, even against a 5th ranked Miami squad with all of that size and speed. His only real blemish came on a sack-fumble he probably should’ve eaten, but you’ll take that when you consider the poise and control he showed over the course of the contest. Two games in, McClain feels like a steady hand you can build around.

Takeaway 3: His eye is on the Sparrow

Yeah, I know that sounds churchy but I am a church boy so what are you going to do. At any rate, LB/DB Stephen Sparrow Jr. had an excellent game finishing with 9 total tackles, 1 sack, and 1 tackle for loss. One of the things you look for in these type of contests are what FCS guys look like they belong on the same field as the FBS guys. Sparrow fit the bill on Saturday night. The former Orlando Jones Tiger just looked like he belonged on the field and matched everything the Hurricanes threw at him from a speed, athleticism, and physicality standpoint. Good job Sparrow!

Takeaway 4: Battled to the End

No one expected a close scoreboard, but effort still matters. Down big, outmatched, Bethune kept playing hard. That competitiveness is what you need when the schedule flips into games that are winnable and that count in the conference standings.

Looking Ahead: SCSU

Now it’s go-time.

No more holding back the playbook.

No more “preseason”.

No more FBS opponents.

No more excuses.

It’s time for us to see what this team is made of; and what an opponent to do it against. Back in Bethune’s MEAC days, South Carolina State was always the team BCU used as the measuring-stick program. They were the matchup that told you exactly where you stood. That tradition carries over. This weekend is the first real barometer for Bethune in Year Three under Coach Woodie.

Expect a scrap. Expect a game that feels like Cats versus Dogs. And by late Saturday night, expect to know a whole lot more about what this 2025 Wildcat team is really made of.

Statistic	BCU	MIA
First Downs
Total	14	31
Rushing	4	13
Passing	7	17
Penalty	3	1
Rushing
Total (Net)	92	199
Attempts	33	30
Avg. Per Rush	2.8	6.6
Rushing TDs	0	4
Yds. Gained	115	201
Yds. Lost	23	2
Passing
Total (Net)	99	344
Comp.-Att.-Int.	14-18-1	30–36-0
Avg. / Att.	5.5	9.6
Avg. / Comp.	7.1	11.5
TDs	0	2
Total Offense
Yards	191	543
Plays	51	66
Avg. / Play	3.7	8.2
Fumbles – Lost	1-1	1-0
Penalties – Yds.	2-20	4–50
Punting
Punts – Yds.	4–167	0-0
Avg. / Punt	41.8	0
Inside 20	1	0
50+ Yds.	0	0
Touchbacks	0	0
Fair Catch	0	0
Kickoffs
Total – Yds.	2-126	8–520
Avg. Yds. / Kickoff	63.0	65.0
Touchbacks	1	8
Returns
Punt: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	2–11-0
Punt: Avg. / Return	0	5.5
Kickoff: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	1–25-0
Kickoff: Avg. / Return	0	25.0
INT: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	1-0-0
Fumble: Total – Yds. – TDs	0-0-0	1–5-0
Miscellaneous
Misc. Yards	0	0
Poss. Time	31:55	28:05
3rd. Down Conv.	1 of 11	4 of 6
4th. Down Conversions	0 of 1	0 of 1
Red-Zone: Scores – Chances	1-2	5–5
Sacks: Total – Yds.	2-6	1-8
PAT: Total – Made	0-0	6–6
2PT Conversion: Total – Made	0-0	0-0
Field Goals: Total – Made	1-1	1-1

Key individual standouts:

🔸Timmy McClain (BCU): 13-of-16 passing, 86 yards—efficient and under control.

🔸Juan Dominguez (BCU Kicker): 32-yard field goal accounted for the only points.

🔸Stephen Sparrow (BCU) 9 tackles including 1 sack and 1 tackle for loss.

🔸Carson Beck (MIA): In near-perfect form with 22-of-24 for 267 yards, 2 TDs.

🔸Mark Fletcher Jr. (MIA): Rushed 11 times for 86 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Opportunity Season: The Road Back Starts Here

August 5, 2025August 8, 2025 / 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.

Top 5 Storylines for Bethune-Cookman Football on National Signing Day 2025

February 4, 2025 / J Bell / Leave a comment

National Signing Day (NSD) was once a holy day for college football junkies. The first Wednesday in February meant all eyes were fixed on hat ceremonies, ESPN, team websites, and last-minute surprises. Boosters and administrators would often cap the day with Signing Day Bashes, schedule reveals, and unbridled optimism about the future of their program. However, with the advent of the early signing period in December and the ever-chaotic transfer portal, February’s NSD has become an afterthought for many fans; and optimism has been replaced with a more cautious disposition.

But for the thousands of high school players putting pen to paper, this day is life-changing. It’s a defining moment for the young men officially joining college programs and for those who won’t receive the opportunity, forcing them to redefine their futures outside of football.

This year’s signing day for Bethune-Cookman is about filling gaps, reestablishing a winning culture, and adding depth to a roster that return 9 starters on offense—including 2nd Team All-SWAC RB Dennis Palmer, emerging true freshman OL standout Teko Shoats, and QB Cam Ransom who finished third in the SWAC in passing this past season. The Wildcats return 7 defensive starters as well.

With that in mind, here are the five most compelling storylines we’ll be following for BCU’s 2025 National Signing Day:

1. The Linebacker Situation

The Wildcats’ defense struggled to get off the field in key moments last season, and linebacker play was a major part of the equation. Will BCU add high-impact players at this position? Will they lean on transfers or high school signees? This will be a must-watch area of recruitment.

2. Cornerback Help

Bethune-Cookman’s secondary had its moments last season but lost its top cover man Andrew Volmer to graduation. The Wildcats need reinforcements at CB, whether through the portal or a few high-upside freshmen.

3. Beefing Up the Offensive Line

The offense brings back talent at the skill positions, but success will start in the trenches. The Wildcats return four starters on the offensive line including Teko Shoats, but a) how much depth do they have; and b) can they take the next step in improving their offensive output? Look for BCU to add multiple offensive linemen in this class.

4. The Shock Signee or Instant Impact Player

Every year a signing class has one player who turns heads—whether it’s a late addition, a highly rated recruit, or a transfer expected to make an immediate difference. Will BCU land an impact player on NSD?

5. Where Do Former BCU Players in the Portal Land?

The transfer portal has changed the game, and BCU has lost players to it. Ejike Brown and Ebenezer Dibula come to mind. Both were significant contributors along the defensive line in 2024 but opted for the portal. We hope they land somewhere and find success at their new programs. Best of luck to all of the former Wildcat student-athletes in the portal.

With these storylines in play, National Signing Day may not be what it once was, but for Bethune-Cookman, it remains a crucial step toward building a better football team. Stay locked in as we break it all down.

#HailWildcats

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

November 25, 2024 / J Bell / Leave a comment

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:

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.
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.