DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Sunday's 52-35 loss to North Carolina A&T at Municipal Stadium is not what 'Wildcats Nation' was looking for.
 
Bethune-Cookman (0-5, 0-3 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) remains winless, and just about officially eliminated from the MEAC title race.
 
The game was closer than the score indicated.
 
The Wildcats showed plenty of fight in the game.
 
For 50 minutes, B-CU had the 15th-ranked team in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), and arguably the best in the MEAC, on the ropes.
 
There were some missed opportunities, but Bethune-Cookman played its best game of the season – especially offensively.
 
The Wildcats led 28-24 and 35-31 early in the fourth quarter.
 
That's after not hanging their heads after trailing 21-7 early in the second quarter.
 
The Aggies scored two touchdowns off big plays during that span in an 87 yard touchdown run by Tarik Cohen and a 55-yard touchdown pass by Lamar Raynard to Khris Gardin.
 
The Wildcats responded by outscoring North Carolina A&T by a count of 21-3 for half the game.
 
Although the running game was absent (8 yards) which was probably part of the game plan, it was good to see the passing game finally get going (395 yards). It has been absent up until this game.
 
Quarterback Larry Brihm, Jr. threw for a career-high 376 yards with a career-best four touchdowns; taking the team upon his shoulders despite not being at 100-percent.
 
Brihm did throw a game changing interception that was returned for a score in the fourth quarter, but having him out there is what the Wildcats need.
 
Brihm even took responsibility for the play, showing maturity and leadership during the postgame press conference.
Receiver Frank Brown had a career day with five catches for 117 yards and adding three scores.
 
Jawill Davis, who had nine catches for 143 yards, had a big day. And Travares Copeland caught four passes for 43 yards in an equally impressive career day as well.
 
There was also Ja-Quan Lumas' diving touchdown catch in the first quarter, and Tupac Isme scored his first collegiate touchdown.
 
Although Cohen, who is arguable the best running back in the FCS, ran for 220 yards with three scores for the Aggies, the Wildcats defense mainly held him in check.
 
Other than his long first quarter touchdown run, Cohen's longest run was 17 yards.
 
Yes, the defense was on the field a lot, but it still had its moments.
 
Trenton Bridges, Trevor Merritt and Alexander Morales each had nine tackles. DiShawn Ray recorded a sack. And it was Dejuan Jackson adding an interception for B-CU.
 
The defense also had a few three and out series.
 
Additionally, B-CU played most of the game without its top two defensive backs as Diquan Richardson and Elliott Miller both left the game in the first half due to injuries.
 
The injury bug has plagued the Wildcats all season with now 16 starters having missed time due to injury.
On the flip side, the injuries gives younger players valuable playing experience for the rest of this season and next year.
 
Plus, with all that the team has gone through this past week, it was a valiant effort.
 
There is still plenty to play for in these final five games of the season.
 
The schedule gets a little "easier", although every MEAC game is unpredictable.
 
B-CU has two winnable games in a trip to Norfolk State (1-5, 0-3 MEAC) on Saturday in Virginia, and homecoming against Delaware State (0-6, 0-3 MEAC) the following week back in Daytona Beach.
 
On paper, their toughest remaining game is a trip to Orangeburg, South Carolina against South Carolina State (2-5, 2-0 MEAC) which has been moved to November 26.
 
The game was rescheduled from October 8, due to Hurricane Matthew.
 
That contest could have MEAC title implications if the Bulldogs are in position to win the conference title, and the Wildcats could spoil their season.
 
B-CU also plays at Morgan State (2-4, 2-1 MEAC) on November 5, and against in-state opponent Florida A&M (2-5, 2-2 MEAC) in the Florida Blue Florida Classic on November 19 in Orlando.
 
Regardless, if the Wildcats play the way they did Saturday, then they can beat anybody!