DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – As No. 12/12 Bethune-Cookman prepares for its Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoff game this upcoming weekend against No. 11/11 Coastal Carolina, each day BCUathletics.com will revisit a former playoff game throughout the history of the Bethune-Cookman football program.

The four-part series begins with the 2002 playoff game – the first-ever FCS (formerly known as I-AA) game for the Wildcats in school history.

After winning the first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) title in school history, the Wildcats travelled to Statesboro, Ga., taking part in an opening round matchup with No. 4 Georgia Southern. Entering the game at No. 11 in The Sports Network poll, the Cats faced their highest ranked opponent in school history in the form of the fourth-ranked Eagles.

RECAP…

The 2002 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Bethune-Cookman College Wildcats were rudely welcomed to the I-AA playoff level Saturday as six-time national champion Georgia Southern dispatched the Wildcats 34-0 before 7,395 at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Ga.

GSU quarterback Chaz Williams ran the Eagles' triple-option to perfection with a game-high 113 yards and three touchdowns, while Jermaine Austin gained 104 yards and Scott Shelton nailed two field goals for the 10-2 Eagles, who will host Maine next Saturday.

B-CC ends the most successful season in school history with an 11-2 mark, including a 37-10 victory over Florida A&M in the Walt Disney World Florida Classic and a nine-game winning streak to start the season.

GSU started the game by scoring on five of its first six possessions to take a 27-0 halftime lead, racking up 192 of its 213 yards on the ground.

The Wildcats had one scoring opportunity in the first half after a short GSU punt gave them the ball at the Eagles 30. But after an Allen Suber pass to Lamont Finnie at the goal line bounced incomplete, Danny King's 42-yard field goal attempt went wide right.

In the second half, B-CC moved to the GSU 32 after two Brad Lee runs for first downs. But Eagles defensive back James Young made the first of his two interceptions to end that threat. 

B-CC had another scoring chance early in the fourth quarter, once again set up by Lee runs of 21 and 18.  The Eagles defense made its stand at the GSU 5, and Young intercepted Suber on fourth down.

Lee gained 71 yards for B-CC, while Erik Lash caught seven passes for 79 yards.

POSTGAME NOTES…

THE SEASON: Bethune-Cookman concludes the season with an 11-2 record, a 2002 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and a 37-10 victory over Florida A&M. The eleven victories are a school record.

THIS POST-SEASON THING: The Wildcats are now 6-6 in post-season play dating back to 1947. That includes a 34-16 loss to Cal-Davis in the 1977 Division II playoffs …Head Coach Alvin Wyatt has only suffered three non-conference losses in his six seasons at B-CC, two in the post-season. The other was in the 1998 Heritage Bowl, a 28-2 loss to Southern … B-CC is still looking for its first post-season offensive points in I-AA play.

SHUTOUT: This was the first time B-CC has been shutout since a 27-0 loss to Hampton in 1997, Alvin Wyatt's first season as head coach. It was the first time B-CC has been shutout in the postseason since losing the 1953 Tropical Bowl, a 13-0 setback to Albany State. 

EYE-ING LASH: Erik Lash registered his fourth seven-catch of the season Saturday… With 79 yards, he went over the 1,000 yard mark for the season, joining Sebastian Brown. The senior finishes the season with 64 catches for 1,003 yards and 8 TD … Those totals are the fourth, second and seventh best single-season totals in school history, respectively … His career totals and rank on the all-time list : 122 receptions (fifth), 2,242 yards (second) and 16 touchdowns (fifth) 

SUBER'S STATS: Allen Suber finishes the season with 1,035 yards, the sixth-best single-season total in school history.

PLAYER PUNTS AND OTHER THINGS: Davis Player's 70-yard punt was a career long.

SCORING SUMMARY…

                                                1              2              3              4              F              Record
Bethune-Cookman             0              0              0              0              0              11-2
Georgia Southern                7              20           7              0              34           10-2

1st       11:01          GSU – Chaz Williams 1 yd. run (Scott Shelton kick)                    GSU 7, B-CC 0
                                10 plays, 76 yards, 3:59 TOP

2nd     14:50          GSU – Scott Shelton 51 yd. field goal                                             GSU 10, B-CC 0
                                13 plays, 42 yards, 6:09 TOP

            10:49          GSU – Jermaine Austin 17 yd. run (Scott Shelton Kick)              GSU 17, B-CC 0
                                3 plays, 20 yards, 1:17 TOP

            8:34            GSU – Chaz Williams 35 yd. run (Scott Shelton kick)                  GSU – 24, B-CC 0
                                2 plays, 56 yards, 0:26 TOP

            4:10            GSU – Scott Shelton 43 yd. field goal                                             GSU – 27, B-CC 0
                                7 plays, 10 yards, 2:44 TOP

3rd      4:18            GSU – Chaz Williams 6 yd. run (Scott Shelton kick)                    GSU – 34, B-CC 0
                                12 plays, 80 yards, 5:57 TOP

For more information on the Bethune-Cookman University football team, please log onto BCUathletics.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, stats and information regarding the Wildcats football program.

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