DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman welcome the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils to Daytona Stadium for a MEAC versus SWAC matchup on Saturday, Oct. 6, at 4 p.m. The game is part of a BCU Homecoming weekend in Daytona Beach.
 
Bethune-Cookman vs. Mississippi Valley State
Oct. 6, 2018 | 4 p.m. (EST)
Daytona Stadium | Daytona Beach, Fla.
WELE Radio | WSOS Radio | WSIR Radio
 
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Bethune-Cookman 2-3 (1-1 MEAC)
Roster | Coaches | Schedule & Results | Stats | Game Notes
 
Mississippi Valley State 0-3 (0-1 SWAC)
Roster | Coaches | Schedule & Results | Stats
 
Game Day Hashtags
#MVSUvsBCU | #BeatValley | #OneDestruction | #MaroonMadness
 
Story Lines
• Senior safety Kennedy Ndukwe was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Defensive Player of the Week after posting six tackles (five solo) with a forced fumble and a tackle for loss in BCU's 35-20 league road win over Savannah State.
• Head Coach Terry Sims holds a record of 16-1 all-time when the Wildcats out-gain its opponent offensively.
• The Bethune-Cookman offensive line has produced three (3) games on the year in which it has not allowed a quarterback sack of signal callers Jabari Dunham, David Israel or Akevious Williams.
• Senior offensive lineman Dwayne Brown was offi cially named to the Black College Player of the Year Watch List for 2018. The Indianapolis, Indiana native was also selected to the 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preseason First Team.
• Senior receiver Jimmie Robinson leads the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) with an average of 45.4 yards per return in kickoff returns.
• The last time Bethune-Cookman and Mississippi Valley State met on the gridiron, it was 1975, with BCU Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics (Lynn W. Thompson) serving as a freshman punter on that Wildcats squad.
 
Series Notes
• Bethune-Cookman leads the all-time series against Mississippi Valley State by a 3-1 margin.
• Three of the four previous meetings between BCU and MVSU have taken place in Daytona Beach.
• The Cats lone loss in the series was a 26-6 setback to the Delta Devils in the series opener in Itta Bena back in 1968.
 
The Broadcasts
The game will be carried live on the CatEye Radio Network across all three stations in the form of WELE 1380 The CAT, WSIR 1490 and WSOS 99.5 & 1170 with Nolan Alexander (play-by-play) operating alongside Larry Wesley (color). The game will also be streamed live on ESPN3.
 
The Coach
Head Coach Terry Sims is now in his fourth year at the helm of the Bethune-Cookman Football program. The Knoxville alum holds a record of 22-15 overall with the Maroon and Gold. However, this will be the Jesup, Georgia native's first game against Mississippi Valley State, and just his second all-time against an opponent from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). He holds a 1-0 record all-time against the SWAC as a collegiate head coach.
 
The Weather
Projected temperatures on game day: Daytona Beach – 89/75 (20% chance of rain). Itta Bena, Miss. – 91/70.
 
#HighFive —
1. Jimmie Robinson tops the FCS in kickoff return yards.
2. BCU has played Mississippi Valley twice prior for a Homecoming weekend in Daytona Beach.
3. Terry Sims is seeking his second win as a head coach against an opponent from the SWAC. He defeated Grambling in his first season at the helm back in 2015.
4. BCU has won seven consecutive Homecoming contests.
5. Bethune-Cookman has won its previous five games against members of the SWAC dating back to 2008. In fact, the Cats have won six of the last seven against the SWAC, with a lone defeat being a 30-29 setback against Southern in 2006 as part of the Gateway Classic in Jacksonville, Florida.
 
A Win Over Mississippi Valley State Would —
• Give Head Coach Terry Sims his 23rd win overall.
• Be the 496th win all-time in school history.
• Keep the Wildcats undefeated in Homecoming contests under Terry Sims.
• Allow BCU its sixth consecutive win against an opponent from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
 
Instant Replay —
• The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) has expanded its pilot program aiming at enhancing the game for all of its member institutions with instant replay at all conference football games in 2018. There are a number of schools beginning the program with their first home game, while the complete instant replay monitoring system will go into effect midway at the beginning of the 2019 season.
• The MEAC already has instant replay and monitors for all women's and men's basketball games throughout the league, with that rule going into effect fulltime in 2016-17.
 
Transitioning From The Hardwood —
• Redshirt junior Ulmer Manzie will be transitioning from the hardwood under Men's Basketball Head Coach Ryan Ridder, taking the "Jimmy Graham" approach and playing tight end for Head Coach Terry Sims and the football team.
• Manzie has not played football since high school where he attended Columbus Africentric High in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
• Manzie will be the first two-sport athlete for the Wildcats aside from track & field since redshirt junior quarterback Akevious Williams played baseball for the Maroon and Gold in 2015.
 
Six Quarters Equals A Back —
• It's been a staple of the Bethune-Cookman Football program to use a multiple quarterback system since the conclusion of the 2010 campaign. That will be no different in 2018 under Head Coach Terry Sims and Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Allen Suber.
• The Wildcats not only return Akevious Williams (R-Jr.) and Jabari Dunham under center (R-Sr.), but they welcome West Virginia transfer David Israel (R-Soph.), Terry Gilliam (Fr.), Kyle Smith (Fr.) and Devin Black (Fr.).
 
30 Sacks, 30 Turnovers —
• The goal at the start of the season is for the Wildcats defense to make 30 sacks and force 30 turnovers. That would be a significant production hike from the two previous years of the current coaching regime that resulted in 26/14 in 2017, 13/17 in 2016 and 18/19 in 2015.
• North Carolina A&T came the closest to achieving 30 turnovers attained as a team in 2017, as the Aggies forced 29 altogether en route to an MEAC championship.
• North Carolina A&T led the MEAC with 38 sacks, while North Carolina Central picked up 31, respectfully.
 
Follow Bethune-Cookman Football on Twitter (@BCUGridIron) for all of the latest news and updates, as well as the official BCU Football Instagram (@BCUGridIron). For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUathletics), Instagram (@BCUathletics), Snapchat (@BCUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/BCUathletics).
 

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