NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The 2018 edition of Bethune-Cookman Football opens its 11-game slate at Tennessee State as part of the John Merritt Classic on Saturday, Sept. 1, in Nashville, Tennessee. The game will take place at Nissan Stadium.
 
Bethune-Cookman at Tennessee State
John Merritt Classic
Sept. 1, 2018 | 7 p.m. (EST)
Nissan Stadium | Nashville, Tenn.
WELE Radio | WSOS Radio | WSIR Radio
 
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Bethune-Cookman 0-0 (0-0 MEAC)
Roster | Coaches | Schedule & Results | Stats | Game Notes
 
Tennessee State 0-0 (0-0 OVC)
Roster | Coaches | Schedule & Results | Stats | Game Notes
 
Game Day Hashtags
#BCUvsTSU | #BeatTennState | #OneDestruction | #PreyTogether
 
Purchase Season Tickets
The first home game of the 2018 season is just over a week away, and season tickets are on sale now at the BCU Box Office and all Ticket Master Locations. You can also purchase tickets online at TicketMaster.com.
 
Story Lines
• This will be the second time that Bethune-Cookman is opening its season at Tennessee State as part of the John Merritt Classic in Nashville, Tennessee.
• Senior offensive lineman Dwayne Brown was officially 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.
• Defensive Lineman Kevin Thompson was extended a fifth year and will see action as a redshirt senior after missing all but a half a game last year with an upper extremity injury.
• The Wildcats have defeated Tennessee State just twice all-time with both of the wins for the Maroon and Gold coming in Nashville during the 1987 and 2013 season, respectfully. Both of BCU's wins have been by three (3) points each.
• Bethune-Cookman welcomes new offensive line coach Prince Pearson to his first-ever time along an MEAC sideline after the veteran offensive line coach has walked the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) sidelines for a number of years.
• The Cats have just one (1) returning offensive lineman that started during the course of 2017 back for the 2018 campaign.
 
Series Notes
• Tennessee State holds a commanding 7-2 record all-time against Bethune-Cookman.
• Since the two teams have played more frequently since 2012, TSU has gathered two of the last three wins, both of which took place in Daytona Beach.
• Of Bethune-Cookman's two wins against TSU, both have come in Nashville, with one taking place during the 2013 edition of the John Merritt Classic.
• Both of Bethune-Cookman's wins all-time against Tennessee State were three point wins, while TSU has collected seven-point wins in their last two away wins over the Maroon and Gold.
 
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 ESPN+.
 
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 20-12 overall with the Maroon and Gold, and holds just an 0-1 record as a collegiate head coach against Tennessee State – that coming as a setback in Daytona Beach during the 2016 campaign.
 
The Weather
Projected temperatures on game day: Daytona Beach – 92/76. Nashville, Tenn. – 90/73 (30% chance of rain).
 
#HighFive —
1. Dating back to last season, Bethune-Cookman has won four consecutive games, including three come-from-behind wins against Hampton, N.C. Central and Florida A&M.
2. The Maroon and Gold have won twice all-time against Tennessee State, with both wins coming in Nashville, respectfully.
3. Bethune-Cookman has lost its last three consecutive season openers, although each of them have come against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opposition.
4. The Wildcats will play four of their first five games of the year on the road.
5. With Head Coach Terry Sims being a native of Jesup, Georgia, BCU has three (3) players from Jesup on this year's roster.
 
A Win Over Tennessee State Would —
• Give Head Coach Terry Sims his 21st win overall, and his first win in a season opener as a head coach.
• Be the 494th win all-time in school history.
• Allow Bethune-Cookman its third consecutive win in Nashville.
• Improve BCU's non-conference record since 2000 up to 37-13 overall.
 
A Road To Remember —
• For the eighth consecutive season, Bethune-Cookman is opening the year on the road, so to speak. Two times (2011, '12), the Cats opened up in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Walt Disney World in nearby Orlando.
• This is the third time during the span that BCU is stepping out of the state of Florida for a season opener. BCU played at Tennessee State (2013) and North Texas (2016) in the stretch.
• Technically, BCU opened up the 2016 campaign in Denton, Texas while the "original" season opener was canceled due to weather as part of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge that was held at Municipal Stadium and presented by ESPN.
 
#OneDestruction —
• The hashtag and theme for Bethune-Cookman Athletics across the 2018-19 athletic term is #OneDestruction.
• A destruction, in essence, is a group of wild cats together. With Bethune-Cookman being the Wildcats, it seemed only natural that BCU become ONE DESTRUCTION to prey on the opposition.
 
ESPN+ And The Wildcats —
• It was announced earlier this week that Bethune-Cookman and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) has partnered together to produce four (4) home games at Daytona Stadium for the Wildcats.
• Bethune-Cookman is one of several schools around the league that are introducing ESPN+ as a platform to watch their contests.
• For a complete list of games around the MEAC, visit MEACsports.com.
 
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.).
 
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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