DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Bethune-Cookman plays the second of its three Daytona Beach games when the Wildcats host Grambling State in a Southwestern Athletic Conference game Saturday at Daytona Stadium. Kickoff is 2 p.m.
After this game, B-CU won't be back in Daytona Beach until it hosts Alabama State for homecoming on November 5.
Bethune-Cookman (0-2) is coming off a bye week after falling to Celebration Bowl champion South Carolina State 33-9 two weeks ago while Grambling State (1-2)played Jackson State – also a Celebration Bowl participant – and lost 66-24.
The Wildcats are trying to avoid a second consecutive 0-3 start. The Wildcats have had just four 0-3 starts in program history: 1958 (finished 1-7), 1992 (4-7), 1993 (1-10) and 2021 (2-9).
Bethune-Cookman has won the last three meetings with the Tigers – a 36-23 decision in 2014 and a 56-53 barnburner in Grambling that marked
Terry Sims' first victory as the Wildcats' Head Coach. B-CU won 31-14 last year behind three
Jimmie Robinson III touchdowns.
HOME COOKING
Bethune-Cookman has won both games in Daytona Beach against the Tigers:
1954: Bethune-Cookman erased a 14-6 halftime deficit for a 25-14 homecoming victory. Charles Merrill put the game away with a 95-yard fourth quarter run.
2014: Trailing 23-22 entering the final frame, the Wildcats got rushing touchdowns from Danny Dillard and Drexler Dixon while the defense held the Tigers to one first down and 25 yards in the final 15 minutes.
KEMARI, PART ONE
Senior tight end
Kemari Averett has received numerous preseason awards, including being named the best tight end on the 2022 Black College Football Hall of Fame Player Of The Year Watch List. Averett was also named to the All-SWAC First Team at SWAC media day in July, as well as the Stats Perform Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch, the 2022 HERO Sports FCS Preseason All American Second Team Offense, and the BOXTOROW HBCU All-American Second Team.
KEMARI PART TWO
Averett caught one pass against South Carolina State, extending his B-CU pass catching streak to 13 games. He finished the 2021 season with 52 receptions, 888 yards, and 11 touchdowns. He averaged 17.1 yards per catch and just over 80 yards per game.
SWAC LEADERS
- Jalon Jones, 12th in rushing (51.0), 3rd in passing efficiency (110.2), 2nd in total offense (236.0)
- Dyalan Lee, 10th in reception yards per game (56.0)
- Darryl Powell, Jr., 11th in reception yards (55.5)
- Dylan Moghaddam, 13th in scoring (5.0), 4th in field goals (1.5)
- Reginald Pearson, 8th in sacks (.75)
DOWN UNDER
Senior punter Ben Lennon played four seasons of Australian rules football in the Australian Football League from 2014-17. He was selected in the first round of the 2013 AFL draft with the No. 12 overall pick by the Richmond Tigers. He played in 21 career games with 10 goals. Lennon was second in the SWAC in punting last year with an average of 42.7 yards per kick.
COVERAGE
- Watch: https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/eventCalendarId/401424937?gameId=401424937&sourceLang=en&om-navmethod=espn%3Aglobalsearch%3Aresults
- Live Stats: https://bcuathletics.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
- In Game Twitter: @BCUGridiron
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--#HailWildcats—
