DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - For the second time in as many seasons, the Wildcats will host a SWAC contest in the home of the Jacksonville Jaguars as they welcome in Southern on Saturday, Oct. 21 at Everbank Stadium.

The game will be streamed live on YouTube.com/CateyeNetwork.



Saturday, Oct. 21
Opponent:  Southern (3-3, 2-1 SWAC)
Time: 4:00 p.m. EST
Location: Daytona Beach, Fla.
Live Stats: https://bcuathletics.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/cateyenetwork
Tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.com/bethune-cookman-university-football-vs-southern-jacksonville-florida-10-21-2023/event/22005F0A7EB8B91C



Luke Sprague passed for 118 yards and Jaiden Bivens ran for 65 more as Bethune-Cookman fell to visiting Texas Southern 34-31 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Football contest on a BCU Homecoming weekend at Municipal Stadium in front of a sellout crowd of 9,458 in attendance.
 
Trailing 27-10 at the half, Bethune-Cookman (1-5, 0-3 SWAC) scored 14 unanswered points in the third quarter.
 
A Jimmie Robinson III touchdown run capped off what was a 14-play, 79-yard drive that took more than six minutes off the clock to begin the second half. Robinson rushed five times on the drive, combining with fellow running back Jaiden Bivens, as the BCU redshirt sophomore tailback powered his way two yards up the middle for the score. The point-after was good from Cade Hechter to bring the Maroon and Gold to within 27-17.
 
On the Wildcats next drive, Luke Sprague engineered a BCU drive that went 82 yards in 13 plays, finishing with the Springfield, Pennsylvania quarterback calling his own number up the middle for his first rushing touchdown of the season. The Hechter PAT followed to make it 27-24 in favor of Texas Southern.
 
After a Sprague interception deep in Wildcats territory midway through the fourth quarter, it took Texas Southern (2-4, 1-2 SWAC) just one play – that being a LaDarius Owens five-yard rush right up the middle, to increase the Tigers' advantage at 34-23 following the extra-point from Curtis Falkenburg.
 
BCU got to within 34-31 late-on as Sprague connected with Bivens on a crossing route in the end zone, giving each their first passing and receiving touchdown of the campaign, respectively. The drive featured a plethora of Bivens runs, while Sprague completed the drive 5-for-9 passing in helping the Cats march down the field 71 yards in just under seven minutes.
 
The ensuing on-side kick from Hechter was just off the fingertips of a Bethune-Cookman member of the hands team, as there were just 36 seconds remaining in the contest. In the end, on third and six for the Tigers, Owens racked up 51 yards in a burst around the left side down to the BCU two-yard line closing out his side's first league win of the season.
 
TSU opened the game's scoring with a Falkenburg 24-yard field goal with 7:02 remaining in the first quarter. The Tigers added to their lead just before the end of the stanza when Owens took a handoff from starting quarterback Jace Wilson, who went the distance behind center for TSU, and scampered 42 yards for the touchdown to put the visitors up 10-0 at that point.
 
A 13-play, 65-yard drive for the Wildcats, aided by two Texas Southern penalties, culminated with a Tylik Bethea quarterback push up the middle, putting BCU on the board at 10-7 just five minutes into the second quarter.
 
It would not take the Tigers long to answer as Wilson connected with receiver Trenton Leary for 23 yards – one of his game-high six catches on the day, followed by an Owens run up the middle three plays later to lift TSU back to a 10-point lead at 17-7. TSU made it 24-7 when a positive BCU drive ended abruptly when TSU linebacker Jacob Williams stripped BCU running back Terry Lindsey at the Tigers' five-yard line, and recovered the fumble himself and returned it 95 yards for the score.
 
Lindsey would finish the night with 39 yards on 11 carries for the Wildcats.
 
The Cats chipped into the lead just before the half when Hechter connected on a 26-yard field goal, seeing BCU cut the deficit at 24-10.
 
However, Falkenburg was true from 41 yards as time expired to end the opening half, putting his side up 27-10 as the teams went to their respective locker rooms at the break.
 
TSU was led on the day by Wilson with a 15-for-29 passing performance for a game-high 189 yards through the air. Owens finished with 163 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Williams had 13 tackles to lead all performers in that category, adding his 95-yard fumble return for score, as well as 2.5 tackles for loss and a pair of pass deflections. Isaiah Bogerty added 12 tackles, and it was Elinus Noel III with 10 tackles.
 
For BCU, the offense was paced by Robinson's 98 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground. Sprague had 118 yards passing on 14-for-26 through the air and a touchdown rushing and passing, respectfully. Tink Boyd registered four catches for 26 yards, and Daveno Ellington had three catches for 43 yards.
 
The Cats defense was sparked by Dearis Thomas with 11 tackles. Stephen Sparrow added eight tackles and a pass breakup.



Southern is 3-3 this season and 2-1 in SWAC play. The Jaguars have played only one contest against a non-SWAC opponent this season, with games against Alabama State and Jackson State serving as non-conference games to start the season. 

Last week, the Jaguars defeated Lincoln University CA, 45-18, in their homecoming game at A.W. Mumford Stadium. 

Statistically, Southern ranks second in the SWAC in points allowed at 15.8 per game this season. Offensively, they are middle-of-the-pack at 22.5 points per game. 

The Jaguars are led by their passing attack under Harold Blood, who is second in the SWAC in passing yards per game at 238.7. He has thrown nine touchdowns to six interceptions. 

Running back Gary Quarles leads Southern with 378 yards rushing and three scores this season. 

On defense, senior linebacker Jalen Campbell has 50 total tackles this season with 2.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, three pass break-ups, and a hurry. Defensive tackle Ckelby Givens has five sacks. 





IN OCTOBER, WE WEAR PINK
This October, in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Wildcats are utilizing pink tape, wristbands, and other accessories to raise awareness. The fields are also painted with a pink ribbons on the 25 yard-line.

STAY ON THE LINE
The Wildcats have been one of the least penalized teams in all of FCS football through six games this season. The Wildcats have taken only nine pre-snap penalties this season. Only one of those has been on defense.

SO CLOSE, YET SO FAR
The Wildcats have lost each of their previous three games by one score or less. Of the Wildcats nine losses last season, only one came within a score.

PAINT THE ZONE RED
The Wildcats rank second in the SWAC and 36th in all of FCS football in redzone offense, converting those trips to a score 87 percent of the time. The Wildcats have made 15 total redzone appearances this season (only nine before six trips last week against Texas Southern).

HOME SWEET JACKSONVILLE
The Wildcats have played football in the city of Jacksonville 65 times in program history. Their all-time record in those games is 36-27-2. Last season's contest with Jackson State drew the programs largest-ever crowd at the venue (22,373).

WHEN LAST WE MET
Saturday marks the first meeting between Southern and and Bethune-Cookman since the Wildcats joined the SWAC. The last time these two teams met was also in Jacksonville. Back in 2006, the Jaguars defeated B-CC, 30-29 at what was then Alltel Stadium in the 53rd Annual Gateway Classic. The Wildcats were an extra point away from a tie game, but the kick sailed wide right.




Saturday marks the 6th meeting all-time between Southern and B-CU. The Wildcats are winless in five previous contests. 

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