DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Down as much as 26-7, Bethune-Cookman rallied for back-to-back touchdowns to give preseason No. 1 Alabama State a scare, but a fourth quarter comeback fell just short as the Hornets took the win, 26-21, Saturday night at Daytona Stadium.



Following a brief lightning delay, Alabama State (2-2, 1-0 SWAC) won the toss and deferred, immediately forcing a Bethune-Cookman (0-5, 0-1 SWAC) three-and-out on the opening drive.

The Hornets were able to work their opening drive into B-CU territory, but a costly penalty and a B-CU sack forced the Hornets to settle for a field goal.

On their second drive of the afternoon, the Wildcats recorded their first first down of the day, but immediately fumbled at the B-CU 32 yard line to give the Hornets the ball deep in B-CU territory.

The Hornets converted as Ajai Harrell muscled the ball in the endzone to make it 10-0, Alabama State with seven to play in the first quarter.

The following drive for B-CU did not fare much better, as Alabama State closed out the first quarter with an interception that was nearly run back for a pick-six were it not for an illegal block in the back penalty that instead gave the Hornets the ball at their own 13 to open the second quarter. 

The interception did not come back to hurt the Wildcats as they forced a Bama State punt.

Alabama State threatened again near the end of the half, but Brandon Gilliam's 53-yard field goal into the wind fell well short to give the Cats the ball at their 36 yard line with nearly three minutes to play before halftime. 

The Wildcats were finally able to put points on the board six plays later as Cam'Ron Ransom found Omari Stewart for a 33 yard touchdown pass to make it 10-7 with 46 seconds before the half. 

Alabama State pushed three more across as they quickly marched down the the B-CU 11 and sailed a kick through the uprights to make it 13-7 at the half. 

The Hornets opened the second half just as the first had ended - with another field goal that made it 16-7 in favor of the visitors. 

Bama State appeared in complete control after the first play of the next drive saw the Wildcats fumble into the hands of Stefon Young-Rolle at the ASU 47. The Hornets immediately marched down the field and Zach Sims found Harrell again for a four yard touchdown to make it 23-7. 

Another promising B-CU drive ended on downs as Ransom was unable to convert on a designed run on 4th-and-three. On the very next drive, it was three more for the Hornets as Gilliam connected on yet another field goal to go in front 26-7. 

B-CU finally showed signes of life with just over seven minutes remaining a Dennis Palmer's 18-yard rush put the Cats down at the Hornets seven. Ransom muscled his way on on the QB sneak to cut the deficit to 26-14 with seven to play. 

The Wildcats immediately took control again as Derrick Thompson forced a fumble on the kickoff to give B-CU the ball at the Hornets 30 - four plays later, Courtney Reese found paydirt with a one-yard rush touchdown - the first by a B-CU running back on the ground this year - to make it 26-21 with still over five minutes to go. 

The B-CU defense held firm, and the Hornets were forced to punt the ball away with just under three minutes to go.

The Wildcats took over at their own 25, and immediately faced a fourth and four at their 31. A costly delay of game penalty made that a fourth-and-nine, and the Wildcats could not convert as a Lorenzo Jenkins circus catch went incomplete, and the Hornets held on, 26-21. 


FIRST SWAC START FOR CAM
Cam'Ron Ransom made the start at quarterback for the Wildcats, his fourth career start and fourth consecutive on the season. He finished the day 18-28 passing with 143 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. On the ground, he rushed 11 times for 24 yards.
 
CAT SACK FEVER
The Wildcats, already the best team in the SWAC at recording sacks – and the fourteenth-best in the FCS – recorded three sacks on the day, matching their season average. All three came in the first quarter.
 
OH, OH, OH, OMARI
Omari Stewart put the Wildcats on the board with a 33-yard touchdown catch from Cam Ransom to close out the first half. It was the second touchdown of his B-CU career, and his first of 2024. The last time the Miami Gardens native found the endzone was Oct. 21 against Southern at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville. Stewart finished the game as the Wildcats leading receiver, catching 4 passes for 53 yards and the score.
 
WHAT'S THE RUSH?
The Wildcats ran the ball 32 times on the game for 99 yards and an average of 3.1 yards per carry. It marks the third game of the season for B-CU rushing under 100 yards as a team.
 
SIX FOR SIX
Running back Courtney Reese found the endzone for the second consecutive week as he cut the B-CU deficit to 26-21 late in the fourth quarter. He becomes the only Wildcat not named Cam Ransom or Darnell Deas to record multiple touchdowns on the year. It was his first in the running game – the first by any B-CU running back in the running game on the season, in fact – last week's touchdown came on a reception
 
YOU SHALL NOT PASS
The B-CU defense allowed only 78 yards in the air on the day, the best mark of the young season. The mark surpasses the previous season-best of 171, set at USF in week one. The Wildcats posted a pair of pass break-ups in the secondary.
 
TRUST IN THOMAS
In Saturday's game alone, tight end Thomas Nance nearly surpassed his entire season totals with five catches for 43 yards. Prior to Saturday's game the tight end had six total catches for 57 yards.



The Wildcats are off next weekend before they prepeare to head on the road again to take on Alabama A&M on Saturday, Oct. 12 in Huntsville, Ala. 

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--#HailWildcats--