DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Wildcats return to Daytona Stadium for the 2024 home opener as they welcome in the Bears of Mercer University, Saturday, Sept. 7 at 3pm.

The game will be broadcast live on the SWAC Digital Network on YouTube. Fans can catch the home radio call free on 1380 WELE Daytona Beach or at YouTube.com/CatEyeNetwork. Fans can also catch a brand-new episode of Hail Wildcats Radio premiering live one hour before kickoff. 

Saturday is Volusia County School District day, with over 10 county schools in attendance .



Saturday, Sep. 7
Opponent:  Mercer (1-0)
Time: 3:00 p.m. EST
Location: Daytona Beach, Fla. | Daytona Municipal Stadium
Live Stats: https://bcuathletics.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@swacsports1920
Listen: https://wele1380thecat.com/
Tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.com/bethune-cookman-university-football-tickets/artist/821762
 


Bethune-Cookman could not muster much on offense as they dropped the 2024 season opener to USF, 48-3, Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium.

Bethune-Cookman (0-1) won the coin toss and elected to defer, quickly forcing a USF three-and-out. 

The Wildcats were unable to score on the ensuing drive, allowing USF to get on the board first with an 11-play, 82-yard drive that made it 7-0 on a 42-yard rush from quarterback Byrum Brown.

The B-CU offense continued to scuffle as USF forced an interception followed by four straight three-and-outs. The Bulls, Meanwhile, scored on back-to-back drives to jump in front 21-0.

The Wildcats held strong on the following two drives, forcing a three-and-out and an impressive turnover on downs with a goal line stand, but USF continued to put the pressure on with another rushing score that made it 28-0.

The Wildcats, unable to complete a pass attempt, made a change at quarterback as Cam'Ron Ransom took over midway through the second quarter. Random sparked some energy in the B-CU offense as the Wildcats were finally able to crack the scoreboard after a 12-play 44-yard drive capped off by a career-long 48-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining in the first half.

In the dying seconds of the half, USF answered with a 53-yard field goal of its own to go into the break up 31-3.

A slow second half saw the Bulls put up two more touchdowns and a field goal to wrap up the 48-3 victory. 

Quarterback Luke Sprague, after battling a shoulder injury for much of 2023, made his season debut late in the fourth quarter for B-CU. 

Ransom finished the game 12-19 passing with 122 yards and an interception. Sprague finished 5-8 for 37 yards.

Random was also the Wildcats' leading rusher with 25 yards on eight attempts. 

Lorenzo Jenkins led the Cats' receiving core with five receptions for 53 yards.

Defensively, Dearis Thomas led the way with eight total tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack. 



Mercer entered the 2024 season off a 9-4 finish a year ago, including a 6-2 record in Southern Conference play. The Bears won five of their last six games to close out the year, with their only loss coming against eventual FCS Champion, South Dakota State.

In 2023, the Bears led the SoCon in interceptions, recovered fumbles, and sacks. They were picked to finish fourth in the SoCon preseason coaches poll. 

The Bears opened the 2024 season with a dominant 63-10 win over Presbyterian at home. The Bears gave up less than nothing on the ground in their season opener, limiting the Blue Hose to -7 yards rushing on the game. 

A pair of Bears were named SoCon weekly award winners for their week one performances. Junior quarterback DJ Smith was named Offensive Player of the Week after accounting for 356 total yards and four touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Brayden Smith was named Special Teams Player of the Week after logging 238 all-purpose yards, including four kick returns for 144 yards and a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown. 



COMING UP EMPTY
Saturday's 48-3 loss at USF marked the first time under Coach Raymond Woodie Jr. that the Wildcats have been unable to score a touchdown.

CLEAN IT UP
The Wildcats were called for 10 penalties for 75 yards in the season opener at USF. That surpasses any single-game mark from last season, in which the Wildcats set program records in fewest penalties and penalty yards per game.

CAN I KICK IT?
B-CU kicker Cade Hechter produced the Wildcats only points last week at USF via a 48-yard field goal to close out the first half. It marked the longest of his career, tying him for the eighth-longest field goal in program history. It was the longest kick by a Wildcat since Jesus Cortez against South Carolina State in 2005

A WIN OVER MERCER WOULD
Mark the first win over an D1 non-conference opponent for Woodie as head coach, and the first for the program since 2019, when the Wildcats, as members of the MEAC, defeated Mississippi Valley State.

HISTORIC ANNIVERSARIES
The Wildcats football program celebrates a pair of anniversaries in 2024. Ten years ago, the Wildcats were crowned 2014 MEAC Champions, sharing it amongst a five-way tie to conclude the year. Forty years ago, the Wildcats took their first ever conference championship at the Division I level as they were crowned 1984 MEAC champions with a 7-3 record and 4-0 conference record. Under the leadership of NFL Hall of Fame Offensive Lineman, Larry Little, and play of B-CU hall of fame QB Bernard Hawk, the '84 Cats were a force to be reckoned with.

WELCOME TO OUR HOUSE
The Wildcats will host five home games at Daytona Stadium this year, the most home games in a season since 2015. The Wildcats were undefeated at home that season, defeating Lane, Savannah State, South Carolina State, Norfolk State, and Morgan State en route to their third MEAC Championship in as many years.

ALL-SWAC CATS
LS Clayton Thomas Jr. and LB Dearis Thomas were each named to the preseason All-SWAC Second Team at their respective positions. The duo was also featured on preseason squads published Phil Steele.

RAP CATS
A pair of rap music legends will see their sons share the field this fall in Maroon and Gold. Transfer running back Cross Patton is the son of Atlanta-based rapper, producer, and actor Big Boi, perhaps best known for his work as one half of the hip-hop duo, Outkast. On the offensive line, freshman William Roberts III is the son of rapper and record executive Rick Ross, who had previously attended B-CU Football games at Daytona Stadium on multiple occasions.

ROSTER RETOOL
The Wildcats return only 51 players from last years roster. Of the departures includes 2023's leading rusher, top three leading receivers, an All-SWAC corner, as well as last season's leader in tackles-for-loss, QB hurries, and sacks



Saturday's meeting marks the first ever in program history between Bethune-Cookman and Mercer.


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--#HailWildcats—