DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The B-CU offense remained stagnant as the Wildcats dropped the 2024 home opener to Mercer, 31-2, Saturday afternoon at Daytona Stadium.



Bethune-Cookman (0-2) won the coin toss, electing to defer. Mercer (2-0) quickly returned the opening kickoff 34 yards to near midfield, quickly crossing over to the B-CU 45 just four plays into the contest. 

After a Raymond Woodie III tackle set up a fourth-and-one for the Bears, Jeremy Greaves Jr. smothered a rushing attempt for no gain to give B-CU the ball after the turnover on downs. 

Cam'Ron Ransom made his first start as a Wildcat, moving the Wildcats down to the Mercer 20 after a 27-yard pass to Maleek Huggins. An incomplete pass, a pair of unsuccessful run plays, and a holding penalty put B-CU at a third-and-24 situation before a Mercer hold reset the downs for B-CU. 

The Wildcats continued their march all the way down to the six before Brayden Manley forced a Ransom fumble to avoid the opening-drive score.

Defense led the way into the second quarter as both teams were forced to punt on back-to-back drives to close out the scoreless first.

Just after the beginning of the second, safety Raymond Woodie III stopped another promising Mercer drive short with an interception, the first of the year for B-CU and Woodie's first in Maroon and Gold. 

From there, the Wildcats made it just past midfield before punting once again. 

It was Mercer that got on the board first with an opening strike with just over six minutes remaining in the half. Mercer QB DJ Smith found Brayden Smith for a 50-yard touchdown to make it 7-0. 

Mercer doubled its lead with another touchdown following another stalled B-CU drive, as Parker Wroble caught a 14-yard touchdown pass to go in front 14-0. 

The Bears made it 21-0 after a tipped Ransom pass fell into the hands of TJ Moore to set Mercer up at the B-CU 35 with a minute to play in the half. One play later, Smith connected with Kelin Parsons for the score. 

The Wildcats came out of the half with another quick drive, punting after only five plays to the Mercer six-yard-line.

The Bears made it four straight scoring drives after a 12-play drive capped off by a one-yard rushing score to make it 28-0.

It was the B-CU defense to finally get the Cats on the board with just over three minutes in the third quarter, as DJ Smith was sacked by Orin Patu in the endzone to make it a 28-2 ballgame. 

Mercer scored once more with four minutes to play, pushing a 28-yard field goal through the uprights to make it 31-2. 

Ransom finished the night 14-29 for 127 yards and an interception. He also rushed 10 times for 19 yards.

Raymond Woodie III led the way on defense with nine tackles - seven solo, and the interception. Ejike Brown recorded a pair of sacks. 

• Make it nine straight quarters without a touchdown for the Wildcats dating back to the Florida Classic last season. 
• Saturday marked the first time since Oct. 7, 2023, in which only one Wildcat has attempted a pass in a game. 
• Saturday marked the first time since 1968 that the Wildcats have finished a contest with only two points scored. The last time B-CU managed only two was 1968 in a 9-2 loss to Kentucky State in the 300th game in franchise history.

The Wildcats will hit the road for their longest trip of the season as they head to Kalamazoo, Michigan, to take on Western Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 14. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. EST.


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--#HailWildcats--