DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Wildcats return to the beach for the first of a three-game homestand looking to make it four straight wins at home as they host the Jaguars of Southern University Saturday, October 11 at Daytona Stadium. 

Fans can purchase tickets at BCUAthletics.com/Tickets. Fans attending the game can view expectations, regulations, and best gameday practices at the official B-CU Gameday Central.  

The team will sport pink accessories and tape during the game in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

The game will be streamed live on SWACTV, which is available online or via the Roku/Smart TV app. Fans can listen to B-CU's coverage of the game live for free at YouTube.com/CatEyeNetwork,  BCUAthletics.com/Radio, or on local radio waves at 1380 WELE in Daytona Beach.



Saturday, October 11
Opponent:  Southern (1-4, 0-1 SWAC)
Time: 3 p.m. EST
Location: Daytona Beach, Fla. | Daytona Municipal Stadium
Watch: https://tv.swac.org/
Listen: Youtube.com/CatEyeNetwork / BCUAthletics.com/Radio
Live Stats: https://bcuathletics.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
Tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.com/search?q=bethune-cookman



 Timmy McClain passed for 266 yards and two touchdowns Saturday afternoon, but it wasn't enough as Alabama State held off Bethune-Cookman 52-35 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Football contest at ASU Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama.
 
Bethune-Cookman (2-4, 1-1 SWAC) opened the game with an 85-yard scoring strike through the air as quarterback Cam'Ron Ransom linked up with receiver Maleek Huggins for a touchdown on the game's opening play from scrimmage. The Juan Dominguez extra point made it 7-0 in favor of the visitors in front of an ASU homecoming crowd of 24,736.
 
However, Alabama State (4-1, 2-0 SWAC) would respond by scoring on each of its next four possessions.
 
A nine-play, 79-yard drive saw ASU signal-caller Andrew Body connect over the middle with Derick Harden for the score to tie the game at 7-7 following the Andrew Abu-Akel kick. After B-CU turned the ball over on downs on its ensuing possession, the Hornets used a 40-yard field goal from Abu-Akel to step in front 10-7 with 3:49 remaining in the opening quarter.
 
A quick B-CU three-and-out was followed by a four-play, 70-yard scoring drive by the Hornets that saw running back Jamarie Hostzclaw scamper in from 10 yards out to advance the lead, 17-7. On their first possession of the second quarter, the hosts used a two-yard rush around the right side from Karl Ligon to push farther ahead, 24-7.
 
The Wildcats got back into it when transfer quarterback Timmy McClain entered the game in the second quarter and engineered a 10-play scoring drive that took 4:21 off the clock.
 
McClain hooked up with sophomore receiver Javon Ross twice on the drive, eventually culminating with the former UCF and USF quarterback finding Huggins down the left side for a four-yard touchdown through the air. For McClain, it was his first passing touchdown of the season. That brought the Maroon and Gold to within 24-14 with under two minutes remaining in the first half.
 
However, the Hornets quickly replied with Body connecting with Jalen Jones on a 30-yard route that went the distance for the score, advancing the ASU lead at 31-14 at the half.
 
Two more scores after the break saw the Hornets hold their largest lead of the day, 45-14 after a 48-yard Jahbari Kuykendall touchdown via the ground with 6:20 left in the third period.
 
Bethune-Cookman found the end zone for the third time on the day on a drive that featured a host of McClain and Alihaja Scott Jr. runs, concluding with McClain's one yard plunge up the middle to make it 45-21.
 
ASU answered with a Marcus Harris II rushing score three plays into the fourth quarter, pushing the lead to 52-21. Overall, six different players scored touchdowns for the Hornets.
 
On the ensuing possession, the Cats drove 74 yards on 14 plays and took almost seven minutes off the clock in one of the longest scoring drives of the season. McClain finished the drive 5 of 7 passing, while tacking on his second rushing touchdown of the game with another one yard rush up the middle.
 
The Cats produced their final touchdown of the contest on their next possession as running back Rashon Brown carried the load on the drive, finishing with a McClain to Ross connection for a 20-yard scoring strike and the second passing touchdown of the day for the Sanford, Florida native.
 
ASU was led offensively by Kuykendall with 106 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Body finished 11-for-16 passing for 171 yards and two touchdowns. The Hornets defense was headlined by Ta'Shaun Sims and Drake Johnson with eight tackles each.
 
B-CU used 100 yards on the ground from Scott on a game-high 15 carries. McClain had 266 yards through the air on 24-for-34 passing and two scores. He also ran for 29 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Ross had nine receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown. And Huggins finished with seven catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
 
The Wildcats defense saw Antwone Watts register a game-high 10 tackles (seven solo), followed by Stephen Sparrow Jr. with six stops (five solo).
 



It has been a rough start to the 2025 season for a Southern team picked to finish first in the SWAC's West division by a wide margin. After a 2024 season that saw the Jaguars finish 8-5 en route to a SWAC Championship loss at eventual Cricket Celebration Bowl champion, Jackson State, Southern sits just 1-4 on the year including a SWAC-opening loss to the same Tigers, 38-13. With just one win, the Jaguars sit above only winless Alcorn State in the SWAC West standings. 

Southern has played two other SWAC teams on the early season, a 34-29 win at Mississippi Valley State and a 30-7 loss at home to Alabama State. Both contests were designated as non-conference affairs. 

The Jaguars have seen struggles on both sides of the ball, entering play Saturday ranked tenth in the SWAC in offense and ninth in defense. They produce the second fewest yards per game and allow the fourth-most in the conference. 

Southern sits in the middle of the pack in rushing offense, averaging 168 yards per game on the ground, but the Jaguars have been dreadful in the passing game, averaging just 128 passing yards per game on a 55 percent completion percentage with only two passing touchdowns and three interceptions. 

Running back Trey Holly has been a bright spot, averaging nearly seven yards per carry with 414 total rush yards on the year and four scores. 

On defense, Southern allows an average of 178 yards per game on the ground to 244 in the air, ahead of only B-CU in the later category. Defensive end Ckelby Givens has picked up where he left off a season ago, leading the SWAC with 9.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. He has also added two forced fumbles. 



WELCOME TO DAYTONA (FINALLY)
Saturday's meeting with Southern marks the first time in the history of the two programs that they have met at Daytona Stadium. The most recent meeting of the all-time series was held at Southern's home stadium, but, prior to that, each of the previous five matchups were held at neutral sites. Most notably in recent seasons, B-CU and Southern played a 2023 contest at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville.

CATCHING THEM SLEEPING
In back-to-back weeks, Bethune-Cookman has scored a touchdown on its opening play from scrimmage. In the September 27th win over Alabama A&M, Cam Ransom found Javon Ross for 79-yard score. The very next week, in the October 4 loss at Alabama State, Ransom hit Maleek Huggins with an 85-yard bomb to open the scoring.

HOME SWEET DAYTONA STADIUM
Saturday's game against Southern marks the first of three straight home games for the Wildcats, who will not return to the road again until Nov. 8. It is the third home game in a stretch that sees B-CU play five of six games at Daytona Stadium.

CAM CAN
B-CU Quarterback Cam Ransom currently sits fourth in the FCS in passing yards per completion, totaling nearly 16 yards per completed pass. He is eighth in the country in yards per pass attempt at 9.53. He also ranks 19th in the nation in passing touchdowns.

BIG HUG
At the midway point of the season, wide receiver Maleek Huggins is less than 30 yards away from surpassing his receiving yards total from a season ago. With six receiving scores on the year, he has already doubled his receiving touchdown mark from last season. Huggins sits atop the SWAC as well as 13th in the FCS in receiving yards per game (86), as well as first in the SWAC and fifth in thenation in receiving touchdowns, only two behind the national leader.

SOME LOVE FOR THE SPECS
According to PFF, Bethune-Cookman's punt team ranks No. 1 in the SWAC on 43.1 yards per attempt and a net average of 38.9 yards per punt. That number also ranks B-CU at 27 in the nation at the FCS level.
Also according to PFF, the B-CU kickoff unit ranks third in the SWAC and 27th in the nation (min. 50 snaps) at 17.8 yards per return and an average field position of the 26.7 yardline

QB CREW
Bethune-Cookman has not one, but two quarterbacks in the SWAC's top 10 in passes attempted as Cam Ransom and Timmy McClain are separated by only two pass attempts at 92 and 90, respectively. Each also ranks in the SWAC's top 10 in total passing yards. 

OFFENSIVE EXCELLENCE
The Wildcats sit with SWAC contenders Alabama State and Jackson State as one of only three teams to rank in the top four in both rushing and passing offense. B-CU is second in the SWAC in passing offense and fourth in rushing offense.

A WIN OVER SOUTHERN WOULD...
• Mark the third win of the season for the Wildcats, tying a program-high since joining the SWAC.
• Be the first win all-time for B-CU over Southern in eight tries.
• Mark the earliest B-CU has notched three wins in a season since they started the 2019 season 3-1.
• Be the fourth straight home win for B-CU - the longest streak since the 2017-18 seasons.
• Mark B-CU's twelfth win since joining the SWAC in 2021.
• Tie a program-high in SWAC wins in a season (2)
• Notch win number eight in the career of Head Coach Raymond Woodie.



Saturday marks the 8th meeting all-time between B-CU and Southern dating back to 1981. B-CU has yet to win a game in the series. The WIldcat fell, 25-23 in a 5-overtime game in Baton Rouge a season ago. 


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