MIAMI - Bethune-Cookman Football returns to the gridiron for a season-opening contest against Florida International on Friday, August 29 at 7 p.m.

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

The Wildcats will look for signs of improvement after a 2-10 season in 2024. Of the 10 B-CU losses a season ago, five came within one score.

The Wildcats coaching staff saw an offseason shuffle led by the departure of Offensive Coordinator Joe Gerbino. The Co-Offensive Coordinator from a season ago, Donte' Pimpleton, will assume play calling duties along with an updated role of Assistant Head Coach and Quarterbacks coach. Other coaching changes included the promotion of Otis Mounds to Co-Defensive Coordinator, Offensive Line Coach Brandon Washington's added role of run game coordinator, and the addition of two new faces to the B-CU staff - Pat Brown (Co-Special Teams Coordinator / Runningbacks) and Keith Towbridge (Co-Special Teams Coordinator / Tight Ends).

Bethune-Cookman was picked to finish fifth in the SWAC's Eastern Division, with Jackson State tabbed the favorite to repeat as the East's representative in the SWAC title game. Five Wildcats were named to All-SWAC Preseason Teams - DB Antwone Watts, QB Cam Ransom, WR Maleek Huggins, DL Adrian Hall Jr., and LB Maleek Stinnet. 



Friday, August 29
Opponent:  FIU ( In 2024: 4-8, 3-5 CUSA )
Time: 7 p.m. EST
Location: Miami, FL | Pitbull Stadium
Watch: https://plus.espn.com/
Listen: https://wele1380thecat.com/ / Youtube.com/CatEyeNetwork / BCUAthletics.com/Radio
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=604334
Tickets: https://fiutickets.com/tickets/events/football-home-game-1733184000000-55155



FIU finished the 2024 season at 4-8 with a 3-5 record in Conference USA play, prompting a coaching change in the offseason. Back in December, the Panthers welcomed in former Wildcat foe Willie Simmons as head coach, who joins FIU from Duke, where he oversaw running backs. Prior to his time with the Blue Devils, Simmons spent six years as head coach of Florida A&M, where he led the Rattlers to two HBCU National Championships and a Celebration Bowl title in 2023. 

FIU finished the 2024 season ranked third in Conference USA in scoring at over 26 points per game. The Panthers finished top-three in the league in passing at nearly 230 yards per game, but middle-of-the-pack rushing the ball at 120 yards per game on 3.6 yards per carry.

Defensively, the Panthers allowed just over 25 points per game with 96 sacks, 11 interceptions, and six forced fumbles.

FIU is led by third-year quarterback Keyone Jenkins, who was named 2025 CUSA Offensive Player of the Year along with receiving nods on multiple national award watch lists. In 2024, Jenkins passed for 22 touchdowns - the second-most in a single season in program history. He also compiled 2457 passing yards on a 62% completion percentage.

On the defensive side, FIU is led by defensive back Brian Blades II, who was named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 100 prior to the season. The 12-game starter in 2024 grabbed one pick-six last season along with 14 passes defended and 77 tackles. 


ROAD TRIPPING
Bethune-Cookman opens the season with three straight games on the road at FIU, Miami, and South Carolina State before finally opening the 2025 home season on Saturday, September 20 against Edward Waters. It is the longest the Wildcats will spend on the road to open a season since 2019, when the Cats played four straight road games out of the gate - B-CU did not open the home season until October 5th that year.

SUNSHINE STATE OF MIND
The Wildcats will play eight games in the state of Florida in the 2025 season, the most in the Sunshine State in a single season since 2013, when B-CU also played eight - The Cats played both FIU and UCF in the non-conference that year.

WHO'S THE REAL UNDERDOG?
Bethune-Cookman is a perfect 4-0 against FIU in the history of the two programs, dating back to the earliest days of the Panthers' program. B-CU shutout the Panthers in FIU's fourth-ever game, 31-0. The Wildcats have held the Panthers to under 15 points in every meeting, though their last meeting - in 2014 - saw B-CU narrowly escape Miami with a 14-12 win.

TURNAROUND TIME
With B-CU entering year three in the Raymond Woodie Jr. era, the Wildcats will look for their first winning season since joining the SWAC, and first since 2019. The Wildcats' best SWAC finish came in 2023, when B-CU finished 3-8.

#PROCATS
B-CU's top DB in 2024, Andrew Volmar, was invited to the practice squad for the Denver Broncos over the offseason. He finished his final season with B-CU with 30 tackles, two interceptions, and 12 passes defended.

CAM SHOW
Cam Ransom, the starting quar terback for the Cats from a season ago, returns as the team's leading returning rusher having racked up 163 yards from his signal-caller position. Ransom led the squad in passing with 1,843 yards and con necting on 164-of-265 passes. He became the fourth B-CU quarter back since 2015 to pass for at least 1,800 yards and rush for 100 in a single season, as he passed for 1,843 yards and rushed for 163 more. 

SPREAD THE LOVE
With eight different receivers having caught a touchdown pass in 2024, it marked the most passing touchdowns to different receivers since 2010 (also eight players).

YOU GET A TD, AND YOU GET A TD
With multiple players recording three or more touchdown receptions on the campaign, it was the third time in the last decade B-CU has accomplished the feat, match ing 2015, '18 and '22, respectively. WIN THE HIDDEN YARDAGE The Cats finished last season second in the SWAC in punt return average (15.6 ypr), finishing as one of six teams to return a punt for touchdown
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WIN THE HIDDEN YARDAGE
The Cats finished last season second in the SWAC in punt return average (15.6 ypr), finishing as one of six teams to return a punt for touchdown.

WATCH THIS
Two Wildcats saw their names on national preseason watch lists: QB Cam Ransom was named to the Stats Perform HBCU National Play er of the Year Watch List, while DB Johnny Harris III was named to the Aeneas Williams Award Watch List.

BIG BOOM AJ
DL Adrian Hall Jr. returns as the leading tackler on the team from a season ago after amassing 51 total (40 assisted) on the year, as well as 4.5 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries. He was also one of just four players to play and start all 12 games.

TOP TARGET
Maleek Huggins led the receiving core last season with 37 receptions for 543 yards and three touch downs. He ended the season with a reception across his lats six games, including a season-best seven for 177 yards against Florida A&M in the Florida Blue Florida Classic. 



Saturday marks the 5th meeting all-time between B-CU and FIU. The Wildcats have never lost to the Panthers in four tries. After a 31-0 victory in FIU's fourth-ever game as a program, the Wildcats have won by an average margin of 11 points in their previous three wins, most recently a 14-12 win in 2014.


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