MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman is set for its toughest challenge in program history as the Wildcats travel to Miami for the second time in as many weeks to face the the #5 Miami Hurricanes, Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium.

The fifth-ranked Hurricanes are the highest-ranked opponent the Wildcats program has ever faced in program history. That honor was previously held by Florida State, who defeated the Wildcats, 54-6 as the No. 8 team in the nation on September 21, 2013. 



Saturday, September 6
Opponent:  #5 Miami (1-0)
Time: 7 p.m. EST
Location: Miami Gardens, FL | Hard Rock Stadium
Watch: https://plus.espn.com/
Listen: https://wele1380thecat.com/ / Youtube.com/CatEyeNetwork / BCUAthletics.com/Radio
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=604637
Tickets: https://miamihurricanes.com/football-tickets/?RSRC=Web_FB_Schedule_Page_Ticket_Options_Button_BCU&RDAT=F25_Ticket_Sales02042025



Keyone Jenkins passed for 187 yards while rushing for a pair of touchdowns to lift Florida International to a 42-9 victory over visiting Bethune-Cookman at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium in the season opener for both teams Friday evening. The game was delayed for over an hour due to weather in and around Dade County.
 
Bethune-Cookman (0-1) struck first in the opening quarter, grabbing an early 3-0 lead.
 
A seven-play, 62-yard drive engineered by redshirt senior quarterback Cam'Ron Ransom culminated with redshirt junior kicker Juan Dominguez's field goal from 35 yards out to lift the visiting Wildcats to the lead on their opening possession. The drive was under four minutes in length.
 
Florida International (1-0) responded on its opening possession of the contest with a seven-play drive of its own, spanning 67 yards in a drive that saw a mixture of run and pass from the Panthers. Keyone Jenkins finished the drive a perfect 4-for-4 passing, ending the possession with Kejon Owens plunging ahead for a two-yard score. The extra point from Robert Czeremcha was good to establish a 7-3 lead for the hosts.
 
Just two plays into the second quarter FIU established a 14-3 edge after one of the longest drives of the game saw the Panthers' Owens smash through the middle for his second rushing score of the contest. The drive spanned 89 yards in 15 plays, taking more than seven minutes off the clock in total.
 
The lead would swell to 21-3 after Jenkins split the Wildcats defense up the middle for a rushing touchdown from six yards out.
 
After forcing the Cats into a three-and-out under backup quarterback Timmy McClain, the Panthers offense marched down the field in just five plays behind a 20-yard gain on the ground from Kyle McNeal, as well as a Devonte Lyons 35-yard rushing touchdown to extend thew FIU lead, 28-3.
 
B-CU once again got on the board before the end of the opening half as Dominguez tacked on his second field goal of the night for the Maroon and Gold, this time from 22 yards out to trim the deficit, 28-6. On the drive, McClain connected with receiver Lorenzo Jenkins for a 28-yard strike to set the Cats up in field goal range.
 
FIU wasted little time beginning to score again at the start of the second half, as a Juan Rodriguez fumble was collected by FIU's Johnny Chaney Jr. at the B-CU 12 yard line. The Panthers wasted little time, scoring in three plays as Jenkins busted through the line for another score via the ground to make it 35-6 following the extra points from Czeremcha.
 
The B-CU scoring was concluded with the third score of the night from Dominguez, as the West Palm Beach, Florida native connected on a 28-yard field goal to bring the Wildcats to within 35-9.
 
FIU was led on the night by Owens on the ground with 71 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns. Jenkins was 18 of 30 passing for a game-high 187 yards. Defensively, the Panthers were paced by Chaney Jr. and Josiah Taylor with eight tackles apiece.
 
The Cats used 876 yards on the ground from Marqui Johnson through nine carries. McClain ended 18-for-28 passing for 164 yards. Javon Ross hauled in six receptions for 109 yards. The Cats defense was headlined by Antwone Watts with seven tackles (five assisted). Meanwhile, Dominguez turned in a perfect 3-for-3 night in field goals.
 



The fifth-ranked team in the country is off to a 1-0 start on the year after a 27-24 victory over #6/#5 Notre Dame on Sunday, Aug. 31 at Hard Rock Stadium. Transfer quarterback Carson Beck completed 20-31 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the win. 

Under fourth-year head coach Mario Cristobal - who worked with B-CU head man Raymond Woodie Jr. in 2017 at Oregon - the Hurricanes rose five spots in nationally after last week's win over the Fighting Irish.

Notable names for the Hurricanes include the aforementioned Beck, transferring in from Georgia in the offseason. Beck was featured in in several preseason award watch lists, incluing the Davey O'Brien Award, the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Maxwell Award, and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Beck passed for 3,400 yards and 28 touchdowns to 12 interceptions in 2024. Ten other Hurricanes, most notably defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr., received national preseason accolades. 




SOFLO CATS
Bethune-Cookman's 2025 roster features 14 players from Miami or the surround ing areas. 66 total players on the Wildcats roster hail from the state of Florida. Only the Orlando area has produced more Wildcats on this season's roster with 17 total.

QB CAROSEL
Two quarterbacks saw action in the season opener at FIU. Senior Cam Ransom made the start, complet ing 5-10 passes for 77 yards, while transfer Timmy McClain came on in relief and played a majority of the snaps with 18 completions for 28 yards. In 2024, the Wildcats saw multiple quarterbacks complete more than one pass in four games

TOP TARGET
Sophomore wideout and local product Javon Ross opened his season with six receptions for 109 yards, surpassing his season total in the latter stat from a season ago in just a single game. He finished the 2024 campaign with 10 catch es for 86 yards in nine games. The Wildcat offense featured only one 100+ yards receiving game last year, when Maleek Huggins caught seven passes for 177 yards and a score in the Florida Blue Florida Classic.

KICKING IT
Redshirt Junior Kicker Juan Domin guez saw his first action with the Maroon & Gold at FIU, connecting on all three of his field goal at tempts with a long of 35. B-CU had only one game with three field goal attempts last year, with kicker Cade Hechter connecting on all three in a loss to Clark Atlanta.



Saturday marks the 8th meeting all-time between B-CU and Miami. The Hurricanes have won all seven previous meetings, all in Miami. Most recently, Miami defeated B-CU, 48-7 on September 14, 2023. 


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