COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College Tigers rushed for a season-high 185 yards against one of the top defenses in the SIAC to take a hard-earned 10-7 Homecoming victory over the Clark Atlanta Panthers on Saturday at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.
Tyquan Bazemore rushed for a season-high 80 yards, and Milton Myers rushed for a season-high 72 yards for the Tigers, who improved to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in the SIAC.
“Our game plan was to run the ball,” said interim head coach James Woody. “We wanted to establish the run and then open up our screen passes and vertical game.”
Benedict finished with 267 total yards of offense against a Clark Atlanta team that ranked third in the SIAC, allowing just 122 yards rushing per game. The Panthers entered the game ranked 41st in the nation in total defense.
But the Tigers were the one to stand out defensively on Saturday. Clark Atlanta finished with 176 yards of total offense and had just 71 in the first half.
In a defensive struggle, the Tigers finally got on the scoreboard with 49 seconds left in the third quarter with a 39-yard field goal by Andy Polanco.
The Panthers struck back quickly, taking just three plays on the ensuing series to score. Bryan Mann completed a 40-yard pass to Robert Brown to put Clark Atlanta on top 7-3 with 14:03 left in the fourth quarter.
After the two teams traded punts, the Tigers got the ball at their own 44-yard line with 8:32 left to play. Quarterback Chris Thomas picked up 13 yards on a pair of runs, and then found Jordan Kelly deep down the left sideline. Kelly had to stop and turn to make a basket catch, and his defender got turned around, allowing Kelly to race untouched into the end zone for a 43-yard scoring play. Polanco's PAT gave the Tigers a 10-7 lead with 5:54 left in the game.
“We knew he (Kelly) could take his guy one-on-one,” Woody said. “And then he just made a great play.”
The Tiger defense held the Panthers to a three-and-out on the next series, giving the Tigers the ball at the 18-yard line with 4:51 to play. Facing a third-and-16 from the 12-yard line, the Tigers got a huge first down when Bazemore blasted through the line for a 31-yard pickup. The drive stalled after that, but Polanco bombed a 56-yard punt that the Tigers were able to down at the 3-yard line. The Panthers were able to move the ball to their own 42-yard line before turning the ball over on downs after three straight incomplete passes.
A week after a 44-0 loss at Stillman, the Tigers were able to come out and show some fire and spirit in front of the large Homecoming crowd. The Tigers also did not have a turnover for the first time this season.
“The key to this game was heart,” Wood said. “We fought through four quarters. I am very, very pleased with these guys.”
Neither team had much success moving the ball in the first half. The Tigers put together a 10-play, 43-yard dive and got as close as the Panther 12-yard line in the second quarter. But a pair of penalties moved the Tigers back and Polanco missed a 39-yard field goal attempt.
Thomas completed 7-of-12 passes for 61 yards with one touchdown, while Johnny Carson was 5-of-8 for 21 yards.
Mann completed 10-of-25 passes for 162 yards and one touchdown for Clark Atlanta.
Anthony Davis led the Benedict defense with six tackles, while Dyrell Porcha had five. Taylor Smith led the Clark Atlanta defense with eight tackles, including two tackles for a loss. Vauch Goodridge had six tackles, including 3.5 tackles for a loss. Clark Atlanta, which ranked second in the nation in tackles for loss, finished the game with 13 tackles for a loss.
Benedict plays at Morehouse College in Atlanta next week.
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