Box Score
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Miles College gained 261 yards rushing and took advantage of three Benedict College turnovers to pull away from a close game and defeat the Tigers 27-13 on Saturday at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.

The Tigers dropped their third straight game to fall to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the SIAC. Miles College won its second straight game and improved to 2-2 overall and 2-0 in the SIAC.

Miles scored 20 points in the second half to break away from a 7-7 halftime tie.

The Golden Bears scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:05 left in the third quarter. A poor snap on fourth-down from midfield resulted in a 14-yard loss for Benedict punter Brian Curry, his second attempt of the day he failed to get off. The Golden Bears took over at the Benedict 37 and needed just four plays to score, with Terry Emmett running the ball in from eight yards out. The PAT by Jason Coste missed, giving the Golden Bears a 13-7 lead with 3:49 left in the third quarter.

On Miles' next possession, the Golden Bears traveled 67 yards on seven plays, with quarterback Demetrice Price rushing for a 23-yard score on third down.

Benedict came back and went 68 yards on eight plays for a touchdown. Tavion Wright started off the drive with a 17-yard run, and capped off the drive with a 3-yard run for a touchdown. Eduardo Hernandez's PAT was blocked, but Benedict cut the lead to 20-13 with 12:50 left to play.

Miles was driving deep into Benedict territory on the ensuing possession, but Emmett fumbled at the Benedict 10 and Harmon Brown recovered for the Tigers. Five plays later, though, Benedict quarterback Marcus Graham was intercepted by Miles' Joe Beckham, who returned it 30 yards to the Benedict 4. Two plays later, Floyd Graves rushed around the left side for a touchdown. After the PAT, Miles increased the lead to 27-13 with 6:46 left to play.

The Tigers took the ensuing kickoff and quickly drove the length of the field, but an incomplete pass on fourth down from the Miles 3-yard line ended Benedict's drive. The Golden Bears were facing a third-and-11, when Denzel Veal broke free for a 63-yard run, ending any last-minute hopes for the Tigers. Veal finished with 99 yards on eight carries.

"There's no excuse for those mistakes. We worked real hard this week and I was hoping and praying we would not come out and make this many mistakes," Benedict head coach James Woody said. "I thought we corrected them in practice, but then we come out here and do the same thing over and over again. We've got to tackle better, we've got to make better decisions with the football, and we've got to protect the football. And special teams, we've got to tighten up a little more."

Kenneth Hurley Jr. opened the scoring for the Tigers in the first quarter on a four-yard run and the Tigers held a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Miles missed a 41-yard field goal on the next series, and the Tigers had another nice drive going, only to have Kendariss Brown fumble a pass inches from the goal line. Miles recovered the ball in the end zone and went on an 11-play, 80-yard drive to tie the game at 7-7 on a 5-yard run by Price.

"We battled back," Woody said. "They've got toughness and they've got heart. I take nothing away from this football team. They're fighters. It's just the same mistakes that are killing us. The lack of tackling, the lack of finishing plays, the fumbles, the interceptions."

The Tigers are on the road next week to face Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Gametime is 1:30 p.m. Central (2:30 p.m. Eastern).