COLUMBIA, S.C. –The Benedict College Tigers play their final home football game of the 2018 season on Saturday against Albany State, and a chance for the team's first trip to the SIAC Championship game is riding on the outcome.

Kickoff is 2 p.m. from Charlie W. Johnson Stadium. The game will be streamed by flofootball here ($19.99 for monthly subscription). Live stats are available here. Tickets are available for $15. The game is also designated as "Take A Kid To The Game Day," and all youth, high school seniors and under, will be admitted free with a paying adult.

The Tigers, 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the SIAC, need to beat Albany State (5-3 overall, 4-0 in the SIAC) to stay in the running for the top spot in the SIAC East Division. Albany State has already beaten Morehouse and could clinch the division title with a win over the Tigers. A Benedict win puts the possibility of a three-way tie heading to the final week of the season. Benedict travels to Kentucky State next week, while Albany State still has Fort Valley State next week, and Morehouse takes on rival Clark Atlanta next week.

"This is an important game," said Benedict head coach Mike White. "We always wanted to stay in the driver's seat and didn't want to have to depend on anyone else. For us to stay in the conversation, we've got to play well Saturday, we've got to get off to a good start and do the little things to give us the advantage in the fourth quarter to pull this game out."

The Golden Rams bring in the SIAC's top rushing team, averaging 188.2 yards per game. They will attack with a pair of strong and fast running backs in Tracy Scott (68.8 yards per game) and McKinley Habersham (59.9 yards per game). Benedict continues to have the conference's best defense at stopping the run, allowing opponents just 67.3 yards per game, which ranks second best in the country.

"Albany State is playing as well as any team in the conference right now," White said. "They run the ball well, they're passing game is on, and they're playing pretty good defense right now."

The Golden Rams started the season 0-3, playing a pair of Gulf South Conference powers in Valdosta State and West Georgia, as well as a 20-0 loss in a non-conference matchup against Tuskegee. But they've now won five in a row, demolishing Morehouse 41-19 two weeks ago and crushing Clark Atlanta 36-3 last week.

"We've got to do a good job defensively and try to hold them and make the game tight," White said. "They're crushing teams, and it should be a good matchup."

Saturday is also the final home game for 16 seniors on the football squad. White said this is a special group, with many of them coming in with him four years ago in his first freshman recruiting class.

"They've meant so much to our program," White said. "This hits me right in the heart with this group, with how passionate they are. We've seen them grow as young men. Most of them are getting ready to graduate real soon and we are proud of everything they have accomplished. We want to send them out right and play the best game we possibly can and dedicate this straight to our seniors."

It will be a special sendoff for three seniors, who have started every game since their freshman year: Offensive linemen Justin Brown; offensive lineman Craig Hinson; and defensive lineman Charles Williams. Other seniors are: Running back KaDarius Garrett; offensive lineman Damien Hanson; quarterback Dominique Harris; defensive lineman Reginald Henry Jr.; defensive lineman Rickym Holmes; linebacker Shaquille Husser; running back Deveall McClendon; offensive lineman Avery Owens; defensive lineman Anthony Pulliam; defensive back Arkivious Reeder; defensive back Darryl Rolle; offensive lineman Harrison Terry; and offensive lineman Kellen Williams.

"They're guys you can count on," White said. "They're guys who are going to be successful later on in life. Those guys will make you proud to be a Tiger. We want to play well and dedicate the game to them because of how much they've given to the program and how much their legacy will leave here going forward."