INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Kentucky State University rushed for 450 yards and outscored Benedict 17-0 in the second half to take a 34-28 victory in the Circle City Classic in Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The loss drops Benedict to 2-2 on the season. Kentucky State improves to 2-2.

"We didn't get it done," said Benedict head coach Chennis Berry. "I thought offensively we came out in the first half and really had it our way, other than the first drive. We were moving the ball up and down the field. Defensively, we couldn't cut the water off."

Benedict had a 28-17 lead at the half, and the Thorobreds opened the second half with a touchdown drive to cut the lead to 28-24. On the Tigers' first offensive play of the second half, starting quarterback Eric Phoenix was rushed out of the pocket, fumbled the ball and left the game with an ankle injury and did not return.

"When Phoenix went out in the first drive in the second half, we kind of slowed up from there offensively," Berry said. "But like I always tell those guys, 'Next man up. Be ready.' But we weren't able to get it done."

Kentucky State pulled ahead 31-28 with10:47 remaining in the game after going on a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was highlighted by a 51-yard run by their quarterback, Jonathan Jerry.

The Thorobreds tacked on a 34-yard field goal with 2:55 remaining to make it 34-28. And for the second straight week, the Tigers were forced to make a game-ending drive and moved the ball to the Kentucky State 27-yard line, but backup quarterback Nathan Harden's Hail Mary pass in the end zone to Christopher Williams III  was incomplete.

"I'm proud of our team, they never quit fighting," Berry said. "We took it all the way down and had an opportunity to win it."

The Thorobreds finished with 450 yards rushing on 64 attempts. They attempted just one pass the entire game and it was incomplete. Jerry finished with 138 yards on 14 carries, while Brett Sylve finished with 178 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

Phoenix was intercepted on Benedict's first drive of the game, and Kentucky State took over and needed just 23 yards to score the game's first touchdown. The Tigers answered with a long 17-play, 87-yard drive. Phoenix finished the drive with a three-yard run to tie the game at 7-7 with 3:57 left in the first quarter.

The Thorobreds came right back with a touchdown by Sylve to go back on top, 14-7 with 38 seconds left in the first quarter.

Benedict answered with a seven-play, 75-yard drive. Phoenix connected with Williams on third-and-long for a 22-yard pickup and Omarion Coleman scored on a nine-yard run to tie the game at 14-14.

Kentucky State followed with a field goal, and the Tigers took their first lead of the game. Phoenix found Tayven Grice for a 16-yard completion to give the Tigers a first-and-goal, and Jayden McCloud plowed in from two yards out to give Benedict its first lead of the game, 21-17 with 5:48 left in the first half.

After a Kentucky State punt, Phoenix threw a pass to Jayden Thomas, who then outran the KSU defense for a 70-yard touchdown and a 28-17 lead.

In the second half, Kentucky State scored first to cut the lead to 28-24, and then the Tigers lost Phoenix for the rest of the game. Harden threw an interception in the end zone late in the third quarter, and the Thorobreds took over and drove the ball 80 yards on just 10 plays to regain the lead, 31-28.

The Tigers return home next week to take on Fort Valley State in a 2 p.m. contest in Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.