ALBANY, Ga. -- Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier had the Thrilla in Manila. Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield had the Sound and the Fury. Now Benedict and Albany State have the Clash at the Coliseum.
 
The much-hyped football game will pit the 5-1 and 21^st-ranked Albany State Golden Rams against the 6-0 and 23^rd-ranked Benedict Tigers for first-place supremacy in the SIAC East Division. Kickoff from Albany State's Coliseum is 2 p.m. The game will be streamed by HBCU League Pass Plus. An audio stream will also be available here.
 
"This will be like an old heavyweight fight," Benedict head coach Chennis Berry said. "It should be fun. We're very comparable. It should be a competitive football game."
 
The Tigers and Golden Rams hold the top two spots in most statistical categories in the SIAC. The game will pit two of the nation's best defenses. Benedict is first in the SIAC and fourth in Division II in total defense, allowing 211 yards per game to opponents. Benedict leads the SIAC and ranks second nationally in scoring defense, allowing opponents 8.3 points per game. Albany State, which prides itself on a long history of a stout defense – nicknamed the "Dirty Blue Defense" – is allowing 275.7 yards per game. Over the past three games, the Golden Rams have allowed just 157 yards and 3.3 points per game.
 
"Our defense is playing at a high level, their defense is playing at a high level," Berry said. "We're very similar offensively and special teams, we do a lot of similar things as well."
 
Offensively, Albany State leads the SIAC with an average of 390 yards per game, while Benedict is fourth at 350.8 yards per game. Albany State leads the SIAC in scoring at 32.2 points per game, while Benedict is second at 31.5. The Golden Rams are coming off a 56-7 victory last week over Edward Waters.
 
Albany State quarterback Dionte Bonneau, the SIAC's preseason Offensive Player of the Year, is averaging 202 yards of total offense per game. Karman Ward is second in the league in rushing yards per game (69.3), while Marcuis Fulks is third in rushing (69.2). The Golden Rams average an SIAC-best 201.5 yards rushing per game, while Benedict's defense is allowing 133.3 yards rushing per game. The Golden Rams average 188.5 yards passing per game, and lead the SIAC in yards per completion (16.39). But they will facing the nation's toughest team to pass against. Benedict leads Division II in passing yards allowed (77.7 per game) and lead both the SIAC and Division II in team passing efficiency defense. Benedict is second in the SIAC in sacks.
 
Both teams are 3-0 in the SIAC East Division. The winner will have the advantage of winning the division and hosting the SIAC Football Championship on Nov. 12. The Golden Rams have played in the last three conference championship games, winning in 2021, their 16^th conference championship in school history.
 
"It should be fun down in Albany," Berry said. "The mission doesn't change. We want to go down there and come back 1-0."