COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College football team, nationally ranked for the first time in school history, look to continue their success when they take on the Miles Golden Bears on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.
 
Saturday's game will be broadcast by HBCU League Pass Plus, available as a free streaming app on Amazon Firestick, Roku and other streaming devices, as well as their website here. Live stats will be available here. The game will also be broadcast on KSRB radio, available to listen here.
 
The Tigers are ranked 24^th this week by D2football.com, a nationally-recognized website that covers Division II football. This is the first time in school history the Tigers have been ranked in their poll. Benedict also received 57 votes in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll, putting them three spots out of the Top 25. Benedict also has never been ranked by the AFCA.
 
The 5-0 Tigers will be taking on the Golden Bears, who are off to a 1-4 start. That record can be deceiving, as the Golden Bears have played a schedule front-loaded with tough opponents. Miles opened the season by dropping a close 21-13 contest to Division I Alabama State. The Golden Bears then dropped back-to-back contests to a pair of Division II Gulf South Conference powerhouse programs in Valdosta State and West Alabama. Miles rolled over Central State in their first SIAC contest, but then lost to Albany State 20-3 last week in a rematch of last year's SIAC Championship game. Miles has played in the last three conference championship games, facing Albany State each time, winning the title in 2019.
 
Miles is operating under a new head coach, as first-year coach Sam Shade took over the program in January. Benedict head coach Chennis Berry said the Golden Bears are a well-coached, disciplined football team. Miles leads the SIAC in fewest penalties, turnover margin and turnovers gained.
 
Benedict comes into the contest with the nation's best defense against the pass, allowing just 57.5 passing yards per game; the third-best scoring defense, allowing a measly 8.5 points per game; and the fourth-best total defense in the country, surrendering 201.5 yards per game.
 
Loobert Denelus ranks seventh in the country in sacks, averaging 1.25 per game, and is fourth in the SIAC and 28^th in the country in tackles for loss. Denelus and Ja'ron Kilpatrick rank first and second in the SIAC in forced fumbles, while Denelus leads the country with three recovered fumbles.
 
Benedict snapped a five-game losing streak to Miles last year with a 24-21 victory in Fairfield, Ala., to spoil Miles' Homecoming festivities. Benedict's last victory over Miles in Columbia was in 2009.