COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict Tigers wrap up the 2024 football season on Saturday, taking on the Savannah State Tigers at 2 p.m. in Charlie W. Johnson Stadium. New head coach Ron Dickerson Jr. has had to rebuild the team with a roster heavy on freshmen, but the Tigers will still celebrate 12 seniors who are playing in their final game in a Benedict uniform.
 
Tickets are available here. The game is designated as "Take A Kid To The Game Day", and all youth, 18 years old and under, will be admitted free of charge. Live stats will be available here. The game will be streamed on the Benedict College Athletics YouTube channel here.
 
"The season's gone really fast. We've learned a lot, and we've grown a lot, so I'm excited. To have the last game at home and it to be senior day, I'm really excited for the seniors and also excited to finish at home and get ready for the future," Dickerson said.
 
Benedict comes into the contest with a 3-6 overall record and 3-4 in the SIAC, guaranteeing Benedict its first losing season since 2019. Savannah State is 5-4 overall and 4-3 in the SIAC, and have won four of their last five games, including upsetting Albany State 28-26 last week.
 
"They're coming off a win, and we're coming off one of our worst defeats," Dickerson said. "And it's their last game also. They've got a great defensive line and a great defense. One of their defensive lineman is getting looked at by NFL scouts. It gives us a great opportunity to play another game. Offensively, the quarterback gets the ball out of his hands quick, so we've got to be sound on the defensive line and put pressure on him. They're a really good team. They're not the Savannah of old."
 
Despite the record, Dickerson said the Tigers are still upbeat and looking to finish the season on a high note.
 
"There's a ton of energy. We've had a blast going into today. We've had music from everybody's home state," Dickerson said after practice on Wednesday. "There's been a really good vibe because they get to play one more time. One thing I told them, don't take nothing for granted. Nothing is guaranteed. The good thing about it is that we're growing as a team and I'm excited about it. But lack of energy and lack of focus? Not at all."
 
At halftime, Benedict will recognize 12 seniors. Dickerson said all have had a big impact on his first season at Benedict, and were leaders on and off the field for the young team.
 
"Starting on the defensive line, Aaron Miller, he's one I appreciate he stayed around. He's been wonderful and a great leader on and off the field, making these guys understand what Benedict College is all about. Israel Nwokocha has done an awesome job. He's done his performance on the field, but he's also a leader. He's a guy who hadn't played much, but comes in and embraces his role and it's just significant in what he does. Myles White, who's a graduate student, didn't play much last year, but this year has done really good for us. I'm really proud of him. You hate to lose those guys. And on defensive line, Marcelous Livingston, he's working on his master's. He's had to work through a knee injury all year, but he's also been a great asset to the defense, and I'm going to miss him. He has that great personality that you really appreciate.
 
"On offense, Jalen Leary has done a good job for us. He's been injury prone throughout the middle part of the season, so that's why you haven't seen a lot of him, and then the freshmen stepped up and did really good. But again, him showing them how to be one of the best backs in the FCS when he was at Stetson has really helped these young guys. Zach Gibson has really come in and done a great job. He has a role where we're using him as a bigger wide receiver. He struggled a little bit at the beginning of the year, but here at the end he's done a great job. He's been a wonderful leader. Marcus French, he's just a great role model. When you talk about someone who's doing great off the field, that's Marcus French. He participates in track as well as football. He broke his leg his first year, so he's just been a great person to be around. You need those guys who are great team-oriented people, and that's what Marcus French is. JT, Jordan Taylor has been a great asset to our right tackle. He's been a leader to that group, and he's another guy I wish I could have had for another year. He's really worked with those young guys."