COLUMBIA, S.C. – For the third year in a row, the Benedict College Tigers will be featured in a prime time game on ESPN. On Thursday night, Benedict will host Edward Waters College in Charlie W. Johnson Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN2 with an 8 p.m. kickoff.
 
Tickets are available at www.benedicttickets.com. Benedict is inviting all first responders, law enforcement, Greek fraternity and sorority members, and business owners to the game with free admission with proper ID.
 
The game was originally scheduled for ESPNU. On Wednesday, ESPN moved the game to ESPN2, which has a reach of about 70 million households, nearly double the reach of ESPNU.
 
Live stats will also be available here.
 
"I'm excited about it," said Benedict head coach Ron Dickerson Jr. "It's been a short week, but we've had a great week. We've had a lot of energy this week with the guys. I'm ready to see them continue to get better."
 
And having the national television spotlight is exciting for the young Benedict team.
 
"It's an opportunity for these young men. When they were little, they wanted to play in the NFL, and they had an opportunity to play in an NFL stadium (in Canton, Ohio) in the (Black College) Hall of Fame Game," Dickerson said. "Everybody wants the opportunity to play on national television and ESPN, and they're getting the opportunity for that. Again, I think that's why we've had a good week of practice. They know they've worked for it. It's an honor for those guys."
 
The Tigers, the two-time defending SIAC champions, are off to an 0-2 start overall, and 0-1 in the SIAC after last week's 32-27 loss to Lane. Despite the slow start, Dickerson said spirits remain high for the Tigers.
 
"The only thing that matters is this team out here and these coaches," Dickerson said. "It's a process, and if you understand the process, and you have a vision, then you've got to work through it. And that's what we're doing; we're working through it."
 
Edward Waters comes into the contest at 1-2, and 1-0 in the SIAC. They opened the season with a victory over Morehouse, then dropped back-to-back non-conference games against Florida Memorial and a 38-7 loss last week to Division I Alcorn State.
 
Despite Edward Waters' record, Dickerson said they are a dangerous team.
 
"Edward Waters has a lot of speed," Dickerson said. "They have an aggressive defense and they're going to try and blitz us. On offense, they're going to do what a lot of people have done against us, and that's run the football. But they do have speed on the outside and their quarterback is very, very talented. So we're going to have to get our hands on him and not let him dictate his game to us."