JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After six weeks of playing tough opponents, the Benedict College Tigers now begin what Coach Ron Dickerson Jr. is calling the gauntlet part of the schedule.
 
That gauntlet continues Saturday, when the 24^th-ranked and undefeated Tigers (6-0 overall, 5-0 SIAC) travel to Jacksonville, Fla., to take on Edward Waters (4-2 overall, 3-1 SIAC) at 4 p.m. in a key battle in the final stretch for the top spot in the SIAC. The game will be available on the SIAC network. Live stats will be available here.
 
Benedict is aiming to return to the SIAC championship for the third time in the last four years, and first under second-year coach Ron Dickerson Jr. The EWU Tigers are coming off a surprising 42-14 loss to Kentucky State last week and looking to stay in contention for their first-ever berth in the SIAC football championship game.
 
"We're in the gauntlet when we get into October," Dickerson said. "We play some great teams. This one is a high-powered offense. They're sound defensively."
 
Saturday's game will be a matchup between one of the SIAC's top offenses in Edward Waters, and the stifling defense of the Benedict Tigers. Edward Waters ranks third in the league in scoring at 29.7 points per game, while Benedict leads the SIAC in scoring defense, allowing just 13.8 points per game. Edward Waters is second in the conference in passing, throwing for an average of 243.5 yards per game. Benedict is giving up an average of 305 yards per game, fifth-best in the SIAC. Despite being a pass-heavy offense, Edward Waters has given up just 11 sacks, third-fewest in the SIAC, while the Benedict defense ranks third with 20 sacks.
 
"It's going to be a big game for the defense, because they're a high-powered offense," Dickerson said.
 
Edward Waters has been one of the surprise teams this season, not only in the SIAC, but in the Division II ranks. Just before fall training camp started, former head coach Toriano Morgan resigned to take a job at Tennessee State. Brian Jenkins was named interim head coach. He was later promoted to head coach after leading EWU to a 3-0 start, which included a 41-38 victory over 13th-ranked Virginia Union.
 
"They've had some transition right at the beginning of the season when their head coach left. The new coach comes in and rallies them around and they beat Virginia Union. They've played some really good teams and they have a lot of energy."

Still, Dickerson said the key will be for his Tigers to play Benedict football. That means playing well in all three phases of the game – offense, defense and special teams.
 
"It's like I always say, it's not who we play, but how we play. No disrespect to anybody we play, but if we play good Benedict football, we'll put ourselves in a good position," Dickerson said.
 
After this week, the gauntlet continues next week with a home contest against Albany State University. Heading into this week, both Benedict and Albany State (which plays Tuskegee), are the last two remaining undefeated teams in SIAC play.