Fort Valley State downs Benedict, 50-16
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Fort Valley State amassed 532 yards of total offense, the second-most ever against a Benedict team under head coach Mike White, and the Wildcats cruised to a 50-16 victory over the Tigers in the Upstate HBCU Classic at Greenville’s Sirrine Stadium.
“This is a disappointing loss, no question about it,” said White, who saw the Tigers fall to 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the SIAC. “I thought the first quarter we played a pretty even game, and then back-to-back turnovers and then I don’t know what happened. It seemed like they were out of the gate and it was touchdown pass after touchdown pass.”
Fort Valley State quarterback Slade Jarman completed 25-of-43 passes for 391 yards and six touchdowns and no interceptions. Joseph Ross caught five passes for 106 yards and three first-half touchdowns. The Wildcats improve to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in the SIAC.
Raheem Jennings scored on a 44-yard run with 5:54 left in the second quarter to cut the score to 13-9, but then the Wildcats blocked the extra point and Aaron Dore returned it the other way for a two-point defensive score for Fort Valley. The Wildcats added two more touchdown passes in the final four and a half minutes of the first half to take a 29-9 lead at the half.
“I don’t know how many turnovers or fumbles we had, and I don’t know how many just blown coverages we had tonight. It’s just disappointing in the way we played. Coverage-wise, that was one of our strengths, that we could cover, and we didn’t show that tonight.”
The Tigers lost one fumble, but the Wildcats couldn’t convert it into points, missing a 44-yard field goal on the ensuing drive. Benedict was also penalized 20 times for 187 yards, while Fort Valley State was penalized 10 times for 110 yards.
Jarman and his backup, Demontay Jones, combined to complete 28-of-52 passes for 423 yards and seven touchdowns against the Tigers. Jones threw one interception, picked off by Robert Cummings with 4:50 left in the game.
The Tigers struck first, getting a 39-yard field goal from Rigoberto Tinoco to give Benedict a 3-0 lead with 4:01 left in the first quarter. The Wildcats responded with a 37-yard scoring pass from Jarman to Ross to take a 6-3 lead. On FVSU’s next possession, Jarman and Ross teamed up again for a 14-yard scoring pass play. Benedict took the ensuing kickoff and needed just three plays to go 68 yards, as Jennings galloped 44 yards for his touchdown. Jennings finished the game with 104 yards on 11 carries.
Tinoco’s extra point was blocked and returned for a defensive PAT to make it 15-9 with 5:54 left in the first half. Jarman threw two more touchdown passes for 29 and 37 yards before the half to push the lead to 29-9 at the break.
Benedict cut the lead in the third quarter as Phillip Brown connected with Danye Washington for a 33-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 29-16 with 6:52 left in the third quarter.
Jarman later found Shemar Bridges open for a 63-yard catch-and-run scoring play before the end of the third quarter, and added a 30-yard touchdown pass to AJ Shipman to make it 43-16 early in the fourth quarter. Jones added the final score on a one-yard pass with 7:16 left in the game.
Cumming had six tackles, an interception, and four pass breakups to lead the Benedict defense. Amari Andrews added six tackles.
The 532 yards of offense by the Wildcats was the most against a White-coached Benedict team since his first game as coach of the Tigers, when Benedict surrendered 604 yards to Livingstone to open the 2015 season. Benedict entered Saturday’s game ranked first in the SIAC and 12th nationally in total defense, allowing their first three opponents an average of 238.7 yards of offense.
The Tigers have an open date next week, and return to action on Oct. 12 at home against Miles College, the defending SIAC Champions, for Homecoming.
“We’re 0-4, and nobody can do anything about that but us,” White said. “We’ll go back and evaluate and get healed and get ready for Homecoming.”
