Benedict Defense Shuts Down Fort Valley State, 14-7

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College Tigers remained unbeaten with a hard-fought defensive dominated 14-7 victory over a pesky Fort Valley State Wildcat team on Saturday afternoon in Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.

The Tigers, now 6-0 overall and 5-0 in the SIAC, started off with a bang as All-American returner Jaxon Williams opened the game with an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, his second of the season. Williams entered the game as the nation’s leader in kickoff return average.

The Wildcats, who fell to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the SIAC, held the Tigers to a season-low 169 yards of total offense. Benedict held the Wildcats to a season-low 78 yards rushing and just 222 yards of total offense, five yards shy of their season low.

Fort Valley State tied the game in the second quarter on a 46-yard pass, capping off a drive that started at their own 7-yard line.

Benedict scored to take the lead on a razzle-dazzle play in the third quarter. After a double-reverse, quarterback Darius Ocean threw a short pass to Williams, who had a wall of blockers in front of him and scored on a 29-yard touchdown pass-and-catch.

And the Benedict defense, which has allowed just 14 second-half points all season, held the Wildcats scoreless in the second half. The Tigers held the Wildcats to four consecutive three-and-outs to start the second half, and just two first downs. On a key third down with less than six minutes remaining in the game, Isaiah Stephens came up with a 16-yard sack. On Fort Valley’s next possession, Stephens came up big again, intercepting a pass with just over two minutes left in the game. Benedict was able to run out the clock.

In a game where yards were hard to come by, kicking and field position were key to the game. Benedict punter Kolten Ford had eight punts for an average of 42.2 yards per kick, with a pair for more than 50 yards, including a long of 66 yards. He also dropped four punts inside the 20. Fort Valley State never crossed midfield into Benedict territory in the second half.

Israel Nwokocha led the Benedict defensive effort with 10 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. The Tigers recorded six sacks on the afternoon.

The Tigers travel to Jacksonville, Fla., next week for a key conference matchup against Edward Waters (4-2 overall, 3-1 SIAC). Kickoff from EWU’s Nathaniel Glover Community Field & Stadium is 4 p.m. and will be available on the SIAC Network.