Benedict set for Lenoir-Rhyne in NCAA playoff game
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The 4th-ranked Benedict College Tigers take on 11th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne Bears on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the second round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs. But for the Tigers, the focus and preparation has been more about themselves.
“It’s going to be a good football game,” said Benedict head coach Chennis Berry. “But it’s never about the opponent. We’re going to respect all our opponents, but we’ve got to make sure we focus on us, and focus on the small things we always talk about – winning the effort battle, winning the penalty battle, winning the turnover battle, and winning the explosive battle. We feel if we can win those four battles, we have a chance to win a football game.”
The game kicks off at 1 p.m. from Charlie W. Johnson Stadium. Tickets will be available at the gate and are $15 for adult general admission, and $10 for military, seniors and students with ID. Parking is free.
The game will be available to view on the NCAA Championships Pass streaming app, available for Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, and Google TV. The cost is $9.95 per game, or $19.95 for all Division II football games (available on Hudl). For the Benedict game, follow this link to view https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/ppv/755723
Live stats will be available here.
The 11-0 Tigers are the No. 1 seed in Super Region 2 for the second year in a row and had a bye last week. Last year, the Tigers were upset by Wingate 23-6 in the second round. And for the second year in a row, the Tigers will be up against a stellar defense.
Benedict comes into the contest with the nation’s best scoring defense, allowing opponents 8.5 points per game. The 11-1 Bears, the champions out of the South Atlantic Conference, are third in that stat category, allowing just 11.1 points per game. Benedict ranks second in total defense, allowing just 207.7 yards per game, while Lenoir-Rhyne ranks fourth, allowing 232.6 yards per game. The Bears rank eighth-best against the run (79.7 yards per game), while Benedict ranks first in passing yards allowed (121.4).
It will be a battle to see which top-ranked defense prevails against a potent offense. The Bears average 40.2 points per game and are coming off a 63-17 first-round playoff victory over Shepherd. Standout running back Dwayne McGee has rushed for more than 1,200 yards with nine touchdowns. Benedict averaged 41 points per game and have not scored less than 27 points in a game this season. The Tigers are coming off a 47-10 victory over Albany State two weeks ago in the SIAC championship game, where they amassed a season-high 563 yards of offense.
“Defense wins championships,” Berry said. “There are two good defenses, and two good offenses. We’ll see what it looks like when it’s all said and done. Lenoir-Rhyne is a good football team, a good football program, but so are we. So, it’s going to come down, like I tell our guys all the time, it’s going to come down to discipline and leadership.”
That’s something the Tigers felt they learned after last year’s loss to Wingate.
“That was learning lessons,” Berry said. “It comes down to discipline. It’s not going to be about a maximum of talent from another team, it’s about us and making sure we take care of the small things. It was a good experience for us to get the opportunity to go through the playoffs last year, but it’s a new team and a new season, but the same mission doesn’t change – try to go 1-0. We’ve just got to focus on us and work on winning the day.”
Senior defensive lineman Loobert Denelus, the two-time SIAC Defensive Player of the Year, said the team learned they need to have more focus in the playoffs.
“Last year kind of left a bad taste in our mouth, so we want to learn from our mistakes,” Denelus said. “We know we haven’t played our best ball yet, so we want to go do that this Saturday. We know it’s going to take a lot of discipline and a lot of leadership on our part, and for us to execute our assignments.”
The winner will face the winner between second-seed Delta State and third-seed Valdosta State next week in the quarterfinals.
