Benedict Blanked by Gardner-Webb, 45-0

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. (Benedict) – The Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs rushed for 240 yards and cruised to a 45-0 victory over the Benedict College Tigers on Saturday night in Spangler Stadium.

The Tigers, who fall to 3-2 overall on the season, entered the game allowing just 64 yards per game on the ground against Division II opponents, but were outmatched against the Division I Bulldogs.

“Just about everything that you can do wrong, we did it wrong tonight,” Benedict head coach Mike White said. “We allowed the big plays, especially in the run game which I was a little surprised about. Our perimeter defense didn’t show up tonight. And we had issues on the offensive line again. So it was a long night. That’s a good football team over there and they put us in our place.”

Gardner-Webb finished with 387 yards of total offense and held the Tigers to 154 yards of total offense. The Tigers struggled with poor field position all night, with their average starting position at their own 16-yard line. Twice Benedict started inside their own 5-yard line. Gardner-Webb averaged 6.2 yards per play, while Benedict averaged just 2.8 yards per play.

“Realistically, I really wanted us to not let the lights of them being a DI team, where the stage was too big and too bright for us and us thinking that we couldn’t play with them,” White said. “I told them the line of scrimmage is where we win the battle. If we could play on the line of scrimmage, we would be fine. I’m not sure that happened.”

After a scoreless first quarter, the Bulldogs erupted for 24 points in the second quarter. The Bulldogs scored on three straight possessions, getting touchdown runs of 4 yards, 7 yards and a 4-yard scoring pass. Those short touchdowns were set up by big plays, including a 39-yard run by Elijah Perry, a 37-yard rush by Khalil Lewis and a 26-yard pass from Tyrell Maxwell to Jonathan Blackmon. A Benedict interception with less than a minute in the half led to a 32-yard field goal for the Bulldogs and a 24-0 halftime lead.

The Bulldogs added touchdown runs of 5 yards and 3 yards by Lewis in the third quarter, pushing the lead to 38-0 heading into the fourth quarter. Lewis finished the game with 112 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

Gardner-Webb’s Jaylan Foster scored on a 60-yard fumble return in the fourth quarter to give Gardner-Webb a 45-0 lead.

“Turnovers have been on our side the whole year. We had some huge turnovers and they dominated the field position on us also. We have to take it, own it, and get ready for Lane,” White said.

Jeremy Johnson led Benedict with 37 yards rushing. Quarterbacks Phillip Brown and Mason Duckett combined to complete 10-of-18 passes for 93 yards, but were sacked four times. Okechi Ntiasagwe had five catches for 55 yards.

Freshman safety Robert Cummings had 13 tackles to lead the defense, while Stephen Williams and Kendrick Frazier had eight tackles each.

“We can’t get down and point fingers. We have to correct, patch up and get ready for a short week and a long road trip,” White said.

Benedict returns to SIAC play next week, traveling to Jackson, Tenn., to take on the Lane College Dragons.