Benedict blanks Savannah State, 23-0

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College Tigers recorded their first shutout of the season, taking a 23-0 victory over Savannah State in a SIAC football game on Saturday, setting up an important contest next week against Central State.

The Benedict defense, the SIAC’s leader in fewest points allowed, held Savannah State to just 52 yards passing, 2-of-12 on third downs, and returned an interception for a touchdown.

The Tigers, now 8-1 overall and 6-1 in the SIAC, will wrap up the season next Saturday with a home game against Central State University (6-3 overall, 6-1 in the SIAC), with the winner of that game advancing to the SIAC championship game. Central State took a 35-28 victory over Edward Waters on Saturday. Kentucky State is the other 6-1 team, and hosts Morehouse in its final game next week.

Benedict got off to a sluggish start offensively, getting a 20-yard field goal by Logan Karwacki in the first quarter after failing to get in the end zone with a first-and-goal from the 9-yard line. Benedict had a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line in the second quarter, and didn’t get in the end zone and got a 19-yard field goal by Karwacki to give Benedict a 6-0 lead at the half.

“I’ve got to figure out what’s going on in the O-line and in the quarterback rooms because we’ve had two bad games. We need to get that fixed,” said Benedict head coach Ron Dickerson Jr. “But the defense played well for the most part, and special teams played well.”

Karwacki added a 35-yard field goal in the third quarter to give Benedict a 9-0 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Kahmari Cook intercepted a pass by SSU quarterback Rashawn Truell and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown to give Benedict a 16-0 lead.

Benedict forced a turnover on downs on Savannah State’s next series, as Jamal Rowell came up with a big stop on fourth-and-three. The Tigers then put together their best offensive drive of the day, going 78 yards on nine plays, with Glenn Foreman III throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to Terrance Mitchell II with just over a minute left in the game for Benedict’s first offensive touchdown in the contest to wrap up the scoring, 23-0.

“I’m pleased we were able to score 20 plus points and also was able to leave them with no points on offense. So I’m very happy overall with the team win.”

Foreman and Jett Peddy combined to complete 13-of-25 passes for 118 yards and were sacked four times. The Tigers, the SIAC’s top rushing offense, gained 140 yards on the ground on 31 carries.