COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Benedict College Tigers ran their record to 3-0, their best start since resuming their football program in 1995, with a 24-6 victory over the Savannah State Tigers Thursday night at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.
With the game scoreless at halftime, Benedict (3-0, 1-0 SIAC) got on the board on a 35-yard field goal by John Diaz with 9:46 left in the third quarter. The key play on the drive was a 43-yard pass from Eric Phoenix to Reginald Harden.
Benedict's Loobert Denelus, the reigning SIAC Defensive Player of the Week, recorded a strip sack of Savannah State quarterback JT Hartage to give Benedict the ball at the SSU 29-yard line. The Tigers would cash in as Noah Zaire Scotland scored from a yard out with 5:04 left in the third quarter. Scotland led the Benedict rushing attack with 112 yards on 22 carries.
The Tigers added another score on an 11-yard pass from John Lampley to Christopher Williams III with 9:19 left in the game to cap off a nine-play, 83-yard drive. Deondra Duehart added an 11-yard touchdown run to close out the scoring.
Benedict College returns to action next Saturday when it hosts Kentucky State at 6:00 p.m.