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| | Florida Classic 2008 | | | Bethune-Cookman (BCU) University
vs. Florida A&M
November 22, 2008 | Kickoff at 2:00 PM
Florida Citrus Bowl | | Bethune-Cookman - 35 | Final Score | Florida A&M - 58 | | Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida
Florida A&M vs. Bethune Cookman
FAMU Beats B-CU 58-35 In 2008 Florida Classic
Teams Combine For 49 Second Quarter Points - B-CU Comes Back From 31-0 Deficit
QB (7) McKinson Souverain scored three touchdowns rushing and was named B-CU's game MVP.
2008 FLORIDA CLASSIC Final Score - FAMU 58 - B-CU 35
Attendance - 60, 720 - Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium
First Quarter - Rattlers Lead 10-0 After First 15 Minutes
FAMU's Trevor Scott kicked a 37 yard field goal to cap the first drive of the game and give the Rattlers a 3-0 lead with 12:16 to play in the first quarter.
Corey Council's 65 yard kickoff return down to the FAMU 21 set up B-CU's first scoring opportunity. A 6 yard McKinson Souverain TD run was called back with a chopped block penalty call. Matthew McCutcheon `s 42 yard field goal was wide right with 7:54 remaining in the first quarter.
FAMU went ahead 10-0 on RB Phillip Sylvester's 3 yard TD run capping off a five-play, 74-yard drive.
B-CU's Phillip Kirkland fumbled to start the second Wildcat possession on the FAMU 27. The `Cats defense held with DB Arkee Smith breaking up a fourth and 15 pass Rattlers' pass play inside the 20.
FAMU out-gained the Wildcats 153 to 11 in the first 15 minutes, led by QB Curtis Pulley's 74 yard rushing and 28 yards passing.
Second Quarter - Teams combine for 49 Points in Second Qtr.
Pulley's 21 yard touchdown run early in the second quarter capped a nine-play, 65-yard drive to give FAMU a 17-0 lead with 14:18 to play in the half.
Backup QB Matthew Johnson's tipped pass was intercepted by FAMU on the B-CU 27 yard line setting up another Sylvester scoring run to make the count 24-0 with 9:58 left in the first half.
A 51-yard touchdown scramble by QB Pulley gave FAMU a 31-0 lead with 6:51 left in the second quarter.
B-CU QB Matthew Johnson had two scrambling runs totaling 41 yards and was injured on the second run down to the FAMU three-yard line. Souverain came in and scored from three yards out to make the score 31-7.
Brendan Odom scooped up a FAMU fumble and returned it to the five yard line setting up the next B-CU score - another Souverain three-yard run with 4:40 to play. McCutcheon missed the extra point to make the score 31-13.
FAMU's LeRoy Vann returned the ensuing kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown (his 6th kick return for TD in 2008 - 3 KO and 3 punts) giving the Rattlers a 38-13 lead.
The wild second quarter scoring spree continued with Souverain scrambling for a 30-yard run to mid-field then threw a 35-yard strike to WR Jeff Pope down to the FAMU 15. RB Androse Bell scored on a three-yard TD run with 2:23 to play, then Bell converted the two-point conversion run to make the score 38-21.
Vann's fumble on the kickoff and B-CU's Reggie Sandilands' recovery gave the `Cats possession on the FAMU 45 - but Soverain's poor pitch and fumble gave FAMU the ball back on the B-CU 40 in the final two minutes. The Bethune-Cookman defense held to end the half.
THIRD QUARTER
McKinson Souverain ran 27 yards for a touchdown on the `Cats first possession of the second half to cut the margin to 38-28. The scoring drive, 3-plays, 71 yards took only 38 seconds and it included runs of 22 yards by Corey Council and 24 yards by Phillip Kirkland - both on wide pitch plays from Souverain.
FAMU came right back with its own scoring drive - QB Pulley running for 35 yards in the drive and throwing a seven yard TD pass to WR Javares Knight with 10:40 to play in the third quarter - FAMU 45, B-CU 28.
The Rattlers' Trevor Scott kicked a 31 yard field goal to give FAMU a 20-point lead, 48-28 with 7:57 left in the third. The drive was set-up following a Souverain fumble near mid field.
FAMU was driving for another touchdown as the third quarter ended, FAMU leading 48-28 with the ball on the B-CU nine yard line.
FOURTH QUARTER
FAMU PK Trevor Scott kicked his third field goal of the contest to make the score 51-28, with 14:52 to play in the game.
Following a B-CU Souverain fumble, the Rattlers scored again with Pulley hitting Isaac West with a 20-yard touchdown pass with 13:48 left - FAMU 58, B-CU 28.
Rattler Game MVP - Jr. QB Curtis Pulley for FAMU rushed for 171 yards and two touchdowns and he also threw for two scores and accounted for over 300 yards in total offense.
Bethune-Cookman's season ends with an 8-3 record, the most wins for the Wildcats since the 9-3, 2003 season record and B-CU finished 5-3 in the MEAC. FAMU is 9-3, 5-3 MEAC. The `Cats offense rushed for over 250 yards in the game, Sr. QB McKinson Souverain (B-CU game team MVP) led the Wildcat rushers with three TDs. He also passed 40 yards to Phillip Kirkland for a touchdown with six minutes remaining to make the score final score 58-35 with 6:09 remaining. Eleven other B-CU seniors ended their careers playing before 60,712 fans in the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. The 93 points scored in the game was the third highest Florida Classic scoring contest in 29 Classics (the record is 110, 58-52 B-CU win over FAMU in the 2004 game). | |
