from the SIAC
ATLANTA, Ga. – Benedict used a field goal as time expired to defeat Clark Atlanta 24-21 in SIAC play on Saturday afternoon in Panther Stadium.
Rigoberto Tinoco kicked a 17-yard field goal with no time left on the clock to help BC (4-5, 1-4 SIAC) to snap a two-game skid.
The Tigers got the ball after a Clark Atlanta punt with 1:29 left in the tied game and drove 51 yards in the final minute and a half to set up the winning score.
On offense, the Tigers finished with 408 yards of total offense. Freshman running back Omarion Coleman finished the day with 108 yards rushing on 19 carries, Benedict’s first 100-yard rusher since Jayden McCloud had 111 yards in the season opener against Allen. Quarterback Eric Phoenix completed 27-of-34 passes (79 percent completion percentage) for 280 yards with three touchdowns with one interception.
Defensively, the BC held CAU (2-7, 0-5 SIAC) to 74 yards rushing and 217 yards of total offense, the second-lowest by an opponent this season. The Tigers recorded 10 tackles for loss and registered five sacks.
The two teams punted the ball back and forth in the final quarter until Benedict got the ball near midfield with 1:29 left in the game. A 9-yard pass to Steve Campbell on third-and-five with less than 47 seconds left in the game was a key play on the drive. Phoenix picked up runs of 10 and seven yards, then threw a 9-yard pass to Jayden Thomas to put the ball at the 2-yard line with three seconds left to set up Tinoco’s game-winning kick.
Campbell fiished with three receptions for 33 yards and two touchdowns.Billy Pierre added a touchdown with his only catch of the game with a 23-yard score.
Ja’Varrius Wilson led the defense with two sacks to complement four tackles. Aaron Miller had a team high five tackles and Joshua Heyward recorded the only interception for the unit.
Dedrick Starkes, Israel Nwokocha, and Ja’Ron Kilpatrick each added a sack.
The Panthers tied the game up at 21 early in the fourth quarter when Elijah Odom connected with Caleeb Roberson for a 33-yard touchdown.
Odom finished with 143 yards passing, connecting 11-of-23 pass attempts with two touchdowns, and rushed in for a score to give the Panthers a 14-7 lead in the third quarter.
Roberson recorded a game high four receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown and Kendal Wimberly added a touchdown while hauling in three receptions for 36 36 yards.
Travis Taylor and Ronnell Jackson each chipped in nine tackles to lead all players.
