DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – For the third time in the last four seasons, the MEAC showdown between Bethune-Cookman University and North Carolina Central University was decided in the closing seconds. On Thursday night, four quarters was not enough to determine a victor.
B-CU scored a touchdown with 53 seconds left in regulation to tie the contest, then converted a pair of field goals to pull out a 28-25 double-overtime win during a live ESPNU broadcast from Daytona Stadium.
NCCU sophomore running back
Isaiah Totten rushed for two touchdowns and 190 yards, the best ground game by an Eagle in 13 years (220 yards by Greg Pruitt vs. Livingstone, Oct. 22, 2005). Junior quarterback
Naiil Ramadan completed 13 of 26 passes for 121 yards, while rushing for 35 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown run to give the Eagles a 22-15 advantage with 5:25 on the fourth-quarter clock.
On B-CU's ensuing drive, the Wildcats used nine plays to consume 73 yards, capped by a 19-yard touchdown pass by David Israel to Keavon Mitchell on third-and-goal, to tie the score and force overtime.
NCCU struck first in the extra session with a 27-yard field goal by
Adam Lippy. B-CU senior kicker Uriel Hernandez booted a clutch 39-yard field goal to send the event into a second overtime. Hernandez made a 21-yard field goal on B-CU's next overtime possession, and NCCU's 40-yard field goal attempt to extend the night was blocked.
NCCU senior safety
Davanta Reynolds had a big performance with 11 tackles, including 4.5 hits for a loss with a sack. As a team, the Eagles recorded 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage with three sacks. NCCU also restricted B-CU to just 3-for-13 on third-down conversions, kept the Wildcats from converting on fourth down and short, and held the home team to 321 yards of total offense.
The difference in the outcome was special teams play and B-CU do-it-all Jimmie Robinson. After NCCU's opening-drive touchdown, Robinson scooped up the blocked extra-point kick and returned the ball for a 2-point conversion. Then, after Totten's second trip to the end zone on the evening, Robinson returned the kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to make the score 16-8 in favor of the Eagles at halftime. Robinson struck again in the third quarter with an explosive 56-yard touchdown run.
The loss drops NCCU to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in the MEAC, eliminating the Eagles from the conference title chase. B-CU improves to 6-5 overall and 4-2 in the MEAC. Next Saturday, NCCU hosts rival North Carolina A&T, while Bethune-Cookman plays rival Florida A&M.
