Benedict, Miles Battle On TV In "Must Win" Game

Gameday Central

Benedict Tigers at Miles College Golden Bears, 8 p.m. Eastern

TV: CBS Sports Network

Columbia Time Warner: Channel 315, 1537 (HD)

Columbia AT&T U-Verse: Channel 643, 2643 (HD)

Benedict College Cable: Channel 32

Direct TV: Channel 221

Dish Network: Channel : Channel 158

Online:www.ncaa.com

Audio: Stretch Internet

Live Stats

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- Thursday night's televised football game between Benedict College and Miles College should provide viewers with an exciting game, as both coaches have labeled this contest a "must win."

The Tigers, 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the SIAC, are coming off a gut-wrenching 33-30 loss to Fort Valley State last Saturday. The Tigers tied the game with 1:32 left to play, but then missed the extra point. Then the Wildcats moved down the field, getting a 25-yard pickup on a quarterback scramble, and kicked a 40-yard field goal with two seconds left for the victory.

Miles, which played in the SIAC championship game last year, is 1-3 and 0-1 in the SIAC. But their losses were against West Georgia, a nationally-ranked Division II team, Hampton, a Divison I program, and last week lost to defending SIAC champion Albany State 14-7 in a rematch of last year's championship game.

So both teams are looking to get back on the winning track and point to this contest as crucial to stay in the chase for the SIAC championship game.

"They're thinking they're not playing well. But Miles is a very good football team," Woody said. "They're not going to fool us with that. They've played great teams the first four games, and we're expecting a dog fight. We've got to play our best to have an opportunity to win. We've got to go in there with the frame of mind that we've got to win this football game. It's a must win for each team. Both sides know it."

Miles coach Reginald Ruffin said he is focused on trying to get his team to improve and get a win and not the hoopla surrounding the nationally-televised broadcast.

"It's good for the moral of the school," Ruffin said about the television game. "For me, I have to make sure we don't embarrass the institution the way we've been playing. It's more pressure on me to make sure these guys are ready to play a football game rather than be in the limelight and get embarrassed by a good Benedict football team. To me, it's just a game. A conference game and a game we have to win."

Kickoff Thursday night is 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network. The game will also be video streamed over the internet on www.ncaa.com. Benedict will stream audio on Stretch Internet with the Tigers' regular radio crew of Jason James and Brian Morris. The game will not air on WLXC Kiss 103.1. Miles College will also provide live stats.

Woody expects a strong running game out of the Golden Bears. Benedict has been susceptible to the run this season, giving up 193.5 yards per game on the ground.

"We've challenged that defense. They've got to stop the run," Woody said. "They can't come in and run for 200, 250, 300 yards. They just can't do that. We've got to be able to shut that down. They're comfortable throwing the football as well. They're a balanced team, and that's what championship caliber teams are."

Miles' Ruffin is not happy with the play of the Bears, who have lost three straight.

"We're not a very good football team at the moment," Ruffin said. "And that's got a lot to do with me as a head coach. We're just not getting it done special teams, offensively or defensively. We've got to find a way to get us back over the hump. We're on the skids right now and it hasn't been good for Miles."

The Bears, meanwhile, are concerned about stopping Benedict's passing attack. Senior quarterback Cameron Stover has passed for nearly 800 yards in the first four games, and has thrown seven touchdown passes.

"Stover is a well defined quarterback," Ruffin said. "He makes accurate reads and he's got great receivers as well. Coach Woody, being the offensive-minded guy that he is, has really done a good job to build that program. You can tell they have gotten better each year. The biggest thing for us is to coral the running back. They've got a real fast, energetic running back, and when he hits the hole, he can go the distance. More importantly is the quarterback. We've got to get the ball out of his hands and put pressure on him and make him get rid of it. When he has time, he will thread that needle real well. We've got our work cut out for us."

One area Woody wants to see the Tigers do better in is cutting down penalties. After a penalty-free first half against Fort Valley State, the Tigers were flagged 10 times for 93 yards in the second half.

"That's just discipline," Woody said. "We've got to have some discipline. That's the only way you're going to win football games."

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