DOVER, Delaware -- Bethune-Cookman rushed for 353 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-21 victory over Delaware State in a MEAC contest at Alumni Stadium this afternoon. Second-string quarterback Larry Brihm, Jr. ran for 141 yards and two scores to lead the Wildcats’ 489-yard offensive attack.
Freshman running back Brycen Alleyne scored his first two collegiate touchdowns, while leading the Hornets in rushing and receiving yards in the contest.
Bethune-Cookman won for the seventh time in eight games to improve to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the MEAC. DSU fell to 0-8 and 0-5.
Delaware State took advantage of a special teams play to score first in the contest.
Bethune-Cookman drove 69 yards on its first possession, but the drive stalled at the Hornet 11. Wildcat placekicker Uriel Hernandez’s 28-yard field goal attempt was blocked by DSU’s Gabe Sherrod. Logan Wescott scooped up the ball and ran 82 yards down the sideline to the endzone to give the Hornets a lead for the first time this season. Wisdom Nzidee’s extra point kick put DSU ahead 7-0 with 7:40 left in the first quarter.
BCU wasted little time to match the Delaware State score. The Wildcats drove 68 yards in five plays on the ensuing possession to even the game. Quentin Williams connected with Frank Brown on a seven-yard touchdown pass to cap off the two-minute-11 second drive. The extra point kick by Hernandez tied the game at 7-7 with 5:21 remaining in the opening quarter.
Bethune-Cookman added touchdowns on each of its next four possessions to take control of the game.
Running backs Michael Jones and Anthony Jordan scored touchdowns on short runs in the second quarter and Brihm scored from a yard out with less than a minute to go in the quarter to give the Wildcats a 28-7 lead at the break.
BCU stretched its lead to 35-7 on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Ja-Quan Lumas on the opening possession of the third quarter.
Delaware State showed some fight by scoring 14 unanswered points to raise its hopes.
Alleyne capped off a 12-play, 78-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run for the first touchdown of his career. Hornet quarterback Gil Rivera completed first down passes to Morris Frasier (13 yards) and Malik Golson (16 yds.), while Dae-Hon Cheung rushed for 23 yards during the five-minute-four-second drive. Nzidee’s extra point kick was blocked, leaving DSU in a 35-13 hole with 7:54 left in the third quarter.
The Hornets took advantage of another special teams miscue by the Wildcats to get closer early in the fourth quarter.
Delaware State received the ball at the BCU 24-yard line after Wildcat punter Jonathan Cagle came up short while attempting to run on fourth down and one.
Four plays later, Rivera found Alleyne open in the endzone for a 14-yard touchdown. It was Alleyne’s first collegiate touchdown catch. The Hornets successfully converted a two-point play following the touchdown when Rivera handed the ball to Golson, who completed a pass to Rivera in the endzone to cut the Wildcats’ lead to 35-21 with 14:48 left to play.
The Delaware State defense forced BCU to punt after three plays and recovered a fumble on the next two Wildcat possessions, but the Hornets could not take advantage.
Bethune-Cookman tacked on two fourth quarter touchdowns, one with 17 seconds left to play, to close out the scoring.
Delaware State totaled 200 yards in the contest, 104 rushing and 96 passing.
Alleyne had a team-high 65 yards rushing on 19 carries, and led the Hornets with two catches for 52 yards.
Rivera completed seven-of-17 passes for 96 yards.
DSU cornerback J.R. Robinson had a career-high 13 tackles, including 2.5 behind the line-of-scrimmage. Linebackers Malik Harris and Rashawn Barrett had 12 and 10 tackles, respectively, for the Hornets.
The Hornets begin a two-game road swing with a visit to North Carolina Central next Saturday (Nov. 7). Game time is 2 p.m. in Durham, N.C.
Delaware State will visit North Carolina A&T the following week (Nov. 14) before returning home to face Howard in the season finale on Nov. 21 at Alumni Stadium (2 p.m.).
COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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