FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY WILDCATS FOOTBALL PRE-GAME NOTES
FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY WILDCATS
VS
BENEDICT COLLEGE TIGERS
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2009 AT 2 P.M.
CHARLES W. JOHNSON STADIUM
COLUMBIA, SC
The Teams:
Fort Valley State University Wildcats (5-3, 4-3 SIAC) Ranked 4th in the SIAC & 6th in NCAA Division II Super Regional Two
Benedict College Tigers (5-3, 3-3 SIAC) Ranked 5th in the SIAC
Broadcast:
Live Coverage of Wildcats Football on WFVS-LP 104.3 FM (also streamed live via the internet at www.fvsu.edu
Last Meeting:
Played last year at Wildcat Stadium in Fort Valley, Georgia. Wildcats won 22-6.
The Series:
Series dates back to 1946. FVSU leads the series 15-4-0.
Last Week:
FVSU
The Wildcats were defeated by the Jaguars of Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 55-23. For the first quarter and one-half of the game, the Wildcats played solid, quality football. While the teams traded touchdowns in the first quarter, a Justin Rosenbaum field goal with 11:59 remaining in the second quarter gave the Wildcats a 10-7. That lead would last until 6:53 left in the first half. That's when things fell apart for FVSU.
Seven interceptions and two fumbles later, the Wildcats found themselves on the losing end of the inter-conference match-up with the Jaguars.
Despite the loss, the Wildcats retained their sixth place ranking in the NCAA Division II Super Regional Two.
Benedict
The Tigers of Benedict College were winners last weekend with a 28-14 win over Kentucky State University (Fort Valley's Homecoming opponent next weekend). The win was the second consecutive for Benedict.
Next Game:
The Wildcats return home to Wildcat Stadium for Homecoming 2009. They will host the Thorobreds of Kentucky State University at 1 p.m.
The Tigers of Benedict will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to tangle with the Tigers of Stillman College. That contest will begin at 5 p.m. (CST).
Down to the Wire:
With just three games left on the schedule, each remaining contest is critical for FVSU. A loss to the Tigers would almost certainly eliminate the Wildcats from contention for the 2009 SIAC crown and likely drop the Wildcats out of the regional rankings. On the other hand, a win against Benedict and in the final two games of the regular season will keep the possibility of Wildcat post-season play very much alive.
The Coaches:
Fort Valley State University Head Coach Donald Pittman is in his first campaign as a head coach. The Wildcats are 5-3 (4-2 in the SIAC) under Coach Pittman. A graduate of Adams State University, Pittman is the former offensive coordinator for the Golden Rams of Albany State University. He is a 1974 graduate of Adams State University and received his masters in counseling from Texas A&M University.
Benedict College Head Coach Stanley Conner is in his third season.
