Benedict football on a roll heading into 2017 Classic game

The 2016 Palmetto Capital City Classic was a milestone game for the Benedict football program in several ways.

The 5-3 win against Livingstone was the first Tigers victory in the Classic since 2009. It also snapped the team’s 12-game losing streak that stretched from Oct. 25, 2014.

And, it was the first game under coach Mike White.

“We were really happy with a win,” said White, who coached at Albany State for 15 years before coming to Benedict. “I’ll be happy if we get just two points in front of them again.”

The 16^th annual Classic kicks off at 5 p.m. Saturday at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium. Once again, the Tigers will take on the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Blue Bears.

“It was a sense of relief,” senior defensive back Edward Kirkland said of last year’s win. “We went 12 games straight without even having a win, and most of those games weren’t even close. To even have a chance at the end of the game was amazing.”

Saturday’s game will have a different feel than last year. The Tigers are coming off 5-6 finish overall and a 4-3 run in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Blue Bears, on the other hand, finished the season 2-8.

Benedict’s defense held Livingstone to 119 yards in 2016, and remained stingy throughout the season, holding opponents to 125 yards rushing per game, less than 200 yards passing per game, and picking up 14 interceptions.

But the Tigers offense lacked a significant punch, averaging 16.9 points per game.

This year, the offense will have to improve without leading rusher George Meyers. White says the offense is looking better in the preseason.

“This is year three for a lot of our offensive guys,” White said. “They’ve been in this scheme for a few years, and they should be able to execute better.”

Kirkland, who had 59 tackles and four interceptions last year, said last season’s success is something he and his teammates hope to carry onto the field beginning Saturday.

This story was originally published August 31, 2017 at 9:03 PM with the headline "Benedict football on a roll heading into 2017 Classic game."