Game Stats
Hampton, Va. - Playing in his final game at Armstrong Stadium, senior running back Alonzo Coleman ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns, while the Hampton University defense limited Bethune-Cookman to just 144 total yards over the final three quarters to give the 13th ranked Pirates a 34-17 victory. With the win Hampton (9-1, 6-1 MEAC) is one game away from capturing its third consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
Coleman, who came in averaging 124 yards rushing against the Wildcats, picked up a third of that with a 42-yard run on the first play from scrimmage. The Pirates got as deep as the Bethune-Cookman 13-yard line, but were forced to settle for a 31-yard field goal by Andrew Paterni and a 3-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.
It appeared a shootout was in order when the Wildcats (5-4, 3-3 MEAC) easily marched down the field on their first possession as well. Quarterback Jimmie Russell connected with speedy receiver Eric Weems three times for 51 yards on the drive, and back-to-back unsportsmanlike conduct and personal foul penalties moved the ball down to the Hampton 12-yard line. Weems’ 10-yard touchdown reception capped the 94-yard drive and gave Bethune-Cookman a 7-3 advantage with still more than 10 minutes to play in the first.
The Pirates marched 71 yards on the ensuing possession, highlighted by a spectacular diving catch by Jeremy Gilchrist. His 34-yard reception moved the ball to the Wildcat’s 11-yard line and Coleman ran it in from there to put Hampton back in front, 10-7.
P.J. Smith’s 37-yard run through the middle of the Pirate defense eventually set up a 25-yard field goal by Jesus Cortez to knot the game at 10 apiece at the end of the first quarter.
Both defenses settled down in the second quarter that saw the only score come in the form of a 26-yard field goal by Paterini to send the Pirates into the locker room ahead 13-10. Kendall Langford spearheaded the Hampton attack, registering two sacks and a forced fumble in the quarter.
The Hampton special teams unit gave the Pirates some momentum coming out of the half when Larry Strickland broke through the middle of the Bethune-Cookman line to block an Adam Ward punt. Hampton took over at the Wildcat 31-yard line and five plays later Coleman ran it in from four yards out for his 59th career touchdown and a 20-10 Pirate lead.
Jarod Rucker, the second part of Bethune-Cookman’s two quarterback rotation, did his best to keep the Wildcats close. He found Weems for a 17-yard gain to open the next possession and then scrambled 31-yards to the Hampton 29. The Wildcats attempted a 48-yard field goal, but Hampton’s Calvin Bannister came flying in from the left end to record his seventh career blocked kick and keep the Wildcats off the scoreboard.
Kevin Beverly’s 6-yard touchdown run on the ensuing possession increased the Hampton lead to 17 (27-10) with 5:45 to play in the third.
Hampton registered its third blocked kick of the quarter and its 29th since 2003, when Jerry Cummings came free and got a piece of another punt. However, Bethune-Cookman forced a turnover to keep the Pirates from capitalizing heading into the final quarter.
Not to be outdone, the Wildcats stayed in the game by marching 76 yards in just over three minutes with their first possession of the fourth quarter. Aided by a roughing the passer and pass interference penalty, Bethune-Cookman found itself at the Hampton 2-yard line. Fullback Chauncey Hampton fumbled before getting into the end zone, but Victor Johnson fell on it for a Wildcat touchdown making the score 27-17 with 11:08 to play.
The two-time defending MEAC champions answered the bell by continuing to ride the running game. Coleman and Beverly combined for 59 yards on the ensuing drive with Beverly sealing the game with a 14-yard touchdown run.
Bethune-Cookman came in as the highest scoring team in the conference at better than 34 points and 380 yards of total offense per game. However, led by junior defensive end Kendall Langford (3 sacks, forced fumble) the Pirate defense limited the Wildcats to just 17 points and 261 total yards.
Coleman and Beverly rushed for 180 and 67 yards respectively, as the Pirates controlled the ball for more than 35 minutes on the night to win their third straight over Bethune-Cookman. The win also helped Hampton improve to 17-1 at home against MEAC foes since 2002.
Hampton travels to Florida A&M next Saturday and a Pirate victory would lift them to a third consecutive league title, something no MEAC team has done since South Carolina State won four straight from 1980 – 1983.
