Box Score
NORFOLK, Va. – Isidore Jackson rushed for a career-high 206 yards on 34 carries, and Dion Hanks intercepted a Chris Walley pass in the end zone in the final minute of play to seal visiting Bethune-Cookman's 14-6 win over the Spartans in an ESPNU televised MEAC contest on Thursday evening at Dick Price Stadium.
The loss is the first in MEAC play this season for the Spartans (6-2, 4-1), who had their five-game winning streak snapped. BCU improved to 4-3, 2-2 with the win.
NSU was held to a season-low 249 yards of offense by the Wildcats, who never trailed. NSU failed to score a TD against a Division I FCS opponent for the first time since a 43-3 loss to B-CU in 2004, a span of 70 games.
B-CU struck first on a 2-yard Anthony Jordan run with 4:08 left in the first quarter. That capped a 14-play, 88-yard drive.
The Spartans cut the deficit to 7-3 on a 50-yard Everett Goldberg field goal with just 2:18 left before halftime.
But B-CU took the third-quarter kickoff and drove 70 yards in eight plays for another score. Jackie Wilson hit K.J. Stroud on a 7-yard TD pass on third-and-goal to give the Wildcats a 14-3 lead.
NSU answered right back with another long Goldberg boot, this one coming from 47 yards to cap a 41-yard, 10-play drive, cutting the margin to 14-6. It was Goldberg's fifth field goal of at least 47 yards in length this year.
But the Spartans committed three fourth-quarter turnovers, losing two fumbles and an interception. Their best scoring chance came on their final possession of the game. The Spartans started the possession at their 11 after a 45-yard Kory Kowalski punt. But a 45-yard completion from Nico Flores to Xavier Boyce moved the Spartans to the B-CU 37. Later in the drive, Boyce caught an 11-yard pass from Walley to give NSU a first down at the Wildcats' 4. But on the next play, Walley's pass into the end zone into the stiff night wind held up long enough for Hanks to intercept it and seal the win.
B-CU defensive end Ryan Davis was the defensive star of the night, finishing with 11 tackles, six for a loss, and 3.5 sacks. He forced a fumble and recovered another.
Both quarterbacks struggled in a game where winds topped 20 miles per hour much of the night. Walley (14-of-24) and Flores (3-of-4) combined to complete 17-of-28 passes, but they went for just 152 yards. Boyce led the way receiving with six catches for 76 yards.
Onyemechi Anyaugo and Corwin Hammond had 11 and 10 tackles, respectively, to lead the Spartan defense. Joey Christine had a career-high nine tackles, two for loss, and Terence Pugh had a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Wilson finished 8-of-16 for 88 yards with two interceptions, but the Wildcats rushed for 245 yards, an NSU opponent season high.
The Spartans play their homecoming game next Saturday against North Carolina A&T. The game, which is also Senior Day, kicks off at 2 p.m.
