DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Host Bethune-Cookman forced a pair of late Norfolk State turnovers, one on a fumble in Wildcat territory and another on downs, to hold off the Spartans 35-22 on Saturday night at Municipal Stadium.

Both teams notched over 400 yards of offense, but it was a couple late defensive plays by the Wildcats (6-1, 4-0 MEAC) that made the difference. 

After the third Xavier McDonald field goal gave the Wildcats a 28-22 edge in the fourth quarter, NSU (2-6, 1-3) put together an impressive drive to attempt to take the lead. The Spartans drove 65 yards into the Wildcat red zone, but on the seventh play of the possession, B-CU's Tony Bowman recovered an NSU fumble at the Wildcats' 10 with 6:48 left.

NSU forced the Wildcats to punt and took over possession at its own 20 with 3:54 remaining. The Spartans reached their own 44, but two penalties and a pair of sacks, including a fourth-down stop by B-CU's Marques Ford, turned the ball back over to the Wildcats at the NSU 6 with 1:05 left to play.

Wildcat running back Isaac Washington scored on a 6-yard run on the next play to put the game out of NSU's reach.

The teams traded blows in an entertaining first half. NSU broke on top first, taking its third possession of the game and finding paydirt. Juwan Carter hit freshman Kevin Johnson out of the backfield for a 46-yard TD pass with 2:30 left in the first quarter. 

The Wildcats tied it at 7-allon a 25-yard TD pass from Akevious Williams to Steffon Francois on the first play of the second quarter. But NSU's other dynamic freshman back, Rayquan Smith, scored on the fifth play of the ensuing drive. Smith took a handoff and outraced the Wildcats for a 49-yard TD run, his first collegiate score, to give NSU a 14-7 edge with 12:20 left in the second quarter.

The Spartans forced B-CU to punt on the following drive, but NSU muffed the punt to set up the Wildcats with possession at the NSU 48. Williams took advantage, capping the next drive with a 1-yard TD pass on 4th-and-goal, but Bobby Price blocked the extra point to keep NSU in the lead at 14-13.

The Wildcats took their first lead with 1:59 left in the half when Williams again converted on 4th-and-goal, scoring on a 3-yard run.

The Spartans had a chance to add points before the half, but Josh Nardone's 29-yard field goal was blocked on the final play of the half.

The Wildcats widened their lead to 25-14 on McDonald field goals of 25 and 28 yards in the third. But the Spartans drew within three, 25-22, on a 4-yard TD run by Johnson and two-point conversion pass from Carter to Shawn McFarland just four seconds into the fourth period.

But the Spartans came up empty on their final three possessions of the game as the Wildcats remained unbeaten in MEAC play.

NSU was led by its two dynamic freshman running backs. Smith topped the 100-yard mark for the first time, carrying 16 times for 103 yards and a score while also catching two passes for 16 yards. Johnson rushed 18 times for 97 yards and a score, and also hauled in four passes for 81 yards and another TD. 

NSU rushed for 189 yards and passed for 221, all by Carter, who notched his fifth straight game of 200+ passing yards. Tylan McElhenie made a season-high five catches. The Spartans topped 400 yards in total offense for the third time in their last four games.

Williams passed for 274 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for another score to lead the Wildcats, who had 467 yards of offense. Washington rushed 16 times for 104 yards.

Spartan linebacker Cephas Harden recorded a career-high 13 tackles, 2.5 for losses. Nigel Chavis posted 12 tackles and Nhyre' Quinerly added 10. Tavien Blackwell notched 1.5 sacks.

NSU has a week off before hosting Morgan State for Homecoming on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 2 p.m.