Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football

Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football
Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football
	2024 Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football team
First season	1925; 99 years ago
Head coach	Raymond Woodie Jr. ; 2nd season, 3–8 (.273)
Stadium	Daytona Stadium; (capacity: 10,000)
Field surface	Artificial turf
Location	Daytona Beach, Florida
NCAA division	Division I FCS
Conference	SWAC
All-time record	505–348–26 (.589)
Claimed national titles	2 (Black College): 2010, 2013
Unclaimed national titles	2 (Black College): 2002, 2012
Conference titles	14
Rivalries	Florida A&M
Colors	Maroon and gold;
Fight song	Let's Go Wildcats
Mascot	Wil D Cat
Marching band	The Marching Wildcats
Website	bcuathletics.com

The Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football team represents Bethune–Cookman University in the sport of college football. The Wildcats compete in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Starting with the fall 2021 season, they compete in the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), after having been members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) since 1979.^[2] They play their home games at Daytona Stadium. The Wildcats have won two black college football national championships and seven MEAC titles in the history of their football program.

History

Classifications

1956–1972: NCAA College Division
1973–1979: NCAA Division II
1980–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS

Conference memberships

1925–1945: Independent
1946–1949: Southeastern Athletic Conference
1950–1979: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
1979–2020: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
2021–present: Southwestern Athletic Conference

Conference championships

Year	Conference	Overall record	Conference record	Head coach
1942	SEAC	6–1	6–1	Thomas E. Morris
1947	SEAC	10–2	0–0	Bunky Matthews
1952	SIAC	9–1	5–1	Bunky Matthews
1973	SIAC	9–2	5–0	Cy McClairen
1975	SIAC	10–1	4–1	Charles W. Moore
1976	SIAC	9–2	4–1	Andy Hinson
1984	MEAC	7–3	4–0	Larry Little
1988*	MEAC	5–6	4–2	Larry Little
2002	MEAC	11–2	7–1	Alvin Wyatt
2010*	MEAC	10–2	7–1	Brian Jenkins
2012	MEAC	8–3	8–0	Brian Jenkins
2013*	MEAC	10–3	5–1	Brian Jenkins
2014*	MEAC	9–3	6–2	Brian Jenkins
2015*	MEAC	9–2	7–1	Terry Sims
Total		14
* Denotes a tie for first place and conference co-champion

Black college football national championships

The Wildcats have won two black college football national championships.

Year	Conference	Overall record	Conference record	Head coach
2010	MEAC	10–2	7–1	Brian Jenkins
2013	MEAC	10–3	5–1	Brian Jenkins
Total		2

Playoff appearances

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS

The Wildcats have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs five times with an overall record of 0–5.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
2002	First Round	Georgia Southern	L 0–34
2003	First Round	Florida Atlantic	L 24–32
2010	Second Round	New Hampshire	L 20–45
2012	First Round	Coastal Carolina	L 14–24
2013	First Round	Coastal Carolina	L 24–48

NCAA Division II

The Wildcats appeared in the Division II playoffs one time, with an overall record of 0–1.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
1977	Quarterfinals	UC Davis	L, 16–34

Alumni in the NFL

Over 31 Bethune–Cookman alumni have played in the NFL,^[3] including:

Pro Football Hall of Fame

One former BCU football player has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Year inducted	Player	POS	Seasons at BCU	NFL team(s)	Years with NFL team(s)
1993	Larry Little	G	1963–1966	San Diego Chargers	1967–1968
1993	Larry Little	G	1963–1966	Miami Dolphins	1969–1980

Buck Buchanan Award

The Buck Buchanan Award is given to the most outstanding defensive player in Division I FCS. In 2002, Rashean Mathis of Bethune–Cookman won the award.^[4] Mathis holds the NCAA FCS/ I-AA records for most interceptions in a season (14), most interceptions during a career (31), most yards on interception returns in a season (455), and most yards on interception returns in a career (682).^[5]

References

^ Bethune-Cookman Digital Media Guide. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
^ "SWAC Announces Addition of Bethune-Cookman as Full Member" (Press release). Southwestern Athletic Conference. June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
^ "Bethune-Cookman Players/Alumni | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
^ "College Football Awards: Buck Buchanan Award Winners". EDSFOOTBALL. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
^ "Football Championship Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved July 11, 2023.

External links

Official website

[1] Bethune-Cookman Digital Media Guide. Retrieved December 15, 2017.

[2] "SWAC Announces Addition of Bethune-Cookman as Full Member" (Press release). Southwestern Athletic Conference. June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.

[3] "Bethune-Cookman Players/Alumni | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com.

[4] "College Football Awards: Buck Buchanan Award Winners". EDSFOOTBALL. Retrieved July 11, 2023.

[5] "Football Championship Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved July 11, 2023.

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v t e Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football
Venues	Daytona Stadium (1988–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Florida A&M: Florida Classic
Culture & lore	Wil D Cat "Let's Go Wildcats"
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

v t e Southwestern Athletic Conference football
East Division	Alabama A&M Bulldogs Alabama State Hornets Bethune–Cookman Wildcats Florida A&M Rattlers Jackson State Tigers Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils
West Division	Alcorn State Braves Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions Grambling State Tigers Prairie View A&M Panthers Southern Jaguars Texas Southern Tigers
Championships & awards	SWAC Championship Game All-time standings