WILBERFORCE, OH – The Wildcats have not started a season 4-0 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) since the Kent Schoolfield era in 1998. Quarterback Slade Jarman led the team to its 24-19 victory over Central State University on Saturday, October 21 at McPherson Memorial Stadium.
The win improves the Wildcats overall record to 4-3 and 4-0 in SIAC action, while Central State dropped to 1-7 overall and 0-4 on the season.
FVSU put up 299-yards of total offense, 144-yards through the air and 155-yards on the ground.
Jarman completed 12-of-26 passes for 144-yards and two touchdowns, while Jeremy McCants was .ble to collect 49-yards on five carries. Jarman had 45-yards and Chauncey Jackson rushed for 34 more and one touchdown. Jeremy Glinton led the receivers with four catches for 47-yards and Lorenzo Smothers caught three passes for 44-yards and one touchdown.
Defensively, Nicco Whigham and Zacharius Anderson had eight tackles apiece for the Wildcats. Anderson followed up with one forced fumble and one interception while Aaron Dore had seven tackles, one tackle-for-loss, one forced fumble and a recovered fumble. Cannon Thomas and David Brown added six tackles each.
Jarman started the scoring drive with a 24-yard pass to Glinton, before Juan Serna would kick a 19-yard field goal for the Wildcats first score (3-6).
The Wildcats had there ups and downs mainly in the kicking game, as a snap sailed over Serna’s head in the end zone, but Serna managed to punt the ball away. The Marauders fumbled the ball after Anderson force and Kevis Jones recovery giving the ball back to FVSU. Jeremy McCants later ran 31-yards to the Central State five yard line and Jackson would cap off the drive with a five yard touchdown; Serna’s kick was good (9-6). CSU would add points just before halftime, taking a 13-10 lead to the locker room.
Anderson stopped a Marauder drive with an interception and returned it 17-yards to the F37 but the team could not capitalize.
Once again after forcing CSU to punt and Smothers returning for 18-yards, Jarman and Smothers connected on a 24-yard pass and three plays later they would connect again from 18-yards out for the touchdown; Serna’s kick was good (17-13).
Jarman completed the Wildcat scoring in the fourth quarter with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Gordon; Serna’s kick was good (24-13).
FVSU’s defense played a huge part by stopping Central State on fourth and two and FVSU taking over on downs with 9:03 left in the game. Then, with 5:23 left on the clock, Aaron Dore forced and recovered a Marauder fumble to end a drive.
The Marauders managed to score with :56 seconds left; Meeks kick was good (24-19).
The Wildcats return home to face Morehouse College for homecoming on Saturday, October 28 at Wildcat Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 2 pm.