DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Akevious Williams threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another, and Isaac Washington rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown as Bethune-Cookman fended off Norfolk State for a 35-22 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory Saturday night at Daytona Stadium.
The Spartans (2-6 overall, 1-3 MEAC) closed to 28-22 on Kevin Johnson’s 4-yard run to start the fourth quarter and kept it within a touchdown after holding the Wildcats (6-1,4-0) to Xavier McDonald’s third field goal with 10:35 left.
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BCU’s defense responded with two big stops, the first when Davonte Lawrence recovered a fumbled forced by Marques Ford to end a red zone threat. Norfolk State got the ball back, but Tony Bowman and Marques Ford registered sacks to force the change of possession, and Washington sealed it with a six-yard run with 1:01 left.
Williams completed a career-high 24 passes of 36 attempts as the Wildcats won their fifth straight. His 267 yards was his second-best total of his career.
BCU turned a 14-7 second quarter deficit into a 19-14 halftime lead on Williams’ one-yarder to Taron Mallard that cut the deficit to 14-13, then the senior scored on an option run for three yards to put the Wildcats ahead by five going into the locker room.
Two McDonald field goals pushed BCU’s lead to 25-14.
Washington posted his second 100-yard game of the season as the Wildcats finished with a season-high 467 total yards.
Jimmie Robinson’s seven receptions for 49 yards led eight Wildcat receivers who registered a catch. Taron Mallard had four catches for 74 yards, including the touchdown while Steffon Francois had three catches for 75 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Judas McKenzie and Jamarquis Reeves also registered sacks for the BCU defense. Hendrix and Devin James each had 10 tackles.
BCU hosts South Carolina State for homecoming next Saturday at 4 p.m.
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