Two SIAC giants. One quarterfinal spot. And an HBCU trilogy that nobody expected to unfold this early in the postseason.
For the third time in six weeks, Albany State and Benedict College will collide—this time with the season on the line in the Second Round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Kickoff is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. inside a charged-up ASU Coliseum, where the Golden Rams will look to defend their home turf on ESPN+.
The winner advances to the national quarterfinals, guaranteeing the SIAC an HBCU representative in the next round.
Albany State: Riding Momentum & Protecting the Coliseum
Albany State enters the matchup confident after a gritty 35–30 win over Valdosta State in Round One, marking their first playoff victory since 2010 and their first over the Blazers in seven years. It’s the kind of breakthrough that signals a team peaking at the right time.
The Golden Rams also hold the season advantage over Benedict.
- In October, ASU rolled to a 31–3 win in Columbia.
- In the SIAC Championship, they built a 17–7 halftime lead and held off a strong Benedict rally to win 22–16.
Albany State’s physicality and early-game control have shaped both meetings this season, and with a home crowd behind them, they’ll aim to follow the same script.
Benedict: The Cardiac Tigers & a Coach Who Trains for Chaos
Benedict arrives with its own surge of momentum after delivering one of the wildest comebacks in college football this year—overcoming a 24–0 deficit against Wingate and winning on an 86-yard cross-field lateral touchdown with three seconds left.
That finish wasn’t a fluke. It’s been Benedict’s mindset all season:
- A game-winning TD with 29 seconds left vs. Edward Waters.
- A double-overtime win vs. Savannah State.
- Last season, an 80-yard game-winning drive with no time left in Dickerson’s first victory.
Head coach Ron Dickerson Jr. says that resilience is intentional, built through mental conditioning as much as physical reps.
“We probably spend the first week and a half of fall camp on just mental,” Dickerson said. “We talk about overcoming adversity. As you preach it into them, they believe it.”
Dickerson also mixes unpredictable scenarios into practice to prepare players for the unexpected.
“At any point during practice, I’ll throw something at them they don’t normally see,” he said. “I think that’s really helped us through those times.”
When the Tigers learned they’d get another shot at Albany State, the focus shifted quickly.
“For some of these guys, it’s personal,” Dickerson said. “We’ve been on the opposite side of where we want to be the last two times. When we found out after the game, it was, ‘We’re happy we won, but now it’s time to lock in.’”
The Stakes: A Spot in the National Quarterfinals
The winner will advance to face either West Florida (No. 9) or Newberry (No. 16) in the national quarterfinals on Dec. 6.
Albany State has controlled the rivalry this season.
Benedict believes the script can flip.
And after two competitive meetings, neither side expects anything easy.
GAME INFO
Matchup: Benedict College at Albany State
Round: NCAA Division II Playoffs – Second Round
Date: Saturday, Nov. 29
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: ASU Coliseum, Albany, Ga.
Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: ASUGoldenRamsFootball
Final Word
Two HBCU powers. Two distinct paths. One massive opportunity ahead.
Whether Albany State completes the sweep or Benedict forces a dramatic rewrite, Saturday’s showdown promises to deliver another intense chapter in a rivalry that has defined this postseason.