Wingate, N.C.----For the sixth time in the last eight years, the Wingate University Bulldogs are in the NCAA Division II play-offs. The fourth-seeded Bulldogs will host Benedict Saturday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. on ESPN Plus. Wingate enters postseason play riding a six-game winning streak, posting a 9-2 overall record while going 7-2 in SAC play. The Tigers are 9-2 on the year, posting a 7-1 record in the SIAC.

NCAA Super Region 2 Play-Offs Round 1
Wingate (9-2; 7-2 SAC) hosts Benedict (9-2; 7-1 SIAC)
Saturday, Nov. 22 | 2 p.m. | Irwin Belk Stadium
Tickets | Watch on ESPN Plus | Live Stats | Play-Off Bracket

ABOUT WINGATE

- The Bulldogs are making their seventh D2 play-off appearance in school history
- Sixth appearance in the last eight years including second straight year
- Wingate is ranked 16th in this week's D2Football.com poll
- Wingate is the first team out of the AFCA top 25
- This will be Wingate's fifth time hosting a play-off game (2010, 2017, 2019, 2024)
- The 'Dogs went to the national quarterfinals in 2022
- Wingate has won at least eight games in each of the last nine seasons
- The Bulldogs lead the SAC in overall wins and conference victories the last nine years
- WU is riding a six-game winning streak, outscoring opponents 229-120

ABOUT BENEDICT

- The Tigers are making their third play-off trip in the last four years
- Benedict is 9-2 overall, going 7-1 in the SIAC
- The Tigers are ranked 23rd in the AFCA top 25
- Benedict is coming off a 22-16 loss against top-seeded Albany State in the SIAC championship game
- Both of BC's losses this year have come against Albany State

WINGATE VS BENEDICT SERIES

- Wingate and Benedict have met twice
- The first meeting came in 1998, which the Tigers won at home
- The teams met in second round of the 2022 NCAA play-offs
- The Bulldogs prevailed 23-6 on the road to advance to the national quarterfinals

WINGATE OFFENSE

- The Bulldogs average 37.7 points per game, while averaging 174 rush yards and 258 pass yards per game
- The 'Dogs rank second in the SAC in scoring offense, total offense and passing offense, ranking fourth in rushing offense
- Wingate is second in the league in first downs and fourth in third down conversions (49 percent)
- The Bulldogs have scored 30 points or more in six of their last seven games, going over 40 three times
- The 'Dogs scored a program-record 72 points against Bluefield State earlier this season
- Xavier Pugh is Wingate's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2018, going for 1,008 yards (91.6 yards per game)
- He has scored a program-record 21 touchdowns on the year
- Pugh's 21 rushing TDs rank second in SAC history, just one away from tying the league record
- He ranks second in the nation in touchdowns and total points scored
- Jaylen Himes is Wingate's first thousand-yard receiver since 2012
- The freshman has 62 catches for 1,036 yards and nine touchdowns
- He leads the SAC in receiving yards, yards per game and touchdowns
- Himes ranks fourth nationally in receiving yards and fifth in yards per game
- Elijah Holmes is 176-for-288 for 2,776 yards and 22 touchdowns with just four interceptions
- He is throwing for 252.3 yards per game, completing 61 percent of his passes
- Holmes leads the league in passing yards, yards per completion and yards per attempt, ranking second in yards per game
- He ranks third in the nation in yards per completion and fourth in yards per attempt, while ranking 10th in passing efficiency
- Xavier Jackson has 28 catches for 578 yards and two touchdowns
- He leads the SAC and ranks 19th nationally in yards per reception (20.25)
- Carlos Estronza has added 24 receptions for 342 yards and five touchdowns on the year

BENEDICT OFFENSE

- The Tigers average 25.8 points per game, going for 145 rush yards and 166 pass yards per game
- Benedict is sixth in the SIAC in scoring offense and seventh in total offense, ranking fifth in rushing and 10th in passing
- Triston Morgan has run for 726 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 66 yards per game
- David Smith has added 433 yards and a pair of TDs
- Darius Ocean is 121-for-248 for 1,641 yards with 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions
- He averages 164 yards per game, completing 49 percent of his passes
- Malaqhi Jones has 26 receptions for 352 yards and four touchdowns
- Jaxon Williams has 20 catches for 351 yards and three TDs

WINGATE DEFENSE

- Wingate allows 19.9 points per game on 289 yards per game
- The Bulldogs leads the SAC and rank 13th nationally in yards allowed, ranking third in scoring defense
- The 'Dogs allow a league-low 89.4 rush yards per game, ranking ninth in the nation
- Wingate averages 8.3 tackles for loss per game, leading the SAC and ranking fifth nationally
- WU ranks second in the SAC, allowing 36 percent of third down conversions
- Ryan Green leads Wingate with 71 tackles, including four tackles for loss, adding two pass break-ups
- Jaquan Edwards has 53 tackles with 10 TFLs, adding four QB hurries and a break-up
- Mandjou Berte leads the 'Dogs with 10.5 TFLs, notching 3.5 sacks with three forced fumbles and seven hurries
- Jonathen Cross has 10 TFLs, four sacks, five QB hurries and two pass break-ups
- Elihu Lipscomb has a team-best seven sacks, notching nine TFLs, four forced fumbles and two defensive TDs
- The freshman has been named SAC Defensive Player of the Week three times this season
- Guy Taylor has added six tackles for loss with three sacks and an interception
- Brandon Perry leads the SAC in passes defended, notching 11 break-ups and two interceptions
- Noah Collins also has two pics, adding five break-ups
- Ephraim Wright has six break-ups to go along with 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble

BENEDICT DEFENSE

- The Tigers allow 16.9 points per game and 317.6 yards per game
- Benedict ranks second in the SIAC and ninth in the nation in scoring defense
- The Tigers average 3.55 sacks per game, leading the SIAC and ranking fifth nationally
- BC also averages 7.5 tackles for loss per game, good for 12th in the nation
- Benedict leads the SIAC and ranks third in the nation with 13 fumble recoveries, adding six interceptions
- Isaiah Stephens leads the Tigers with 77 tackles, notching 6.5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks
- Israel Nwokocha has piled up 21 TFLs with 9.6 sacks and two fumble recoveries
- Ty'Metrius Patterson has 13.5 tackles for loss with 9.5 sacks and four forced fumbles
- Omari Terry has nine TFLs on the season
- Desmond Thompson has added seven tackles for lsos with six sacks and a forced fumble
- Cam Williams has 11 pass break-ups with two picks and a fumble recovery
- Jahmal Sam has added two interceptions and three break-ups

WINGATE SPECIAL TEAMS

- Caleb Bonesteel has made 15 of 21 field goals, while making all 48 PATs
- He has made seven field goals of at least 40 yards on the year
- The two-time National Special Teams Player of the Week has connected on a 47-yarder, two 45-yarders, three 42-yarders and a 40-yarder
- Rivers Teeter averages 40.8 yards per punt on 29 punts this year
- He has put 11 of those punts inside the 20
- Teeter has six punts of 50 yards or more, with a long of 62
- He also earned National POTW honors when he put three punts inside the five against UVA Wise
- Lawson Thorn has touchbacks on 47 of his 58 kickoffs
- Jake Snapp has 549 kick return yards, averaging 27.45 yards per return
- He also has 136 punt return yards, averaging nine yards per return

BENEDICT SPECIAL TEAMS

- Logan Karwacki has made five-of-10 field goals with a long of 30
- Zane Spires is four-for-seven with a long of 38
- The two are a combined 35 of 36 on PATs
- Kolten Ford averages 39.4 yards per punt on 52 punts
- He has nine punts over 50 yards, with a  long of 69
- Jaxon Williams averages 39 yards per kick return with two TDs, piling up 546 total return yards
- DaShawn Mingo has 106 punt return yards on 16 returns

UP NEXT

- The winner of the Wingate vs. Benedict contest is on to round two of the play-offs
- The winner will face the winner of the Albany State vs. Valdosta State contest
- If Valdosta State wins, the WU-BC winner will host the second-round contest
- If Albany State wins, they will host the second-round game
- The other half of the bracket sees West Florida host North Greenville and Newberry host Kentucky State
- The winners of next week's contests are onto the national quarterfinals Dec. 6
- The national semifinals are Dec. 13
- The national title game is set for Dec. 20 at 4 p.m. in McKinney, Texas on ESPN2