Wingate, N.C.----Trailing by five points with three seconds left, the Benedict College Tigers got a miraculous 86-yard touchdown as the clock ran out to complete a 24-point come back and prevail 25-24 at Wingate University in the opening round of the 2025 NCAA Division II play-offs Saturday afternoon at Irwin Belk Stadium and Founders Field. The Tigers move to 10-2 on the year, advancing to round two of the play-offs, while the 'Dogs end their season at 9-3.

KEY STATS

- Wingate had 264 passing yards and 139 rushing yards for 403 total yards
- Benedict had 180 passing yards and 118 on the ground for 298 yards of offense
- The 'Dogs had a 17-13 edge in first downs
- WU was three-for-14 on third down; BC went three-for-18
- The Tigers were two-for-four on fourth down including the game-winner
- Each team held the ball for 30 minutes
- The Bulldogs had four of the five sacks on the day
- Wingate turned it over three times; Benedict had two turnovers, each team blocked a kick

KEY BULLDOGS

- Elijah Holmes threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns
- Jaylen Himes had four catches for 138 yards and a pair of TDs
- Jayshawn Appling had 27 carries for 111 yards
- Carlos Estronza added four grabs for 58 yards
- Xavier Jackson had two catches for 34 yards
- Tyson Brown had 12 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack
- Ryan Green added 11 tackles with a TFL
- Mandjou Berte notched 10 tackles, two TFLs, 1.5 sacks and three QB hurries
- Jaquan Edwards had eight stops with 1.5 tackles for loss
- Ephraim Wright had three pass break-ups, an interception and five tackles
- Oma Ba had a pick-six, taking his interception back 17 yards to the house
- Noah Collins added three pass break-ups
- Brandon Perry contributed a sack and pass break-up
- Caleb Bonesteel made all three PATs and a 26-yard field goal
- Rivers Teeter averaged 37.3 yards per punt with three inside the 20 and one inside the five
- Lawson Thorn had touchbacks on three of five kickoffs

FIRST QUARTER

- Wingate fumbled on the first play from scrimmage, setting BC up at the WU 23
- Perry's sack resulted in a loss of 12 yards, forcing a 49-yard field goal, which was missed
- The 'Dogs then went 68 yards on four plays to get on the board
- An Appling 14-yard run and Estronza 29-yard catch got Wingate to the BC 25
- Holmes hit Himes from 25 yards out to give Wingate a 7-0 lead
- The Bulldogs forced a punt and took over at the WU 37
- An Appling 11-yard run and Jesse Clinesmith 12-yard reception got the 'Dogs to the BC 34
- Holmes found Himes for 34 yards to make it 14-0 at the 7:42 mark
- Wingate forced another punt and took over at its own 27
- Appling's 42-yard run got the 'Dogs down to the red zone
- Holmes found Estronza for nine yards, getting the Bulldogs to the 11
- Wingate had to settle for a 26-yard Bonesteel field goal to go on top 17-0

SECOND QUARTER

- The teams traded punts throughout most of the second quarter
- Wright's interception set Wingate up at the Benedict 43 with 6:26 to go
- The 'Dogs were unable to take advantage, punting it back to the Tigers
- Benedict got it inside the red zone in the final minute of the half
- The Tigers were stuffed on fourth and one by Cross and Green, halting the drive

THIRD QUARTER

- On the second play from scrimmage, Ba picked it off at the 17 and returned it for the TD
- Wingate led 24-0 with 14:46 remaining in the third
- Malik Tyrell-Crittington blocked a punt to set the 'Dogs up in the red zone
- A fumbled snap on third and two from the BC seven was recovered by the Tigers
- Wingate stuffed another Benedict fourth down try at the WU 39 with 8:17 remaining
- Holmes connected with Himes for 46 yards down to the BC one
- An interception in the end zone halted the drive, leaving the lead at 24 points
- Another Benedict interception set the Tigers up at the Wingate 27
- A Darius Ocean five-yard TD pass to Malaqhi Jones got BC on the board in the final minute of the frame

FOURTH QUARTER

- A Teeter punt to start the fourth pinned the Tigers at their own two
- Benedict punted from its own end zone, with Wingate taking over at midfield
- Holmes hit Himes for 33 yards to get the 'Dogs to the BC 11
- A Jacob Johnson six-yard run got Wingate to the five
- The Bulldogs had to settle for a 21-yard field goal try
- The kick was blocked and returned 95 yards for a Benedict touchdown to make it 24-13 with 10:05 to go
- After another Wingate punt, the Tigers took over at the 50
- Jackson Jensen hit Charles Simmons for a four-yard TD to make it 24-19 at the 3:36 mark
- Holmes connected with Estronza for nine yards on third and four to get it down to two minutes
- Teeter's punt put the Tigers at their own 14 with 19 seconds left
- The first three passes went incomplete, setting BC up with fourth and 10 from the 14 with three seconds left
- Jensen threw it to the left, hitting Simmons, who then lateraled it across the field to Malik Mullins, who went down the right sideline for the game-winning 86-yard touchdown