The Benedict Tigers punched their ticket to the SIAC championship game after securing a 45-38 win over Central State.
The win marks Benedict’s sixth straight to end the regular season, entering the championship game with a 9-1 record.
This will be Benedict’s fourth conference championship appearance in the past five seasons.
Benedict was led by quarterback Jett Peddy, who had his best game of the season. He finished with 265 passing yards on 75% completion, scoring two touchdowns. He also rushed for 46 yards on seven attempts.
Benedict started the game hot, building a 17-0 lead thanks to a pair of Central State turnovers.
Senior defensive back Ethan Nation reeled in the first of his three interceptions to give the Tigers offense their best starting field position.
They made the most of the opportunity, capping a five-play drive with a four-yard touchdown run by Christopher Johnson.
Less than two minutes later, it was the special teams putting six points on the board for the Tigers, recovering a fumbled snap by the Marauders’ punter, and returning it 28 yards for a touchdown.
Central State slowly but surely began finding its footing, notching a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter. However, Benedict continued to roll, entering the second half with a 38-14 lead.
It was in the third quarter that the Marauders truly began to build momentum, scoring 17 unanswered points. An interception led to a three-yard touchdown run to make the score 38-31 with 7:29 left in the game.
After exchanging a pair of touchdowns down the stretch, Central State had a chance to get the ball back with a chance to tie or win the game with 59 seconds left.
However, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the ensuing punt kept the ball in Benedict’s possession. As a result, the Tigers sealed the win and earned a ticket to the SIAC championship game.
Benedict will look forward to a matchup with Kentucky State, marking the first SIAC championship game not to feature a team from the state of Georgia or Alabama.
Having already secured its spot in the conference title game, Kentucky State took care of business in its regular-season finale against Morehouse, coming away with a 34-10 victory.
This will be the Thorobreds’ second-ever SIAC championship appearance, searching for their first conference title as a member of the conference.
This will be the first time these teams have faced each other since 2024 (Kentucky State won 23-21).
