On Saturday morning, HBCU football fans will be treated to a historic SIAC championship encounter between Kentucky State and Benedict.

This will mark the first-ever SIAC championship game contested between teams not from Georgia or Alabama.

While Benedict is making its fourth conference title appearance in five years, Kentucky State is entering for the second time ever.

The Thorobreds come into this game after finishing the regular season with an 8-2 record. This marks the second straight season they have recorded eight wins (the first time doing so since 1935).

Kentucky State is in search of its first conference championship since 1942 as a member of the Midwest Athletic Association.

On the other side, Benedict enters with a 9-1 overall record. A win would guarantee the Tigers their fourth 10-win season in the past five years (they had none before 2022).

Benedict also has a chance to become the first SIAC team to win three conference titles in five years since 2019.

Trends to Watch

Kentucky State Pass Offense

The Thorobreds’ dynamic passing attack will be a key to their success in the game. They averaged 293.6 passing yards (2nd in the SIAC) and scored 29 touchdowns to seven interceptions.

This effort is led by star receiver Darius Cyprian, who is among the top players in Division II football at his position.

Cyprian averages 98.0 receiving yards per game (9th in the country) and has scored 10 receiving touchdowns (tied for 9th).

He has recorded over 100 yards in three of his last four games, and has combined for six touchdowns in his last three.

Another top receiver to watch for is Jaden Hale, who has quietly been one of the Thorobreds most consistent performers.

Orchestrating the passing attack is Juan Gainous, who has been among the most precise quarterbacks in the SIAC.

Gainous has completed 66% of his passes and has scored 20 touchdowns while throwing just three interceptions.

Benedict’s Greedy Defense

Kentucky State’s pass offense will have a tough time against a greedy Benedict defense.

The Tigers’ defense has forced 25 turnovers this season, the fourth-most in Division II football. This includes 16 interceptions, which is tied for third.

Senior defensive back Ethan Nation’s performance against Central State heavily contributed to Benedict clinching a berth in the title game.

He recorded two interceptions, with the Tigers’ offense converting each takeaway into touchdowns.

Although they have given up some big yardage games, they do not allow many big plays. They have surrendered only at least eight yards per play in three games.

However, they are facing a Kentucky State offense that has had six games averaging at least eight yards per play.

The battle between the Kentucky State passing game vs. Benedict’s secondary will be key in deterining the winner of this game.

Benedict Run Game

As for the Benedict, the success of its strong run game will have a profound impact on this contest.

The Tigers averaged an SIAC-leading 201.5 rushing yards per game, including 5.4 yards per carry.

Top rusher David Smith has averaged 98.8 rushing yards per game over his last four contests.

He is one of three Benedict running backs with at least three rushing touchdowns, along with team leader Christopher Johnson (7) and A’chean Durant (6).

Kentucky State has been solid in defending the run in its own right, ranking third in the SIAC in rushing yards allowed (128.5).

This includes holding four opponents to under four yards per rush attempt.

Taking away the Benedict run game and making them one-dimensional will be a key for Kentucky State.