College Football

JCSU struggles to finish drives, falls to Benedict 32-10 in Battle of the Border

Reigning CIAA champions lose season opener despite rushing for 287 yards

Eric Lusk

Published

July 16, 2026

Johnson C. Smith at Benedict football

🏈 FINAL: Benedict 32, Johnson C. Smith 10

Johnson C. Smith piled up 287 rushing yards but couldn’t turn its ground-game success into points Saturday, falling to Benedict 32-10 in the Battle of the Border Classic in Columbia, SC.

Fabian Duncan rushed for 183 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, including a 64-yard scoring run, while Kamarro Edmonds added 99 yards on 16 attempts. JCSU averaged 6.5 yards per carry and finished with 362 total yards.

But the Golden Bulls struggled to finish drives. JCSU committed two turnovers, converted just 2 of 11 third downs and scored on only one of two red-zone trips — a field goal. Benedict turned a 16-10 third-quarter lead into a comfortable victory by scoring the game’s final 16 points.

🎯 Key Moments

Two early opportunities disappear: JCSU lost a fumble at the Benedict 18 in the first quarter, then threw an interception at the Benedict 25 in the second.
The 97-yard gut punch: Immediately after the interception, Jett Peddy connected with Caleb Riggs for a 97-yard touchdown that put Benedict ahead 16-0.
Duncan provides the answer: Fabian Duncan broke a 64-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-2 to cut the deficit to 16-7.
JCSU gets within six: Alexis Rosario-Beltran’s 42-yard field goal made it 16-10 with 11:34 remaining in the third quarter. But Benedict scored the final 16 points.

📊 By The Numbers

287 — JCSU rushing yards
183 — Fabian Duncan rushing yards for the Golden Bulls
99 — Kamarro Edmonds rushing yards for JCSU
75 — JCSU passing yards
2-of-11 — third-down conversions
11 for 96 — JCSU penalties
435-362 — Benedict’s advantage in total offense
6-for-6 — Benedict’s scoring percentage in the red zone

⏭️ What’s Next

Johnson C. Smith travels to Canton, Ohio, to face Albany State in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic on Sept. 6.

🔄 Last Updated: August 29, 2026 11:26 pm

🏟️ Pregame Center

Pregame information for the matchup, including game time, TV and streaming details, players to watch and key storylines.

Johnson C. Smith at Benedict
Date: Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026
Time: 5 p.m. ET
Location: Charlie W. Johnson Stadium, Columbia, SC
TV/Stream: SIAC Network+

📚 Series History

Johnson C. Smith leads 7-4-1
Last Meeting: Johnson C. Smith 34, Benedict 31 (Sept. 14, 2019)
Current Streak: Johnson C. Smith, W1
First Meeting: Benedict 32, Johnson C. Smith 13 (Sept. 27, 1947)

Johnson C. Smith rushed for 278 yards and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns en route to a 34-31 win at Benedict in the most recent meeting between the teams in 2019.

In a game full of explosive plays, JCSU’s Damon Rice brought the opening kickoff back for a 90-yard touchdown to set the tone. Rice scored again on an 85-yard kickoff return in the second period.

Teammate Emanuel Wilson had touchdown runs of 83, 73 and 64 yards, finishing the game with 265 yards on the ground. The win helped JCSU snap a three-game losing skid.

Fast Facts

Johnson C. Smith won its first CIAA championship in football since 1969 last season. The Golden Bulls also set a school record for most wins (10) before falling to Frostburg State in the first round of the playoffs
Benedict finished 10-3 in 2025, advancing to the SIAC championship game before losing to Albany State. The Tigers won the school’s first-ever playoff game, defeating Wingate with a wild jailbreak touchdown play on the final snap.
Johnson C. Smith has been picked to finish second in the CIAA by league coaches and sports information directors, though HBCU media have pegged the Golden Bulls as the top team in the inaugural preseason Black College Football Poll.
⭐ Featured Game in our 25 Games to Watch series

🔍 What to Watch

Can JCSU validate its breakthrough?
The Golden Bulls finally climbed the mountain in 2025. Now comes the harder task – proving they can stay there.

Strength vs. strength
Both teams fielded elite defenses last season. Which offense can create explosive plays?

An early playoff measuring stick
Although it’s Week 0, this is the type of inter-conference game that foreshadows playoff potential.

How does JCSU handle a brutal opening month?
With Albany State, Winston-Salem State and Fayetteville State looming, the Golden Bulls can’t afford a slow start.

📊 By the Numbers

20 – Combined wins for Johnson C. Smith and Benedict in 2025.
1, 2 – Preseason ranking for JCSU and Benedict, respectively, in the preseason Black College Football Poll for D2 schools
6 – Johnson C. Smith players listed on the preseason CIAA All-Conference team, announced in mid-July, second-most of any league school
265 – Rushing yards for Johnson C. Smith running back Emanuel Wilson in the Golden Bulls’ 34-31 win over Benedict in the schools’ last meeting in 2019.
17 – Points-per-game surrendered by both the Johnson C. Smith and Benedict defenses in 2025
934 – Rushing yards for JCSU running back Bobby Smith last season. Smith is back for the Golden Bulls in 2026.

📈 What’s at Stake

For Johnson C. Smith

Spoiling Benedict’s home opener
Validating the No. 1 ranking in the preseason Black College Football Poll
Building confidence heading into a challenging early season schedule, which features two additional games against teams ranked in the HBCU top 10.

For Benedict

A season’s opening victory in front of the home fans
A chance to beat the defending CIAA champions
An opportunity for a third-straight win over a North Carolina opponent (Wingate and Fayetteville State in 2025)

⭐ Featured Game: Johnson C. Smith at Benedict was selected as one of NC Football News’ 25 Games That Could Define the 2026 Season, our statewide look at the most important matchups from the ACC to Division III.