The Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football team represents

Bethune–Cookman University Bethune–Cookman University (BCU or Bethune–Cookman) is a Private university, private Historically black colleges and universities, historically black university in Daytona Beach, Florida. Bethune–Cookman University is affiliated with the U ...

in the sport of

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

. The Wildcats compete in the Division I

Football Championship Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athleti ...

(FCS) of the

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

(NCAA). Starting with the fall 2021 season, they compete in the East Division of the

Southwestern Athletic Conference The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is a collegiate athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the Southern United States. It participates in t ...

(SWAC), after having been members of the

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is a collegiate athletic conference whose full members are historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the Southeastern and the Mid-Atlantic United States. It participates in the National C ...

(MEAC) since 1979. They play their home games at

Daytona Stadium Daytona Stadium, is a 9,601-seat multi-purpose stadium in Daytona Beach, Florida, built in 1988 and home to the Bethune–Cookman University Wildcats football team. It is also used to host home games for the Mainland High School and Seabreeze Hig ...

. The Wildcats have won two

black college football national championship The black college football national championship is a national championship honor that, since 1920, has been regularly bestowed upon the best football teams among historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) within the United States. Histo ...

s and seven MEAC titles in the history of their football program.

History

Classifications

*1951–1972: NCAA College Division *1973–1979: NCAA Division II *1980–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS

Conference memberships

*1925–1945: Independent *1946–1949:

Southeastern Athletic Conference The Southeastern Athletic Conference (SEAC) was an intercollegiate athletic conference of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that existed from 1929 to 1961. It was known as the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association ...

*1950–1979:

Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. Formed in 1913, it consists mostly of historically black co ...

*1979–2020:

* 2021–present:

Conference championships

Black College Football National Championships

The Wildcats have won two

Black College Football National Championships Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have ...

, a mythical national championship won by the best black college football team(s) in the United States of America.

Playoff appearances

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS

The Wildcats have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs five times with an overall record of 0–5.

NCAA Division II

The Wildcats appeared in the Division II playoffs one time, with an overall record of 0–1.

Alumni in the NFL

Over 31 Bethune–Cookman alumni have played in the NFL, including: * Leroy Allen *

Boobie Clark Charles Lee "Boobie" Clark (November 8, 1949October 25, 1988) was a professional American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons and was named the UPI AFL-AFC Rookie of the Year for 1973. Early ...

Nick Collins Nicholas Cordell Collins (born August 16, 1983) is a former American football safety who played seven seasons for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Bethune-Cookman, and was drafted by ...

* Charles Cornelius * Jawill Davis * Ryan Davis * Roger Jackson *

Larry Little Larry Chatmon Little (born November 2, 1945) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive guard in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Bethune–Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Flori ...

Rashean Mathis Rashean Jamil Mathis (; born August 27, 1980) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Bethune–Cookman University, and was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second r ...

Jack "Cy" McClairen Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas, USA People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, ...

* Maulty Moore * Booker Reese * Tony Samuels *

Howard Smothers Howard Smothers (born November 16, 1973) is a former American football offensive lineman who played three seasons in the Arena Football League with the Orlando Predators and Buffalo Destroyers. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sev ...

Eric Weems Eric Grimes Weems (born July 4, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver, special teamer, and return specialist. He played college football at Bethune–Cookman and was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 200 ...

* Lee Williams *

Alvin Wyatt Alvin B. Wyatt (born December 13, 1947) is a former American football player and coach of football and basketball. He played professionally as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) with the Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills, a ...

Antwuan Wyatt Antwuan Bernard Wyatt (born July 18, 1975) is a former American football wide receiver. He played one season for the Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles com ...

Pro Football Hall of Fame

One former BCU football player has been inducted into the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...

Buck Buchanan Award

The Buck Buchanan Award is given to the most outstanding defensive player in Division I FCS. In 2002,

of Bethune- Cookman won the award. Mathis holds the NCAA FCS/ I-AA records for most interceptions in a season (14), most interceptions during a career (31), most yards on interception returns in a season (455), and most yards on interception returns in a career (682).http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2019/FCS.pdf

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bethune-Cookman Wildcats football American football teams established in 1925 1925 establishments in Florida