Atlanta, GA - Morehouse's defense played lights-out in a gritty 34-13 homecoming win against Benedict College at B.T. Harvey Stadium on a cloudy Saturday afternoon.

The Maroon Tigers improve to (3-5, 1-3 SIAC) while the Benedict Tigers fall to (0-7, 0-4 SIAC).

The Maroon Tigers started the game picking up positive yardage in the first quarter, with quarterback Michael Sims (Detroit, MI) completing his first pass of the game a 30 yard strike to receiver Tremell Gooden (Fairburn, Ga). After Sims rushed for nine yards on the next play, Benedict linebacker Collins Tensley forced receiver Albert Connel (Houston, TX) to fumble and Tensley recovered the ball at Benedict's 15-yard-line.

Morehouse's defense held firm on Benedict's first offensive possession, with linebacker Bertram Johnson (Detroit, MI) sacking quarterback Eric Phoenix on the first play of the drive. This drive ended after Phoenix completed an 11-yard pass to Ra. Elzy on a 3^rd and 14.

Morehouse was not able to pick up a first down on their next offensive possession, as Sims threw an incompletion to running back Santo Dunn (Miami, Fla.) on 3^rd and 9 from their own 29-yard-line. After the Maroon Tigers' defense forced another 3-and-out on the Tigers' offense, Sims and running back Frank Bailey (Atlanta, Ga.) led the offense on a 11-play, 80-yard drive. Bailey started the drive with a big 17-yard run to get the offense to their own 37-yard-line. After the offense didn't gain any yards on the next two plays, Sims completed a 15-yard pass to Dunn to move the offense pass Benedict's 48-yard-line. Sims capped off this drive with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Connel to give Morehouse an 6-0 lead. Sims completed another pass to Bailey on a 2-point-conversion to increase the lead to 8-0.

Phoenix was able to get the Tigers' offense to Morehouse's 19-yard line to end the first quarter, but he was sacked by defensive lineman Jazz Hawkins (Atlanta, GA) on a 3^rd and 6. Benedict had a chance to put their first points of the game on the board to start the second quarter, but kicker Rigoberto Tinoco missed a 45-yard field goal wide left.

With 6:08 left in the second quarterback, the Maroon Tigers scored quickly on a 2-play, 70-yard drive led by Bailey. Bailey started the drive with an elusive 69-yard run that took the offense all the way to the Tigers' 1-yard-line. From 1 yard out, Bailey ran for a touchdown that increased Morehouse's lead to 14-0. The

Maroon Tigers defense attacked the Tigers' offense on the next drive, sacking Phoenix twice. On 2^nd and 10 from Benedict's 48-yard-line, Phoenix was sacked by linebacker Jonathan Mathis (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and defensive lineman Demetrice Lofton (Fairburn, GA) sacked him on 3^rd down 14.

Sims and the offense took advantage of this stop on their next possession, going on a 7-play, 72-yard scoring drive. Sims completed a 14-yard pass to receiver Ricci Nuckles and a scrambling 32-yard pass to Gooden to move the offense to Benedict's 20-yard-line. Sims finished the drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to receiver Trevor Gichaba (Concord, NC.), increasing Morehouse's lead to 20-0. Dunn ran for a 2-point conversion to increase the lead to 22-0 heading into halftime.

To open the third quarter, the Tigers went on a 11-play, 68-yard drive that took 5:19 off the clock. Running back Raheem Jennings started the drive with a 28-yard run. On a 3^rd and 5 from Morehouse's 35-yard-line, Phoenix completed a 13-yard-pass to Dayne Washington to move the offense to Morehouse's 22-yard-line. On 2^nd and goal from Morehouse's 10-yard-line, linebacker KJ Philips (McDonough, GA) committed a personal foul that gave the Tigers a first down and moved the ball to the 5-yard-line. Edward Nelson (Chester, PA) sacked Phoenix on a 1st and goal from the 5-yard-line, but Phoenix threw a touchdown pass on 3^rd and goal from the 11-yard line to Ra. Elzy that cut Morehouse's lead to 22-6. Defensive lineman Chase Burton (Douglasville, GA) blocked Tinoco's field goal attempt that would have gave the Tigers 7 points.

In the fourth quarter, the Tigers' offense went on a 7-play, 86-yard scoring drive. Phoenix completed three passes in a row to Elzy to move the offense to the Tigers' own 25-yard-line. Running back Jayden Mccloud's 9-yard run moved the Tigers to the 50-yard-line. Phoenix finished the drive with a 50-yard touchdown pass E. Watson, as he ran past defenders to cut Morehouse's lead to 22-13.

The Maroon Tigers' offense responded in the next drive, only needing 5 plays to get into the endzone. Bailey's 14-yard-run on 2^nd and 5 from Benedict's 30-yard-line moved the ball to their 14-yard-line. After an offsides penalty cost the Maroon Tigers 5 yards, Sims completed a 11-yard touchdown pass to Gooden on the next play to increase Morehouse's lead to 28-13.

On the next drive, Phoenix threw an interception to Mathis at Benedict's 43-yard-line, and he returned it 22 yards to Benedict's 21-yard-line. With great field position, the offense handed the ball to Dunn three straight times as he picked up a total of 11 yards and moved the offense to Benedict's 10-yard-line.  A personal foul was called on the Tigers after an incompletion to Gooden that moved the ball to Benedicts 2-yard-line. On 2^nd and goal from the 1-yard-line, Dunn ran for a 1-yard touchdown that gave Morehouse an insurmountable 34-13 fourth quarter lead.

Offensively, the Maroon Tigers were led by Sims and Bailey. Sims had 196 passing yards and three touchdowns and Bailey had a monstrous 138 rushing yards with one touchdown.

Defensively, the Maroon Tigers attacked Phoenix all day, with seven different players having at least one sack. Mathis led the team with nine tackles, one sack and one interception.  Defensive tackle Marquise Deweert had five tackles and one a  sack while Lofton and Hawkins added two sacks a piece.

Next week, Morehouse travels to Albany, GA on November 2^nd to take on the Golden Rams of Albany State University. Kick-off is set for 2 p.m. ET