Jacksonville, Fla. — The 2025 AME Classic is here, and the Edward Waters University Football will be traveling up I-95 to take on the Allen Yellow Jackets this Saturday, November 8th at Fairfield Central HS in Winnsboro, S.C. at 2:00 p.m. This will also be Senior Day/Homecoming for the Yellow Jackets, and they will honor their 2025 senior class with a short recognition prior to this SIAC contest.
This game will be streamed on the SIAC Network platform.
TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets Can Be Purchased Online At: GET TICKETS
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
SIAC Broadcast Link: WATCH LIVE
Live Stats: https: WATCH HERE
WEATHER REPORT:
The projected game-time forecast calls for cloudy skies with temperatures in the mid 70s.
MAKING HISTORY
On Friday, September 19, Edward Waters University promoted Brian Jenkins Sr. to Head Football Coach from Interim Head Football Coach. The EWU Tigers enter this match with a 5-4 mark, including a 4-3 record in conference play under Coach Jenkins. Jenkins has taken the EWU Football Program to new heights as they won their first three games of the season for the first time since 1964.
Running back Johntarrious Thomas etched his name into the Edward Waters record books, rushing for a school-record 243 yards on just 21 carries vs. Benedict. His 243-yard effort not only set a new single-game rushing record but also marked the highest individual rushing total in the SIAC this season. Thomas also surpassed the EWU single single-season rushing record in the Tigers, 55-41 win over Clark Atlanta with a current mark of 901 with one more game left in the regular season.
COACHING RECORDS:
Brian Jenkins, Sr. (EWU):5-4, 4-3 (SIAC) 1st season
Cedric Pearl (AU): 6-13, 5-10 (SIAC) 2nd season
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday marks the 14th series meeting between these rivals. Edward Waters holds a 10-3 advantage, including a 4-1 record since 2019. EWU recorded a 33-28 home win last fall while Allen won on its home turf (59-21) in the 2023 edition.
EDWARD WATERS TIGERS PREVIEW
The Edward Waters offense will be led by transfer veteran quarterbacks Noah Bodden, who has been on a tear through the first nine weeks of the season. Bodden is currently third in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) with 2,008 passing yards on the season and fourth in the conference with 13 passing touchdowns. Bodden also leads the SIAC with 165 completions and an average of 223.1 passing yards per game, good for fourth in the league.
Running back Johntarrious Thomas currently sits in second in the SIAC in rushing with 901 yards after surpassing the EWU single season rushing record as well as the EWU single game rushing record with 243 yards against Bendict, which earned him SIAC Offensive Player of the Week. Thomas is second in the SIAC with 6.5 yards per carry and is second in the conference in rushing yards per game (100.1), rushing attempts (138) and rushing touchdowns (9). Fellow running back Brady Tillman leads the SIAC with 7.0 yards per carry and has rushed for 387 total yards on 55 carries with two touchdowns.
Senior wide receiver Makai Lovett is currently seventh in the league in receptions with 37. Lovett is tied for fifth in the league with five touchdowns and 11th in the SIAC in yards (466) and yards per game (51.8).
In total, through nine games the EWU Tiger offense is third in the SIAC in scoring offense averaging 30.8 points per game as well as fourth in the SIAC in total yards per game with 377.9. Edward Waters' passing attack also ranks fifth in the SIAC averaging 228.9 yards per contest, and the rushing attack currently sits third in the league at 149 yards per game.
Defensively, EWU has been tremendous since the start of the year. The Tigers are currently tied for 19th in all of Division II with 17 total turnovers gained.
EWU Football has also received back-to-back SIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors as David Law-Mortimer took home the award in week one and Trevon French garnered the award for week two. French has compiled 65 total tackles, which leads the team and is seventh best in the SIAC right now. His 42 solo tackles are fourth most in the SIAC. Law-Mortimer is tied for the lead in the conference lead with four interceptions this season.
Defensive Lineman Antonio Henley leads the conference in tackles for loss at 18 on the year in only eight games played along with three fumbles recovered. Henley and fellow defensive lineman Jamari Pierre tied for tops in the league in fumbles forced with three.
The Tigers rank ninth in the SIAC in points allowed at 28.9 per game, but Edward Waters has limited opponents to only 348.7 yards of offense per game, the eighth best mark in the league. The Tigers have the fifth best passing defense in the conference at 196.2 yards per game, while sitting 11th in average rushing yards allowed at 152.4 per game.
Returner and wide receiver Kiren Jackson is first in SIAC with three kickoff return touchdowns on the season. Jackson was named SIAC Special Teams Player of Week after returning a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown in EWU's 41-38 Unity Classic victory over Virginia Union. On the season, Jackson is second in the league with 555 kick return yards.
Under Coach Jenkins' leadership, the Tigers are expected to emphasize tempo offense and discipline on defense.
ALLEN YELLOWJACKETS PREVIEW
The Allen Yellowjackets enter Saturday's game with a 4-5 mark on the season after winning their last two contests against Tuskegee and Morehouse. This will be the Yellowjackets first home game since their October 11 meeting against Savannah State. Allen currently sits in fifth in the SIAC Standings with a 4-3 showing in league play.
Quarterback Jamir Dismukes leads the Yellowjackets with 2,043 yards passing and 15 touchdowns with 5 interceptions. Fabian Duncan is Allen's leading rusher with 1,071 yards rushing so far this season with 11 touchdowns. Wide receiver Marcus Fleming has racked up 596 yards with three touchdown receptions for the Yellowjackets. Allen is fifth in the conference in scoring offense, scoring just over 27 points per game.
The Yellowjackets are ranked 10th in scoring defense, allowing 30.3 points per game. Linebacker Dejuan Hughes leads the team with 57 total tackles to go along with 1.5 tackles for a loss. Defensive Lineman Amarie Fleming has tallied 41 total tackles with 10.5 sacks, 15 tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles.
LOOKING AHEAD
After their Tigers participate in the 2025 AME Classic festivities with the Allen Yellowjackets, the EWU Tigers will conclude the 2025 season participating in the SIAC vs. Conference Carolina Challenge. In February 2024, the SIAC and Conference Carolinas entered into a two-year partnership for Week 11 of the 2025 and 2026 football seasons. In the agreement, two teams from each league will play at SIAC institutions on Saturday, November 15, 2025, and then the SIAC teams will travel to Conference Carolinas territory on Saturday, November 14, 2026. Two teams from each league not qualifying for their league championship game will take part.
The two partnership games are to give the participating schools an 11th game and ideally boost their resumes for the NCAA DII National Playoff Super Region Two bids.
Edward Waters will host Erskine College in the first ever meeting on the gridiron between these two institutions. The meeting will take place at Nathaniel Glover Stadium at 7:15 pm.
Follow The Tigers
For complete coverage of Edward Waters University Athletics, follow the Tigers on social media @EWU_Athletics (Twitter), /EWUTigers (Facebook) and @EWU_Athletics (Instagram) or visit the official home of Edward Waters Athletics at EWUTigerPride.com.
