2002 Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 2002

| team = Bethune–Cookman Wildcats

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

| short_conf = MEAC

| TSNRank = 15

| record = 11–2

| conf_record = 7–1

| head_coach = Alvin Wyatt

| hc_year = 5th

| off_coach =

| oc_year =

| off_scheme =

| def_coach = Pete Adrian

| dc_year = 5th

| def_scheme =

| captain =

| stadium = Municipal Stadium

| champion = MEAC champion

| bowl = NCAA Division I-AA First Round

| bowl_result = L 0–34 vs. Georgia Southern

}}

The 2002 Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football team was an American football team that represented Bethune-Cookman University as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) during the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In its fifth season under head coach Alvin Wyatt, the team compiled an 11–2 record (7–1 against MEAC opponents) and won the MEAC championship.{{cite web|title=Bethune-Cookman Wildcats 2002 Schedule and Results|publisher=CNN Sports Illustrated|access-date=March 31, 2019|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/schedules/team/2002/bethcook/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021216053007/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/schedules/team/2002/bethcook/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 16, 2002}} The team played its home games at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Florida.

On November 23, 2002, the team clinched the MEAC championship with a 37–10 victory over {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Florida A&M Rattlers|title=Florida A&M}} in the annual Florida Classic game before a crowd of 70,201 spectators in Orlando.{{cite news|title=Bethune-Cookman 37, Florida A&M 10: Bethune Conquers Conference|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|date=November 24, 2002|page=C4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30123269/bethunecookman_37_florida_am_10/|via=Newspapers.com}}

With an 11–1 record in the regular season, the team advanced to post-season play, losing to Georgia Southern

in the Division I-AA 1st Round Playoff Game.{{cite news|title=Georgia Southern erases B-CC|newspaper=Florida Today|date=December 1, 2002|page=6D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30122919/georgia_southern_erases_bcc/|via=Newspapers.com}}

Bethune-Cookman was led on offense by junior quarterback Allen Suber. Suber missed the team's November 9 game against {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Hampton Pirates|title=Hampton}}, leading to the team's only loss in the regular season.{{cite news|title=Hampton 37, Bethune-Cookman 7: Without Suber, Wildcats wither|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|date=November 10, 2002|page=2BB|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30123925/hampton_37_bethunecookman_7_without/|via=Newspapers.com}}

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 2002

| rankdivision = NCAA Division I-AA

| poll = The Sports Network

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = August 31

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Savannah State Tigers|title=Savannah State}}

| site_stadium = Alltel Stadium

| site_cityst = Jacksonville, FL

| score = 49–9

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 7

| w/l = w

| away = y

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Florida Atlantic

| site_stadium = Pro Player Stadium

| site_cityst = Miami Gardens, FL

| score = 30–17

| attend = 7,987

| source = {{cite news|title=FAU blows big lead late to help B-CC comeback|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|date=September 8, 2002|page=5C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30129648/fau_blows_big_lead_late_to_help_bcc/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 14

| w/l = w

| away = y

| nonconf = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Morris Brown Wolverines|title=Morris Brown}}

| site_stadium = Herndon Stadium

| site_cityst = Atlanta, GA

| gamename = Richard Allen Classic

| score = 42–7

| attend = 11,895

| source = {{cite news|title=Bethune-Cookman 42, Morris Brown 7: Morris Brown gives up 489 offensive yards in thumping|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=September 15, 2002|page=H11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30131425/bethunecookman_42_morris_brown_7/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 21

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| rank = 24

| opponent = FIU

| site_stadium = Lockhart Stadium

| site_cityst = Fort Lauderdale, FL

| score = 31–0

| source = {{cite news|title=Bethune-Cookman 31, FIU 0: B-CC shuts out FIU|newspaper=South Florida Sun Sentinel|date=September 22, 2002|page=15C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30129835/bethunecookman_31_fiu_0_bcc_shuts/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 28

| w/l = w

| rank = 20

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Norfolk State Spartans|title=Norfolk State}}

| site_stadium = Municipal Stadium

| site_cityst = Daytona Beach, FL

| score = 49–7

| source = {{cite news|title=Bethune-Cookman 49, Norfolk St. 7: Wildcats dominate, remain unbeaten|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|date=September 29, 2002|page=2BB|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30131288/bethunecookman_49_norfolk_st_7/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 5

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 19

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Morgan State Bears|title=Morgan State}}

| site_stadium = Hughes Stadium

| site_cityst = Baltimore, MD

| score = 49–27

| source = {{cite news|title=Bethune-Cookman outlasts Morgan State, 41-27|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|date=October 6, 2002|page=D5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30131153/bethunecookman_outlasts_morgan_state/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 12

| w/l = w

| rank = 15

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Delaware State Hornets|title=Delaware State}}

| site_stadium = Municipal Stadium

| site_cityst = Daytona Beach, FL

| score = 49–7

| attend = 16,891

| source = {{cite news|title=Hornets Game Review: Bethune-Cookman 49, Delaware State 7|newspaper=Sunday News Journal|date=October 13, 2002|page=C6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30129515/hornets_game_review/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 19

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 11

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=South Carolina State Bulldogs|title=South Carolina State}}

| site_stadium = Oliver C. Dawson Stadium

| site_cityst = Orangeburg, SC

| score = 21–6

| attend = 20,795

| source = {{cite news|title=Bethune-Cookman 21, South Carolina State 6: Suber-led Wildcats stay perfect|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel|date=October 20, 2002|page=C2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30130972/bethunecookman_21_south_carolina/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 2

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 10

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=North Carolina A&T Aggies|title=North Carolina A&T}}

| site_stadium = Aggie Stadium

| site_cityst = Greensboro, NC

| score = 13–12

| attend = 5,363

| source = {{cite news|title=Bethune-Cookman 13, NC A&T 12: Wildcats stay unbeaten without star QB Suber|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|date=November 3, 2002|page=C2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30130500/bethunecookman_13_nc_at_12_wildcats/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 9

| w/l = l

| away = y

| rank = 10

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Hampton Pirates|title=Hampton}}

| site_stadium = Armstrong Stadium

| site_cityst = Hampton, VA

| score = 7–37

| source =

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 16

| w/l = w

| rank = 13

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Howard Bison|title=Howard}}

| site_stadium = Municipal Stadium

| site_cityst = Daytona Beach, FL

| score = 46–27

| attend = 5,497

| source = {{cite news|title=Bethune-Cookman 46, Howard 27: B-CC grinds out win over Howard|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|date=November 17, 2002|page=C7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30130230/bethunecookman_46_howard_27_bcc/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 23

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 11

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Florida A&M Rattlers|title=Florida A&M}}

| site_stadium = Camping World Stadium

| site_cityst = Orlando, FL

| gamename = Florida Classic

| score = 37–10

| attend = 70,201

| source =

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 30

| time =

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| rank = 11

| opponent = Georgia Southern

| opprank = 2

| site_stadium = Paulson Stadium

| site_cityst = Statesboro, GA

| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA First Round

| tv =

| score = 0–34

| source =

}}

{{cite web |url=https://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/b/bethune_cookman/2000-2004_yearly_results.php |title=Bethune–Cookman (FL) Yearly Results |work=CFB Data Warehouse |access-date=March 31, 2019 |archive-date=September 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906021416/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/b/bethune_cookman/2000-2004_yearly_results.php |url-status=dead }}