FORT VALLEY, Ga. -- After suffering two big losses to open the 2017 campaign, the Miles football team was hoping to get back on the winning track with a visit to Fort Valley State, the defending Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions.

Quarterback Li'Jon Cordier (181 yards total offense) and running back Justin Hardy (167 yards total offense) paced an efficient offense, the defense had four sacks (three by Kaelon Bonds), forced two turnovers, and scored on a safety and a fumble recovery for a touchdown as the Golden Bears (1-2) earned their first win of the season, 29-10, over the Wildcats (0-2) Saturday night in front of 7,014 at Wildcat Stadium. Miles never trailed in the game as they beat FVSU for the second consecutive season.

The top two kickers in the league opened the scoring as Nick Christiansen (41 yards) and Juan Serna (25) made field goals to send the game into the second quarter tied at 3. From there, Miles took control of the contest. Hardy (97 yards rushing) scored his first touchdown of the game when he converted on a fourth-and-goal at the FVSU 2 to put the Golden Bears in the lead for good. On the Wildcats' next play from scrimmage, a bad snap led to Bonds leading the charge in wrapping up FVSU quarterback Slade Jarman in the end zone for a safety to push the advantage to 12-3.

Miles would get the ball back on the free kick and on the second play of the drive, a perfectly-executed screen pass from Cordier to Hardy turned into a 56-yard scoring pass to Hardy that gave Miles a 19-3 lead it would take into halftime.

The Golden Bear defense played its best game of the season. it forced two turnovers in the red zone - one on an interception in the end zone by Kendrell Walker and the other on a forced fumble when FVSU had first-and-goal on the Miles 1 in the third quarter. MarQuel Shelton picked up the loose ball for a touchback and Miles was out of danger. A third turnover was ultimately the backbreaker as Bonds scooped up a fumble and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown that pushed the lead to 26-3.

Bonds was nearly unstoppable for the Golden Bears. After being removed from the starting lineup, he turned in the best performance of his career, finishing with nine tackles (four for loss), three sacks, a safety, and a fumble recovery for touchdown which was Miles' second defensive touchdown this season and ninth in its last 12 games dating back to the 2016 campaign. The Wildcats would add a touchdown in the fourth quarter and Christiansen closed out the scoring for the Golden Bears with a 50-yard field goal, his fourth career field goal from at least 50 yards and first since 2015.

Ozzie Williams, Jr. had a game-high 12 tackles (seven solo), Anthony Hardy had nine tackles, and Shelton had six tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery for the Golden Bears, who host Morehouse on Saturday in the Prince Hall Americanism Football Classic. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.