COLUMBIA, S.C. - Last season, Miles played eight games that were decided on a score inside the final minute of the game. Saturday afternoon, the Cardiac Bears reprised their role from the 2018 season.

Running back PaDarius Martin, in his first career start, scored the first two touchdowns of his career in the fourth quarter. The final one came with 19 seconds left to give Miles (5-1, 3-0 SIAC West) a 24-21 win over Benedict (0-4) at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium. The score capped a furious drive that kept the Golden Bears undefeated in conference play and averted a near-disaster for the second consecutive week.

Miles got the ball back on the game-winning drive with 3:47 left trailing by four. Benedict's defense quickly put Miles in a 3rd-and-17 spot, ready to deliver a huge upset to its homecoming crowd.

But quarterback Daniel Smith found Dominique McNealey at the sticks for a first down to extend the drive. Then, facing a 3rd-and-7, Smith escaped the Tigers pass rush and found Leonard Tyree for 16 yards that pushed the ball to the Benedict 31-yard line. As time continued to melt off the clock, Smith stood in the pocket and delivered a strike to Cohen Hudson for 28 yards to put the Golden Bears on the precipice of a go-ahead score. Two plays later, Martin punched it in from 2 yards out for the lead. Benedict had two shots for a game-winning play but was unable to complete a pass as Miles celebrated another late-game win.

Despite facing a winless team for the fourth time this season, Miles had trouble putting the Tigers away. The Golden Bears alternated between Smith and starter Li'Jon Cordier at quarterback and got inconsistent results. The only touchdown for Miles in the first half came on a 10-yard pass from punter Jay Fitch to tight end Montavious Tinch on a fake field goal in the second quarter that led to a 10-7 halftime advantage.

Benedict would take the lead late in the third quarter when quarterback Eric Phoenix threw a short pass to Raylen Elzy, who made a move a went in from 20 yards out for a 14-10 lead. But Miles would retake the lead on its first possession of the fourth quarter. On a broken coverage on 3rd-and-10, Hudson got behind the defense and hauled in a 46-yard pass to put Miles at the Benedict 5. Two plays later, Martin was in the end zone for a 17-14 lead with 9:59 to go.

The Tigers, though, would respond. They would cover 59 yards in five plays, the last three yards coming on a run by Jaylen McCloud that gave Benedict a 21-17 lead before Miles put the game away.

N'Ktavious Floyd had a monster defensive effort with 10 tackles (eight solo), 3 tackles for loss and a sack, as did Mitchell Smiley (10 tackles, 1/2 sack) for Miles, which plays at Edward Waters next week. Kickoff on Saturday is scheduled for 5 p.m.