Bulldog News and Audio Productions

Sunday, September 13, 2026

South Carolina State beats Virginia State with 66-0 Shutout Win

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State delivered a dominant performance on both sides of the football Saturday evening, rolling past Virginia State 66-0 at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on Willie E. Jeffries Field.

The Bulldogs improved to 3-0 with the victory, while Virginia State fell to 2-1. SC State scored in every quarter — 14 points in the first, 17 in the second, 21 in the third and 14 in the fourth — while keeping the Trojans off the scoreboard.

SC State controlled nearly every statistical category, piling up 480 yards of total offense while limiting Virginia State to just 114 yards. The Bulldogs rushed for 282 yards on 42 attempts and threw for another 198 yards. Virginia State managed only 55 rushing yards and 59 passing yards. SC State also held a commanding 27-8 advantage in first downs and possessed the football for 37:33.

The Bulldogs' defense was equally impressive, forcing five turnovers, recording five sacks and holding Virginia State to 2-of-11 on third down. SC State converted the Trojans' mistakes into 31 points off turnovers.

SC State established control early. Josh Shaw capped an eight-play, 53-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to give the Bulldogs a 14-0 advantage late in the opening quarter. Jett Jackson added a 52-yard field goal in the second before Ronnie Robinson connected with Malik Brightwell for a 30-yard touchdown and Mason Pickett-Hicks for a 21-yard score, sending the Bulldogs into halftime with a commanding 31-0 lead.

The Bulldogs never eased off after the break.

Keely Watson connected with Nick Brown for a 1-yard touchdown early in the third quarter before Julian Milligan scored on a 4-yard run. The defense then joined the scoring when Marquis Lane-Owens returned a fumble 1 yard for a touchdown, pushing the advantage to 52-0.

Ricorian Brown added a 21-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter before Zan Dunham put the finishing touches on the shutout with a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown, producing the final 66-0 margin.

Pickett-Hicks continued his strong start to the season, leading SC State's ground attack with 112 yards on 10 carries, averaging 11.2 yards per attempt with a long run of 67 yards. He also caught two passes for 31 yards and a touchdown, finishing with 143 all-purpose yards. Brown rushed three times for 63 yards and a score, while Milligan added 42 yards and a touchdown.

State used multiple quarterbacks effectively. Watson completed 14 of 19 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown, while Robinson completed 3 of 6 for 62 yards and two touchdowns. The Bulldogs finished 19 of 27 passing without an interception and accounted for three touchdowns through the air.

Defensively, Sharmari Reed and Dunham finished with six tackles apiece. Ka'Von Chisolm recorded two sacks for 13 yards, while Reed, Jayden Fuller and Jordan Dollard each added a sack. Dunham and Tyler Jones recorded interceptions as the Bulldogs consistently disrupted Virginia State's offense.

Perhaps the most telling numbers were SC State's 480-114 advantage in total offense, 282-55 edge on the ground and 31 points generated from turnovers. The Bulldogs also converted 8 of 12 third downs while holding Virginia State to just two conversions in 11 attempts.

The victory kept the Bulldogs unbeaten at 3-0 and completed a convincing all-around performance before an announced crowd of 11,500 in Orangeburg.

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Friday, September 11, 2026

SC State is the best HBCU Football Team in the Country

SC State is the best HBCU team out there and second might not be close https://share.google/c0GhIi0uVSCqibUxu

SC State Tops Black College Football Poll

South Carolina State Tops Black College Football Poll; Four MEAC Programs Crack Top 10

NORFOLK, Va. – Four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) football programs were recognized in this week’s Black College Football Poll, headlined by top-ranked South Carolina State.

Delaware State (No. 5), Howard (No. 7) and North Carolina Central (No. 8) joined the Bulldogs in the Top 10, while Morgan State also received votes.

The Black College Football Poll is the first officially endorsed national poll dedicated exclusively to HBCU football programs competing at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and NCAA Division II levels.

The poll is jointly sanctioned by the MEAC, Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAC), providing a unified national ranking of HBCU football programs across both divisions.

South Carolina State remained atop the rankings following a dominant 31-13 victory over Florida A&M in Sunday’s Orange Blossom Classic. The undefeated Bulldogs received 23 of 25 first-place votes to maintain the No. 1 spot.

Black College Football Poll

NCAA Division I (FCS)

Rank Institution Record Points (FPV*) Previous Week

1 South Carolina State (2-0, 0-0) 478 (23) 1

2 Prairie View A&M (1-1, 1-0) 370 (1) 5

T-3 Alabama State (2-0,0-0) 364 2

T-3 Jackson State (2-0, 0-0) 364 3

5 Delaware State (1-1, 0-0) 274 4

6 Grambling State (2-0, 0-0) 220 (1) 8

7 Howard (1-1, 0-0) 156 7

8 North Carolina Central (1-1, 0-0) 72 NR

9 Texas Southern (1-1, 0-1) 68 6

10 Alabama A&M (1-1, 0-0) 42 NR

*(First-Place Votes)

Others Receiving Votes: Southern 38, Alcorn State 36, Morgan State 30, Florida A&M 30,

Arkansas-Pine Bluff 18, Hampton 18

About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) enters its 56th year of intercollegiate competition with the 2026–27 academic year. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, the MEAC is comprised of eight distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) along the Atlantic seaboard: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, and South Carolina State University. Since its founding in 1970, the MEAC has been dedicated to promoting academic excellence, sportsmanship, and the personal growth of student athletes. For more information, visit www.MEACSports.com.

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Monday, September 7, 2026

SC State rolls pass Florida A&M 31-13 in Orange Blossom Classic

Box Score

Winner SCS

FAM

Score By Quarters
Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	F
SCS	14	7	7	3	31
FAM	3	3	7	0	13

Game Recap: Football | 9/7/2026 3:29:00 AM

SC State Rolls Past Florida A&M 31-13 in Orange Blossom Classic

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — South Carolina State delivered a statement performance on one of HBCU football's biggest stages Sunday, using an explosive rushing attack and a dominant defensive effort to defeat Florida A&M 31-13 in the Orange Blossom Classic at Hard Rock Stadium.

The Bulldogs improved to 2-0 on the season after controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football. SC State rolled up 479 yards of total offense, including 292 yards rushing, while its defense held the Rattlers to just 161 total yards and minus-1 yard rushing.

Running back Mason Pickett-Hicks powered the Bulldogs' offense with a career-type performance, rushing 17 times for 210 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 12.4 yards per carry. His longest run covered 58 yards. Josh Shaw added two rushing touchdowns as SC State scored all four of its touchdowns on the ground.

Florida A&M (1-1) struck first with Emilio Bacardi's 30-yard field goal, but the Bulldogs needed only 28 seconds to answer.

Pickett-Hicks broke free for a 58-yard touchdown run with 7:17 remaining in the opening quarter to give SC State a 7-3 advantage. The Bulldogs' defense immediately created another opportunity when Sharmari Reed recovered an Isaiah Knowles fumble and returned it 8 yards to the FAMU 6. Five seconds later, Shaw powered into the end zone from 6 yards out, extending the lead to 14-3.

SC State continued to dictate the game in the second quarter. After FAMU cut the margin to 14-6 on Bacardi's 31-yard field goal, the Bulldogs responded with a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive.

Shaw capped the march with a 1-yard touchdown run with 3:31 remaining, sending SC State into halftime with a 21-6 advantage.

The Bulldogs wasted little time adding to their lead after intermission.

SC State marched 75 yards in just four plays on its opening possession of the third quarter, with Pickett-Hicks breaking loose for a 32-yard touchdown run to push the advantage to 28-6.

Florida A&M's only touchdown came defensively when Justin Bostic returned an interception 80 yards for a score with 6:07 remaining in the third quarter. The SC State defense did not allow an offensive touchdown in the contest.

The Bulldogs put the finishing touches on the victory when Jett Jackson connected on a 39-yard field goal with 1:09 remaining for the final 31-13 margin. Jackson was also perfect on all four extra-point attempts.

SC State's defense was relentless throughout the afternoon. The Bulldogs recorded five sacks for 30 yards and 15 tackles for loss totaling 50 yards, while forcing FAMU into negative rushing yardage. Jordan Dollard was a major factor up front, finishing with six tackles, 1.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Josh Barker added two sacks for 14 yards, while Ka'Von Chisolm recorded a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss.

The defensive performance was particularly impressive against the run. Florida A&M managed only 60 positive rushing yards but lost 61, finishing with minus-1 yard on 30 attempts. The Rattlers also went just 4-for-17 on third down and were 0-for-1 on fourth down.

SC State quarterback Keely Watson completed 10 of 17 passes for 168 yards, while Ronnie Robinson went 2 of 3 for 19 yards. Malaqhi Jones led the receiving corps with six catches for 72 yards, while Troy Hillman added two receptions for 58 yards, including a 37-yard grab.

The numbers underscored the Bulldogs' dominance. SC State held a 479-161 advantage in total offense, a 292 to minus-1 advantage on the ground and a 19-10 edge in first downs. The Bulldogs averaged 8.3 yards per offensive play and 7.7 yards per rushing attempt.

Despite committing three turnovers and being penalized 13 times for 112 yards, SC State consistently answered adversity with explosive plays and a defense that prevented FAMU's offense from reaching the end zone.

The victory moved the Bulldogs to 2-0, while Florida A&M fell to 1-1, and gave SC State an impressive Orange Blossom Classic triumph before 23,188 fans at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Next Game:

Virginia State

9/12/2026 | 6:00 PM

Team Statistics

Team Statistics
Game Stats	SCS	FAM
Total Yards	479	161
Pass Yards	187	162
Rushing Yards	292	-1
Penalty Yards	13-112	9-73
1st Downs	19	10
3rd Downs	1-8	4-17
4th Downs	0-1	0-1
TOP	30:13	29:47

Scoring Summary
Scoring Play	Visiting Team Score	Home Team Score
1st Quarter
07:50 - FAM - Bacardi,Emilio 30 yd field goal 14 plays, 62 yards, TOP 07:10	0	3
07:17 - SCS - Pickett-Hicks,Mason 58 yd run (Jackson,Jett kick), 2 plays, 65 yards, TOP 00:28	7	3
07:04 - SCS - Shaw,Josh 6 yd run (Jackson,Jett kick), 1 plays, 6 yards, TOP 00:05	14	3
2nd Quarter
07:23 - FAM - Bacardi,Emilio 31 yd field goal 10 plays, 69 yards, TOP 04:59	14	6
03:31 - SCS - Shaw,Josh 1 yd run (Jackson,Jett kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:52	21	6
3rd Quarter
13:24 - SCS - Pickett-Hicks,Mason 32 yd run (Jackson,Jett kick), 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:36	28	6
06:07 - FAM - Bostic,Justin 80 yd interception (Bacardi,Emilio kick)	28	13
4th Quarter
01:09 - SCS - Jackson,Jett 39 yd field goal 6 plays, 25 yards, TOP 03:15	31	13