SC State falls in heartbreaking 34-31 battle to The Citadel

https://www.scsuathletics.com/news/2026/10/3/football-sc-state-falls-in-heartbreaking-34-31-battle-to-the-citadel-on-last-second-field-goal.aspx

Bulldogs beat Wildcats 31-21 Road Victory

Box Score

31

Winner SCS

21

BCU

Score By Quarters

Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F

SCS 14 10 0 7 31

  BCU 7 0 14 0 21

No. 14 SC State remains unbeaten with 31-21 road win

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — No. 14 South Carolina State remained unbeaten Saturday night, using a dominant rushing attack and a late fourth-quarter touchdown to secure a 31-21 nonconference victory over Bethune-Cookman at Daytona Stadium.

The Bulldogs improved to 5-0 on the season and continued their strong start under head coach Chennis Berry. SC State built a 24-7 halftime advantage before Bethune-Cookman (2-2) pulled within three points in the third quarter. The Bulldogs responded when it mattered most, putting together an 11-play, 85-yard scoring drive late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

SC State controlled the game offensively, finishing with 430 yards of total offense, including 282 rushing yards, while holding Bethune-Cookman to 238 total yards and 107 yards on the ground. The Bulldogs also held a 21-14 advantage in first downs and possessed the ball for 33:17.

Mason Pickett-Hicks once again powered the Bulldogs' ground attack, rushing 14 times for a game-high 136 yards, averaging 9.7 yards per carry with a long run of 41 yards. Tyler Smith added 91 yards on just seven carries, averaging 13 yards per attempt, while Josh Shaw rushed for 54 yards and two touchdowns. SC State averaged 6.7 yards per rushing attempt.

Quarterback Keely Watson provided an efficient performance through the air, completing 14 of 19 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Troy Hillman caught three passes for 28 yards and a touchdown, while Darius Thompson hauled in a 32-yard touchdown reception. Jahzae Kimbrough added three catches for 32 yards.

The Bulldogs wasted little time establishing control. Shaw capped SC State's opening five-play, 69-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 advantage.

Bethune-Cookman answered quickly when Tyler Jefferson broke loose for a 63-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7. SC State responded on its next possession as Watson connected with Hillman for an 18-yard touchdown, putting the Bulldogs back in front 14-7 with 7:53 remaining in the opening quarter.

SC State extended its advantage in the second quarter. Watson found Thompson for a 32-yard touchdown with 5:12 remaining in the half, completing a seven-play, 77-yard drive. Jett Jackson later connected on a 34-yard field goal to send the Bulldogs into halftime holding a commanding 24-7 lead.

Bethune-Cookman made its push in the third quarter. Rashon Brown scored on a 45-yard run before Isaiah Daniel connected with Josh Evans for a 35-yard touchdown, cutting SC State's advantage to 24-21 with 40 seconds remaining in the period.

With the game tightening, the Bulldogs' defense shut the Wildcats out in the fourth quarter, and the offense delivered the decisive response.,

Taking possession at its own 15-yard line with 7:41 remaining, SC State methodically marched 85 yards on 11 plays while taking 5:45 off the clock. Shaw finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:56 remaining, and Jackson's extra point gave the Bulldogs a 31-21 advantage.

The SC State defense turned in another strong outing, recording five sacks for 40 yards and nine tackles for loss totaling 46 yards. Josh Barker led the pressure with 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss, while Ka'Von Chisolm contributed 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss. Roderick Kelly, Jadin Jones and Chisolm each finished with seven tackles.

The Bulldogs were also perfect in the red zone, converting all four opportunities, and went 2-for-2 on fourth down. SC State's defense limited Bethune-Cookman to 131 passing yards and kept the Wildcats scoreless throughout the final quarter.

With the victory, No. 14 South Carolina State moves to 5-0, keeping its unbeaten season intact after another balanced performance on both sides of the football.

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Next Game:

The Citadel

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Roster

Matchup History

Team Statistics

Team Statistics

Game Stats SCS BCU

Total Yards 430 238

Pass Yards 148 131

Rushing Yards 282 107

Penalty Yards 10-78 4-42

1st Downs 21 14

3rd Downs 4-13 5-13

4th Downs 2-2 0-0

TOP 33:17 26:43

Scoring Summary

Scoring Play Visiting Team Score Home Team Score

1st Quarter

12:36 - SCS - Shaw,Josh 4 yd run (Jackson,Jett kick), 5 plays, 69 yards, TOP 02:17

7 0

11:14 - BCU - Jefferson,Tyler 63 yd run (Goodwin,Ryder kick), 3 plays, 81 yards, TOP 01:17

7 7

07:53 - SCS - Hillman,Troy 18 yd pass from Watson,Keely (Jackson,Jett kick) 8 plays, 76 yards, TOP 03:15

14 7

2nd Quarter

05:12 - SCS - Thompson,Darius 32 yd pass from Watson,Keely (Jackson,Jett kick) 7 plays, 77 yards, TOP 03:00

21 7

01:01 - SCS - Jackson,Jett 34 yd field goal 5 plays, 24 yards, TOP 01:55

24 7

3rd Quarter

04:58 - BCU - Brown,Rashon 45 yd run (Goodwin,Ryder kick), 4 plays, 66 yards, TOP 01:45

24 14

00:40 - BCU - Evans,Josh 35 yd pass from Daniel,Isaiah (Goodwin,Ryder kick) 4 plays, 45 yards, TOP 01:10

24 21

4th Quarter

01:56 - SCS - Shaw,Josh 1 yd run (Jackson,Jett kick), 11 plays, 85 yards, TOP 05:45

31 21

Game Leaders

Choose a category:

Passing Leaders

#3O Robinson,Ronnie

CMP 1

TD 0

YDS 2

INT 0

#7O Watson,Keely

CMP 14

TD 2

YDS 146

INT 0

Players Mentioned

#7 Ka'Von Chisolm

DL 6' 5" Redshirt Freshman

#34 Roderick Kelly

LB 6' 2" Sophomore

#0O Josh Shaw

RB 5' 11" Senior

#1O Mason Pickett-Hicks

RB 5' 8" Sophomore

#5O Darius Thompson

WR 6' 2" Senior

#10O Tyler Smith

RB 5' 10" Senior

#84 Jahzae Kimbrough

5' 10" Junior

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SC State Holds Firm at #1 in Black College Football Poll

  

South Carolina State Holds Firm at No. 1 in Black College Football Poll 

NORFOLK, Va. – South Carolina State landed at No. 1 in the latest Black College Football Division I FCS poll, receiving all 20 first-place votes and 416 total points. 

Delaware State (No. 4), Morgan State (No. 5) and North Carolina Central (No. 10) also landed in the Top 10, while Howard and Norfolk State 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. 

 

 

  

Others Receiving Votes: Bethune-Cookman 44; Howard 38; Norfolk State 38; Southern 12; Arkansas-Pine Bluff 10.  

 

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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SC State Holds Off Furman for 20-17 Victory

No. 18 SC State Holds Off Furman for 20-17 Road Victory - South Carolina State University Athletics https://share.google/6cxnlUJZk5xKWFdMX

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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Next Game:

at Furman University

9/19/2026 | 7:00 PM

Full Schedule

Roster

Matchup History

Team Statistics

Team Statistics

Game Stats VSU SCS

Total Yards 114 480

Pass Yards 59 198

Rushing Yards 55 282

Penalty Yards 9-74 2-15

1st Downs 8 27

3rd Downs 2-11 8-12

4th Downs 0-1 0-0

TOP 22:27 37:33

Scoring Summary

Scoring Play Visiting Team Score Home Team Score

1st Quarter

02:56 - SCS - Shaw,Josh 1 yd run (Jackson,Jett kick), 8 plays, 53 yards, TOP 03:14

0 14

2nd Quarter

09:20 - SCS - Jackson,Jett 52 yd field goal 12 plays, 56 yards, TOP 05:40

0 17

02:54 - SCS - Brightwell,Malik 30 yd pass from Robinson,Ronnie (Jackson,Jett kick) 2 plays, 97 yards, TOP 00:36

0 24

00:47 - SCS - Pickett-Hicks,Mason 21 yd pass from Robinson,Ronnie (Jackson,Jett kick) 5 plays, 32 yards, TOP 00:52

0 31

3rd Quarter

10:28 - SCS - Brown,Nick 1 yd pass from Watson,Keely (Jackson,Jett kick) 11 plays, 70 yards, TOP 03:56

0 38

03:20 - SCS - Milligan,Julian 4 yd run (Jackson,Jett kick), 10 plays, 58 yards, TOP 06:09

0 45

03:05 - SCS - Lane-Owens,Marquis 1 yd fumble recovery (Dominguez,Juan kick)

0 52

4th Quarter

07:28 - SCS - Brown,Ricorian 21 yd run (Dominguez,Juan kick), 6 plays, 74 yards, TOP 08:35

0 59

07:08 - SCS - Dunham,Zan 25 yd interception (Dominguez,Juan kick)

0 66

Game Leaders

Choose a category:

Passing Leaders

#3O Robinson,Ronnie

CMP 3

TD 2

YDS 62

INT 0

#5O Thompson,Darius

CMP 1

TD 0

YDS 5

INT 0

#7O Watson,Keely

CMP 14

TD 1

YDS 119

INT 0

Players Mentioned

#7 Ka'Von Chisolm

DL 6' 5" Redshirt Freshman

#8 Nick Brown

TE 6' 2" Redshirt Sophomore

#9 Jordan Dollard

DE 6' 5" Redshirt Sophomore

#21 Julian Milligan

RB 6' 1" Redshirt Junior

#0O Josh Shaw

RB 5' 11" Senior

#1D Sharmari Reed

DB 6' 1" Graduate Student

#1O Mason Pickett-Hicks

RB 5' 8" Sophomore

#3O Ronnie Robinson

QB 6' 1" Junior

#9O Malik Brightwell

WR 5' 8" Sophomore

#12D Marquis Lane-Owens

LB 6' 1" Junior

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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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