South Carolina State team preview

QB Malcolm Long, 6-3 Jr., Gaffney, SC/Gaffney HS will lead the defending MEAC Champion Bulldogs in a strong season opener against 2008 SWAC Champions, Grambling State Tigers at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando, FL on Sept 6.

Bulldog Offense: South Carolina State running back Will Ford is a guy that many FBS coaches would gladly add to their offense. The 5-foot-11-inch senior from Travelers Rest, S.C. was picked as the MEAC's preseason Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. In the last two years combined, Ford has rushed for 2,888 yards and 17 touchdowns, including a 112-yard effort against the Gamecocks in 2007. Ford is joined in the backfield by quarterback Malcolm Long, a 6-foot-3 senior that set two school passing records last season. Long and Ford headline an experienced offense that returns six starters from their 2008 MEAC Championship squad.

Bulldog Defense: The Bulldog defense allowed only 17 points per game last season, including a stretch of three straight shutouts against MEAC rivals Howard, Morgan State and North Carolina A&T. That defensive squad returns seven starters, headlined by linebacker Marshall McFadden and safety Marquais Hamlin, who were both preseason All-MEAC selections. The one glaring blemish on SCSU's record last year was a 54-0 defeat at the hands of Clemson. The Tigers racked up 416 yards of total offense and seven touchdowns on the Bulldogs.

2009 Bulldogs Football Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time/Result Details
9/6/2009 Grambling State@ Orlando, Fla. 2 PM
9/12/2009 * Bethune-Cookman University Daytona Beach, FL 4 PM
9/26/2009 Winston-Salem State# Orangeburg, SC 6 PM
10/3/2009 University of South Carolina Columbia, SC TBA
10/10/2009 * Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA 1 PM
10/17/2009 * Florida A&M University$ Orangeburg, SC 2 PM
10/24/2009 * Hampton University Hampton, VA 2 PM
10/31/2009 * Delaware State^ Orangeburg, SC 1:30 PM
11/7/2009 * Howard University Washington, DC 1 PM
11/14/2009 * Morgan State University& Orangeburg, SC 1:30 PM
11/21/2009 * NC A&T State University Orangeburg, SC 1:30 PM

Home Games are in bold
* denotes a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest
@ MEAC-SWAC Challenge
# Faculty & Staff/Senior Citizen Appreciation Day
$ Greek Day/Youth Day
^ Homecoming
& Senior Day

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