A special teams' snafu ended South Carolina State's season last November in Boone, N.C.
Almost a year later, a similar surreal miscue enabled the Bulldogs to rally from an early deficit and extend their Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference-record winning streak Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
Reserve defensive back Josh McFadden recovered an errant punt by Norfolk State's Troy Muenzer and returned it 47 yards to tie the game at 7-7. S.C. State added 17 more points in the first half and pulled away for a 34-13 victory. "I've never been involved in a play like that," McFadden said. "First time I've ever seen something like that."
After 30-plus years, ’76 and ’80 Bulldogs receive National Black Championship rings
SANTEE, S.C. - Slowly but surely, they entered the dimly lit ballroom at the Whitten Inn Friday night. They shook hands, exchanged greetings and shared a laugh or two from memories past. They were Black College National Champions, former South Carolina State Bulldogs brought back together in Santee to receive an honor long overdue - their national title rings.
It was one last chance for the Bulldogs 1976 and 1980 teams to share memories from their playing days.
"It's like the Reverend said earlier," former Bulldogs outside linebacker R.V. Brown said. "For us to receive this 34 years later, we would have not realized the impact that we had being the first school in the state of South Carolina to win a National Championship. We didn't know the value of it at the time, but right now, we know that and we've got that."
Special teams miscue ruins Norfolk State's day
ORANGEBURG, S.C - The opening minutes played out to perfection for Norfolk State on Saturday in its game at No. 9 South Carolina State.
Just 59 seconds into the game, Spartan defensive back Ricardo Volcin stepped in front of a sideline pass by Bulldog quarterback Malcolm Long and raced 39 yards into the end zone. After S.C. State was forced to punt on its next possession, Norfolk State appeared on its way to winning for the first time in seven tries at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
With 10:24 remaining in the first quarter, one bizarre special teams miscue turned the momentum and contest quickly back in South Carolina State's favor. A low snap was mishandled by punter Troy Muenzer who, in the process of trying to retrieve the football, illegally kicked it off the ground.
NSU report: New TE coach can't shake his passion
Mackinley Jane Blackwell loves to watch the Ducks. The 5-year-old isn't so much into lakes or ponds, or the Donald and Daisy kind. She takes after dad. So last Saturday, on Norfolk State's bye week, Spartans tight end coach Joe Blackwell went home to Myrtle Beach, S.C., scooped up Mackinley Jane and settled in for what qualifies as quality time in the Blackwell household.
" We sat up and we watched Clemson together," Blackwell said. "Then we watched Oregon" - the Ducks. "For some reason, she really likes Oregon." A first-year tight ends coach at Norfolk State, Blackwell travels back to his home state again today, this time for the Spartans' game at South Carolina State.
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Attendance: 21,971
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