Bulldogs blitz Pirates to get 34-20 homecoming win against Hampton

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The South Carolina State football team captured its third consecutive win on Saturday, taking charge in a 34-20 homecoming game against Hampton in front of 19,821 fans inside Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium.

The Bulldogs (now 5-3 overall, 4-1 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play) jumped ahead 21-0 by early in the second half, getting solid play from all units — special teams, offense and defense. They will play host to the final unbeaten team in MEAC play (North Carolina A&T) next Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Hampton (now 4-5, 3-3) scored three late touchdowns to make the game more interesting in the fourth quarter. But, the Pirates were playing without suspended graduate student and starting quarterback David Watford, and were turned away from a further comeback effort by a late interception in the end zone by Chris Pauling.

“Special teams continues to be a force for us, with four or five punt blocks this season, and add to that a kickoff return for a score today by Antonio Hamilton,” SCSU head football coach Buddy Pough said. “Those situations give us opportunities to create a little space that you don’t sometimes see in the stats.

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