Football Preview: Delaware State at South Carolina State

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- South Carolina State (1-5, 1-2 MEAC) will play host to the State Bulldogs (1-5, the visiting Hornets of Delaware State (0-6, 0-3 MEAC) in a pivotal Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) battle Saturday (Oct. 20th ) at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium/Willie Jeffries Field. Kickoff is 1:30 p.m. and will broadcast live on ESPN3.

RADIO: You can listen live on Kiss 103.1 WLXC- FM and 90.3 WSSB-FM (Internet: Kiss-1031.com) and Phone:1-641-552-5120

THE GAME: Both teams enter today's game badly in need of a win as they have combined for just one victory this season in 12 outings, that a 21-18 come-from-behind win by the Bulldogs at Morgan State two weeks ago, spoiling the host Bears Homecoming. Coach Buddy Pough's team hopes to avoid that same fate against winless Delaware State and first-year head coach Rod Milstead. Also, SC State team is seeking its first home win of the 2018 campaign

Last week, SC State saw its second-half comeback fall short as the Bulldogs lost 28-26 at home to visiting Bethune-Cookman when they failed to convert a two-point conversion try in the final minutes to dip to 1-5 overall and 1-2 in the MEAC. SC State sophomore QB Tyrece Nick accounted for three TDs in the loss, two rushing and one passing, as he rolled up 288 yards total offense in the contest. He rushed 20 times for 129 yards and completed 9-22 pass attempts for 159 yards. The Hornets, meanwhile, fell to Howard 55-13 at Washington, DC to dip to 0-6 and 0-3 in the league.

The Attraction
South Carolina State will be celebrating Homecoming. Bulldog alumni from all-round the nation will converge on Orangeburg and the campus to reminisce and share success stories. Halftime activities include recognition of Miss Homecoming, the Parade Marshal, the Alumni Queen, the Alumnus of the Year and the Young Alumnus of the Year (See their stories elsewhere in this program)

Players to Watch
SC State Offense:
#3 So., QB Tyrece Nick (45-99-3, 45.5 pct.) for 654 yds 3TDs; 113 rushes, 433 yds., 4TDs); #18 r-So. RB Datron James (52 rushes, 148 yds.); #32 r-So. RB Jarius Jenkins (38 rushes, 146 yds., 2TDs); #1 Jr. WR De'Montrez Burroughs (8 recpts, 211 yds., 2TD); #16 r-Fr. WR Will Vereen (8 rcpts., 121 yds.); #73 r-Jr. RT Alex Taylor; #56 Sr. LG Robbie Stephenson; #78 r-So OG Pat McNeil; #17 r-Sr. P Jerome Pettiway (32-1365, 42.7 avg).

SC State Defense:
#45 Jr. LB Lane Jones (21T, 13A, 1INT); #11 r-So. LB Chad Gilchrist (24T, 9A, 4TFL); #14 r-So. CB Decobie Durant (24T, 6A, 2PBUs, 1INT); #30 r-Sr. CB Alex Brown (22T, 4A, 5PBUs, 1INT) #98 Sr. DE Bruce Johnson (13T, 4A, 1TFL, 2PBUs)

Delaware State Offense:
#5 Jr. QB Keenan Black (38-84-2, 45.2 pct.) for 432 yds., 2TDs; 42 rushes, 154 yds., 1TD; #10 So. QB Jack McDaniels (29-59-1. 49.2 pct) for 245 yds.); #1 Jr. RB Mike Waters (83 rushes, 338 yds.); #6 Sr. RB Brycen Alleyne (61 rushes, 234 yds., 1TD); #81 So. WR Trey Gross (19 recpts., 286 yds., 2TDs); #12 Sr. WR Taronn Selby (17 rcpts., 127 yds.)

Delaware State Defense
#7 Jr. LB Brian Cavicante (30T, 27A, 11 TFL); #26 Fr. FS David Bowman (23T, 18A, 1 Sack); #27 Sr. CB Keyjuan Selby (28T 10A); #2 Jr. DB Jahad Neibauer (23T, 11A, 4TFL, 7PBUs).

The Series
The Bulldogs and Wildcats are meeting for the 44th time in a rivalry that began in 1971. SC State has a 27-16 edge in the series and has won six of the last nine meetings. In 2017, however, it was the Hornets taking a 17-14 triumph at Dover. The Hornets' last win in Orangeburg was in 2007 when they edged SC State 17-16 on a last-second field goal, ironically, spoiling SC State's Homecoming. Delaware State is hoping for another upset, while the Bulldogs would like to give the alumni a big Homecoming win.

The Coaches
SC State's Buddy Pough (SC State '75) is in his 17th season as head coach at his alma mater and owns a 121-70 overall mark (95-36 MEAC). He is 9-5 against Delaware State

(Delaware's Rod Milstead (Delaware State '92) is in his first season as head coach at his alma mater and as a collegiate head coach. He is 0-6 at Delaware State and owns a 0-0 mark against SC State.

2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Standings (thru 10-13-18)
MEAC Overall
Florida A&M (4-0, 5-2)
NC A&T( 2-1, 5-2)
Bethune-Cookman (2-1, 4-3)
Howard (2-1, 2-3)
Norfolk State (1-1, 3-2)
NC Central (1-1, 2-3)
SC State (1-2, 1-5)
Savannah St. (0-3 ,1-5)
Del-State (0-3 ,0-6)
^Morgan State (1-1, 2-4)
^ Ineligible for league crown

Previous Results
October 13, 2018
B-Cookman 28, SC State 26,
Florida A&M 22, N. Carolina A&T 21
Howard 55, Delaware State 13
Morgan State 18, Savannah State 11

This Week's Games (10-20-18)
Delaware State at SC State (HC), 1:30
N. Carolina A&T at Bethune-Cookman, 4
NC Central at Norfolk State (HC), 2
Howard at Morgan State, 7
FAMU, Savannah State, idle



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