South Carolina State Bulldogs football
2023 South Carolina State Bulldogs football team
First season1907
Head coachChennis Berry
1st season, 0–0 (–)
StadiumOliver C. Dawson Stadium
(capacity: 22,000)
Field surfaceFieldturf
LocationOrangeburg, South Carolina
ConferenceMEAC
All-time record564–358–27 (.609)
Bowl record7–7 (.500)
Playoff record2–6
Claimed national titles0 (FCS/I-AA)
6 (Black College): 1976, 1977, 1981, 1994, 2009, 2021
Unclaimed national titles2 (Black College): 1982, 2008
Conference titles18 (MEAC) *1974, 1975*, 1976*, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1994, 2004*, 2008, 2009, 2010*, 2013*, 2014*, 2019*, 2021 *denotes co-champions
ColorsGarnet and blue[1]
   
Marching bandThe Marching 101
Websitescsuathletics.com

The South Carolina State Bulldogs football team represents South Carolina State University in college football. The Bulldogs play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

A historically dominant football program, the Bulldogs lead the MEAC in conference championships. The school has produced four players enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame including Harry Carson, Deacon Jones, Marion Motley, and Donnie Shell. Other legendary Bulldog players include Robert Porcher, Shaquille Leonard, Charlie Brown and Orlando Brown Sr. among others.

Former SC State Coach Willie Jeffries became the first African American Head Coach of a predominantly white Division I-A football program, when he was hired to coach the Wichita State football program in 1979.[2] Jeffries is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

History

List of South Carolina State Bulldogs football seasons

Classifications

Conference memberships

South Carolina State vs. In-State NCAA Division I schools

School Record Percentage Streak First Meeting Last Meeting
Charleston Southern 7-0 1.000 Won 7 1991 1999
Clemson 0-5 .000 Lost 5 2008 2021
Coastal Carolina 0-5 .000 Lost 5 2005 2015
Furman 5-12 .294 Lost 1 1982 2015
Presbyterian 2-0 1.000 Won 2 1989 1990
South Carolina 0-2 .000 Lost 2 2007 2009
The Citadel 2-4 .333 Won 1 1989 2023
Wofford 3-6 .333 Won 1 1974 2019
South Carolina State 18 - In-State NCAA Division I Schools 33

Championships

National Championships

The Bulldogs have been awarded a NCAA-recognized black college football national championship six times in program history.[3]

Year Coach Selector Record Bowl
1976 Willie Jeffries ADW, Jet, MBN, NPC 10–1 W Bicentennial Bowl
1977 Willie Jeffries NPC 9–1–1 W Gold Bowl
1981 Bill Davis ADW, SBN 10–3
1994 Willie Jeffries ADW, BCSP, Heritage Bowl 10–2 W Heritage Bowl
2009 Oliver Pough ADW, AURN, B-CP, B-MP, BCSP, PCWDC 10–2
2021 B-CP, Celebration Bowl, DCCC-M, HBCUS-UP 7–5 W Celebration Bowl

Conference Championships

South Carolina State has won eighteen Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles, ten outright and eight shared.

Year Coach Overall record Conference record
1974* Willie Jeffries 8–4 5–1
1975* Willie Jeffries 8–2–1 5–1
1976* Willie Jeffries 10–1 5–1
1977 Willie Jeffries 9–1–1 6–0
1978 Willie Jeffries 8–2–1 5–0–1
1980 Bill Davis 10–1 5–0
1981 Bill Davis 10–3 5–0
1982 Bill Davis 9–3 4–1
1983 Bill Davis 7–3 4–0
1994 Willie Jeffries 10–2 6–0
2004* Oliver Pough 9–2 6–1
2008 Oliver Pough 10–3 8–0
2009 Oliver Pough 10–2 8–0
2010* Oliver Pough 9–3 7–1
2013* Oliver Pough 9–4 7–1
2014* Oliver Pough 8–4 6–2
2019* Oliver Pough 8–3 6–2
2021 Oliver Pough 7–5 5–0

Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results

The Bulldogs have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs six times with a record of 2–6.

Year Round Opponent Result
1981 Quarterfinals
Semifinals		 Tennessee State
Idaho State		 W 26–25 OT
L 12–41
1982 First Round
Quarterfinals		 Furman
Louisiana Tech		 W 17–0
L 3-38
2008 First Round Appalachian State L 21–37
2009 First Round Appalachian State L 13–20
2010 First Round Georgia Southern L 16–41
2013 First Round Furman L 20–30

Bowl game results

The Bulldogs have appeared in 14 bowl games, with a record of 7–7.[4]

Year Bowl Opponent Result
1946 Pecan Bowl Johnson C. Smith (NC) W 13–6
1947 Pecan Bowl Allen (SC) W 7–0
1950 Peninsula Bowl Allen (SC) L 13–47
1973 Orange Blossom Classic Florida A&M L 12–23
1974 Textile Bowl Wofford (SC) L 0–20
1974 Pelican Bowl Grambling St. (LA) L 7–28
1975 Pelican Bowl Southern (LA) L 12–15
1976 Bicentennial Bowl Norfolk St. (VA) W 26–10
1977 Gold Bowl Winston-Salem St. (NC) W 10–7
1979 Gold Bowl Norfolk St. (VA) W 39–7
1994 Heritage Bowl Southern (LA) L 0–11
1994 Heritage Bowl Grambling St. (LA) W 31–27
1997 Heritage Bowl Southern (LA) L 28–34
2021 Celebration Bowl Jackson State W 31–10

Professional Football Hall of Fame members (Canton, Ohio)

College Football Hall of Fame members

Note: Dennis Thomas, who served as Bulldogs head coach in the late 1980s, is also an inductee of the College Football Hall of Fame, for his time as a player at Alcorn State.[8]

Alumni in the NFL

Over 40 South Carolina State alumni have played in the NFL,[9] including:

Rivalries

SC State has maintained heated rivalries with the North Carolina A&T Aggies, Florida A&M Rattlers, and Bethune-Cookman Wildcats.

NCAA Record

On November 19, 2016, Joe Thomas Sr., father of Green Bay Packers linebacker Joe Thomas, became the oldest player to play in an NCAA Division I game. At 55 years of age, Thomas Sr. had one carry for three yards as a running back in a contest versus Savannah State.[11][12]

See also

References

  1. ^ South Carolina State University Style Manual (PDF). Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  2. ^ ""ESPN SportsCentury" Willie Jeffries (TV Episode 2002) - IMDb" – via www.imdb.com.
  3. ^ http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2022/FCS.pdf
  4. ^ http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2022/Bowls.pdf
  5. ^ "Harry Carson | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com.
  6. ^ a b "David (Deacon) Jones | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com.
  7. ^ "Donnie Shell | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com.
  8. ^ "Dennis Thomas". footballfoundation.org. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  9. ^ "South Carolina St. Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  10. ^ D'Andrea, Christian (December 18, 2016). "Bears' Ka'Deem Carey gets helmet decal knocked off by huge hit". SBNation.com.
  11. ^ "Joe Thomas Sr. runs S.C. State into college football history, is ready to play again". The Times and Democrat. Chris Clark T&D Sports. 24 November 2016.
  12. ^ Wire, S. I. (19 November 2016). "55-year-old running back makes D-I football history". Sports Illustrated.

External links

South Carolina State Bulldogs football
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football team seasons
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football
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