South Carolina State Bulldogs football

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South Carolina State Bulldogs football
AmericanFootball current event.svg 2025 South Carolina State Bulldogs football team
Scsu bulldogs wordmark.png
First season1907;118 years ago (1907) [a]
Head coach Chennis Berry
2nd season, 10–3 (.769)
Stadium Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
(capacity: 22,000)
Field surfaceFieldturf
Location Orangeburg, South Carolina
Conference MEAC
All-time record568–361–27 [1]  (.608)
Bowl record7–8 (.467)
Claimed national titles0 (FCS/I-AA)
6 (Black College): 1976, 1977, 1981, 1994, 2009, 2021
Unclaimed national titles2 (Black College): 1982, 2008
Playoff record2–6
Conference titles19 (MEAC) 1974*, 1975*, 1976*, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1994, 2004*, 2008, 2009, 2010*, 2013*, 2014*, 2019*, 2021, 2024 *denotes co-champions
ColorsGarnet and blue [2]
   
Marching band The Marching 101
Website scsuathletics.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).

Contents

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, Barney Chavous, Charlie Brown and Orlando Brown Sr., Javon Hargrave, Decobie Durant, 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. [3] Jeffries is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

History

List of South Carolina State Bulldogs football seasons

Classifications

Conference memberships

Bulldogs vs. in-state NCAA Division I schools

SchoolRecordPercentageStreakFirst MeetingLast Meeting
Charleston Southern 7–01.000Won 719911999
Clemson 0–5.000Lost 520082021
Coastal Carolina 0–5.000Lost 520052015
Furman 5–12.294Lost 119822015
Presbyterian 2–01.000Won 219891990
South Carolina 0–2.000Lost 220072009
The Citadel 3–4.428Won 219892024
Wofford 4–6.400Won 219742025
South Carolina State 21 – 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. [4]

YearCoachSelectorRecordBowl
1976 Willie Jeffries ADW, Jet, MBN, NPC 10–1W Bicentennial Bowl
1977 Willie Jeffries NPC9–1–1W Gold Bowl
1981 Bill Davis ADW, SBN10–3
1994 Willie JeffriesADW, BCSP, Heritage Bowl 10–2W Heritage Bowl
2009 Oliver Pough ADW, AURN, B-CP, B-MP, BCSP, PCWDC 10–2
2021 B-CP, Celebration Bowl, DCCC-M, HBCUS-UP7–5W Celebration Bowl

Conference championships

South Carolina State has won nineteen Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles, eleven outright and eight shared. Asterisk denotes shared title.

YearCoachOverall recordConference record
1974* Willie Jeffries 8–45–1
1975* Willie Jeffries 8–2–15–1
1976* Willie Jeffries 10–15–1
1977 Willie Jeffries 9–1–16–0
1978 Willie Jeffries 8–2–15–0–1
1980 Bill Davis 10–15–0
1981 Bill Davis 10–35–0
1982 Bill Davis 9–34–1
1983 Bill Davis 7–34–0
1994 Willie Jeffries 10–26–0
2004* Oliver Pough 9–26–1
2008 Oliver Pough 10–38–0
2009 Oliver Pough 10–28–0
2010* Oliver Pough 9–37–1
2013* Oliver Pough 9–47–1
2014* Oliver Pough 8–46–2
2019* Oliver Pough 8–36–2
2021 Oliver Pough 7–55–0
2024 Chennis Berry 9–35–0

Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results

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

SeasonRoundOpponentResult
1981 Quarterfinals Tennessee State W 26–25 OT
Semifinals Idaho State L 12–41
1982 First round Furman W 17–0
Quarterfinals Louisiana Tech 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 15 bowl games, with a record of 7–8. [5]

YearBowlOpponentResult
1946 Pecan Bowl Johnson C. Smith W 13–6
1947Pecan Bowl Allen (SC) W 7–0
1950Peninsula BowlAllenL 13–47
1973 Orange Blossom Classic Florida A&M L 12–23
1974Textile Bowl Wofford L 0–20
1974 Pelican Bowl Grambling State L 7–28
1975Pelican Bowl Southern L 12–15
1976 Bicentennial Bowl Norfolk State W 26–10
1977Gold Bowl Winston-Salem State W 10–7
1979Gold Bowl Norfolk State W 39–7
1994 Heritage Bowl Southern L 0–11
1994Heritage Bowl Grambling State W 31–27
1997Heritage Bowl Southern L 28–34
2021 Celebration Bowl Jackson State W 31–10
2024 Celebration Bowl Jackson State L 7–28

Pro Football Hall of Fame members

Pro Football Hall of Fame members
PlayerPos.Years at SCSUYear inductedRef.
Harry Carson LB 1972–19752006 [6]
Deacon Jones DE 19581980 [7]
Marion Motley FB 1939–19401968 [7]
Donnie Shell S 1970–19732020 [8]

College Football Hall of Fame members

College Football Hall of Fame members
PlayerPos.Years at SCSUYear inducted
Harry Carson DE 1972–19752002
Willie Jeffries HC 1973–1978, 1989–20012010
Donnie Shell S 1970–19731998

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]

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of August 18, 2025 [13]

202520262027
Wofford Alabama State vs Alabama State (Atlanta, GA)
MEAC/SWAC Challenge
at South Carolina at Furman at Coastal Carolina
Bethune–Cookman at Wofford
at USF Furman
at Charleston Southern
Savannah State
at North Carolina A&T

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ The team was disbanded from 1908 to 1914, then reinstalled. It was canceled once again from 1917 to 1922, and re-launched in 1923;102 years ago.
  1. ↑ "NCAA Statistics".
  2. ↑ South Carolina State University Style Manual (PDF). Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  3. ↑ ""ESPN SportsCentury" Willie Jeffries (TV Episode 2002)". IMDb– via www.imdb.com.
  4. ↑ "Football championship subdivision records" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 18, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Bowl/all star game records" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 26, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Harry Carson | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com.
  7. 1 2 "David (Deacon) Jones | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com.
  8. ↑ "Donnie Shell | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com.
  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. November 24, 2016.
  12. ↑ Wire, S. I. (November 19, 2016). "55-year-old running back makes D-I football history". Sports Illustrated.
  13. ↑ "Future South Carolina State Bulldogs Football Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
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