NORFOLK, VA – SC State (3-1, 1-0 MEAC), coming off its first loss of the season – 38-14 to intrastate rival South Carolina Oct. 3 – meets Norfolk State (2-2, 1-1 MEAC) Saturday in a crucial Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference matchup at 1 p.m. at William “Dick” Price Stadium.

            Coach Pough's Bulldogs will be seeking to stay on course in the race for the league crown, which the Bulldogs won with a perfect 8-0 mark last season. In order to do so, however, the Bulldogs will have to get pass a Spartan team that has given Coach Pough's squad fits the last two years.

            In Orangeburg last season, SC State had to come from behind twice before securing a narrow 24-23 Homecoming victory over Norfolk State. Two years ago, at the same venue as Saturday's contest the Bulldogs fell to the Spartans 20-13 in double overtime. Prior to that overtime loss, however, SC State dominated the series, winning five in a row by a margin of over 21 points.

Pough does not expect that to happen Saturday. In fact, he calls the Spartans one of toughest opponents his Bulldogs will face this season.

“In recent years, they have played us very tough,” said Pough. “We struggled with them last year at home before coming away with a one-point win and two years ago, they beat us at their place in double overtime. So, we expect a tough game and we need to show up and play a good game, in order to have a chance to win. This team will be among the toughest we will encounter the rest of the way.”

Junior Malcolm Long, who missed one day of practice with a stomach virus, will lead the Bulldog charge on Saturday. The Gaffney, SC junior, is connecting on almost 62 percent of his pass attempts (61 of 99) and has passed for 658 yards and four scores. Long has suffered two interceptions, including one last week in the loss to the Gamecocks.

His favorite target is senior Tre' Young, who is among the MEAC leading receivers with 21 catches for 298 yards and two scores. Terrance Smith, another senior, has 11 catches for 130 yards.

Redshirt freshman Derrick Wiley will also see some playing time a quarterback as he has in each of team's first four contests. Wiley is second on the team in rushing with 178 yards and a score.

Senior running back Will Ford powers the Bulldog ground attack. Off to a slow start, Ford has rushed 66 times for 308 yards and two scores. Despite the slow start, the Travelers Rest native needs just six yard to reach the 4,000-yard rushing mark for his career and only 102 to supplant Michael Hicks as the all-time rushing leader for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldog defensive effort will be spearheaded by linebackers David Erby (28 T, 9 A) and Julius Wilkerson (16 T, 11 A).

The Spartans, idle last week, defeated Bethune-Cookman 48-14 in their last outing two weeks ago.