ORANGEBURG, SC—The South Carolina State Bulldogs (4-2, 2-1 MEAC) will face one of their toughest task of the season when they host the visiting Pirates of Hampton University (5-1, 4-0 MEAC) Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
 
South Carolina State will be celebrating “Homecoming 2010” with this year's theme “Generations Coming Together”. The game will broadcast nationally on ESPNU via tape delay at 10:30 p.m. EST.
 
Coach Pough's team enters the contest after suffering a 14-0 heartbreaking loss to Bethune-Cookman on last week, while the Pirates remain unbeaten with a hard-fought 7-6 win over archrival Norfolk State. 

The Bulldogs dropped out the top ten in the FCS rankings to #18 in this week's national poll, as well as falling from the #1 ranking in the SBN poll to #4. 

Pough in his ninth season at the helm for SC State will be coaching his 100th career game with an overall record of 71-28. Hampton leads the overall series 11-5 over the Bulldogs, while going 5-3 under Pough's tenure. 

Leading the way for the Bulldogs in rushing is senior Chris Massey with 115 rushes for 575 yards and five touchdowns. Preseason MEAC Offensive Player of the Year Malcolm Long is 87-152 for 838 yards and two touchdowns in the air, while red-shirt sophomore Lennel Elmore heads the receiving corps with 35 catches for 413 yards and one touchdown. 

The defense is spearheaded by talented linebacker corps leading off with junior Donovan Richard with 40 tackles 6 TFL and three sacks, while senior SBN All-American David Erby is second with 37.5 tackles 5 TOL and three sacks, and Julius Wilkerson rounds out with 24 and 2 TFL. 

SC State will return to action on next week when they travel to Dover, DE and take on the Hornets of Delaware State in a pivotal MEAC contest. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.
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