ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The South Carolina State Bulldogs will face one of its toughest conference of the season on Saturday (Oct. 31) when they host the visiting Pirates of Hampton University in a 1:30 p.m. showdown in Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
 
 Last Time Out: The Bulldogs (4-3 overall, 3-1 MEAC), in their 14^th season under head coach Buddy Pough, are coming off a two-game winning streak with victories over Howard (49-10) and Delaware State (34-7) in their last two outings. Meanwhile, the Pirates (4-4, 3-2 MEAC), in their second season under head coach Connell Maynor, are coming off a 40-7 loss to nationally-ranked William & Mary this past Saturday.

The Series: The Pirates are 11-8 all-time against South Carolina State, despite the Bulldogs' 17-10 win at Armstrong Stadium last season. Overall, South Carolina State has won each of the last seven meetings between the two teams, and Hampton's last win over the Bulldogs came in 2005 – a 14-10 victory at Armstrong Stadium. Hampton last won in Orangeburg, S.C. in 2004 (52-36). The Bulldogs led the series 5-4 in games played in Orangeburg, S.C.
 
Coach Pough on Hampton: "By no means will this be an easy task against Hampton. They are well coach with Coach Maynor at the helm in his second season. He has his players believing in his system and style of play. Hampton has a really good transfer quarterback in David Watford. His stats prove that their (Hampton) offense is much better and they can score some points. "

 Coach Maynor on South Carolina State: "They're a good team. (Head coach) Buddy Pough always has a good team. South Carolina State has been one of the teams to beat in this conference for a long time, and it's no different this year. They do a good job scheming you, and then they've got (MEAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year) Javon Hargrave, arguably the best football player in FCS on the defensive side. We've got our hands full … we've got to be at our best, and we look forward to the challenge."
 
Players to Watch
SC State Offense:
#4 Sr. RB Jalen "Scoot" Simmons – Got his first TD of the season with a 12-yd. scoring run at Del-State (73 rushes, 415 yds, 1 TD);  #12 Fr. QB Caleb York – had his best outing of the season, hitting on 17 of 28 atts., 241 yds, 2 TDs and 1 Int. (109-191-4 for 1352 yds, 8 TDs, 27 rushes, 51 yds., 2 TDs); #16 r-Jr. QB Adrian Kollock – returned to action at B-Cookman (Oct. 8) after missing 3 contests, has played only sparingly (15-34-2 for 95 yds., 0 TDs, 19 rushes, 89 yds., 2 TDs; #85 Sr. WR Taquan West – had a career day receiving against Del-St. with 9 rcpts. for 113 yds. (29 rcpts., 435 yds., 1 TD);  #2r-So. WR Mykal Moody (22 rcpts., 266 yds., 2 TD); r-Fr. Lynard Jamison – MEAC Special Teams POTW Oct. 17 (21 rcpts., 242 yds. 2 TDs); r-Jr. OT Javarius Leamon and #54 r-Sr. OT Charles Henderson anchor a talented offensive line.
 
Bulldog  Defense:
#97 Sr. DL Javon Hargrave – slowed by injuries but is the catalyst on the Bulldog DL, MEAC Defensive Player of the Week against Del-St., 2014 National POTY (27 T, 12 A, 12.5 TFL, 6.5 Sacks); #34 r-So. LB Dayshawn Taylor (38 T, 13 A, 5 TFL, 1 Sack); #10 r-So. LB Darius Leonard – MEAC and Box-to-Row National Defensive Player of the Week Oct. 3, 2014 MEAC Rookie of the Year (29 T, 14 A, 6.5 TFL, 2 Sacks); #13 Sr. DB/PR/KR Antonio Hamilton – Returned a punt 82 yds. for a TD against B-Cookman Oct. 8, earned All-America honors as a return specialist in 2014 (6 PRs, 104 yds., 1 TD, 13 KRs, 277 yds.)
 
Hampton Offense
#2 Gr. David Watford (147-277-13, 1808 yds., 16 TD); #22 r-Sr. TB Chris Dukes (91 atts., 463 yds, 2 TDs); #5 r-Jr. WR Twarn Mixon (40 rcpts., 694 yds., 7 TDs); #15 r-Jr. WR Rashawn Proctor (21 rcpts., 326 yds., 4 TDs.); #68 So. OT Ryan Gould; #77 Sr. OT Torian White.
 
Pirate Defense
#45 Sr. MLB Tyrone Ward (28 T, 34 A, 4.5 TFL) #9 Gr. R Jaston George (21 T, 22 A, 2 Ints.); #96 r-Sr. NT Charles Owens (14 T, 22 A, 7.5 TFL, 2 Sacks); #8 Sr. DE Miles Grooms (17 T, 19 A, 10.5 TFL, 6.5 Sacks).

 Last Week's (10-24-15) Results
SC State 34, Delaware St. 7
B-Cookman 59, Norfolk State 49
William & Mary 40, Hampton 7
N.C. A&T 65, Howard 14
NC Central 20, Morgan State 17
Florida A&M, Savannah State, idle
 
 
This Week's Schedule (10-31-15)
Hampton @ SC State, 1:30
B-Cookman @ Delaware State, 2
Savannah State @ Howard, 1
Norfolk State @ NC Central, 2
N.C. A&T @ Florida A&M, 3
Morgan State, idle