Game Notes
ORANGEBURG, SC-- The South Carolina State Bulldogs (5-3, 4-1 MEAC) face their toughest league challenge when  they host the visiting #17 nationally-ranked Aggies of N.C. A&T (7-1, 5-0 MEAC) State Saturday (Nov.7) at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
 
Coach Rod Broadway's team, picked to win the league in a preseason poll, is living up to expectations and could cement its hold on first place in the conference with a victory over the Bulldogs. The Aggies are ranked 17^th nationally in one FCS poll and 19^th in the country in a second. NC A&T is number one in all of the HBCU polls.
 
Meanwhile, Coach Buddy Pough's team, picked second behind the Aggies in the preseason, is tied for third-place in the MEAC and is one of three league teams (Bethune-Cookman and NC Central) with just one conference loss. A win by the Bulldogs and victories by B-CU and NCCU would throw the race into a virtual 4-way tie.
 
A year ago, the league race ended with a 5-way deadlock (B-CU, Morgan State, NC A&T, NCCU and SC State), with Morgan State earning the MEAC's automatic bid to the playoffs, based on the league's tie-breaker. This year's champion will get a berth in the inaugural Celebration Bowl Dec. 19 at the Georgia Dome against the SWAC champion. A loss by SC State today would all but eliminate the Bulldogs from the chase.
 
The Attraction
South Carolina State is celebrating Senior/Faculty & Staff Appreciation/High School Band Day. Seventeen (17) senior football players and three (3) student trainers will be honored during a special pre-game ceremony. Faculty and Staff will also be saluted and several high school bands have been invited to perform in pre-and postgame ceremonies.
 
The Series
The Bulldogs and Aggies are meeting for the 55^th time in a series that began in 1924. SC State holds a 32-20-2 advantage in the rivalry and has dominated lately, winning 15 of the last 16 meetings, including a 13-0 triumph in the Atlanta Classic last season. The Aggies only win during that stretch was a 17-7 triumph at Greensboro in 2012.
 
The Coaches
SC State's Buddy Pough (SC State '75) is in his 14^th season as head coach at his alma mater and owns a 109-50 overall mark and an 85-23 MEAC worksheet. He is 12-1 overall against NC. A&T and 3-1 against Aggie head coach Rod Broadway.
 
Rod Broadway (UNC-CH '77) is in his fifth season as head coach at NC A&T.   He is 31-18 as Aggie head coach and 1-3 against Pough and the Bulldogs.
 
 Players to Watch
SC State Offense:
#4 Sr. RB Jalen "Scoot" Simmons – Galloped for 135 yards last week against Hampton his (94 rushes, 550 yds, 1 TD);  #12 Fr. QB Caleb York – had a 3-TD passing day, 14 of 26 for 172 yds (123-217-5 for 1524 yds, 11 TDs, 29 rushes, 48 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., 20 rushes, 86 yds., 2 TDs; #85 Sr. WR Taquan West – had 2 TD receptions last week after career- receiving day against Del-St. (10-24) with 9 rcpts. for 113 yds. (35 rcpts., 515 yds., 3 TDs);  #24-r-Fr. Lynard Jamison – MEAC Special Teams POTW Oct. 17 (26 rcpts., 270 yds. 3 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 – Is the catalyst on the Bulldog DL, MEAC Defensive Player of the Week against Del-St. Oct. 24, 2014 National POTY (32 T, 13 A, 16 TFL, 8.5 Sacks); #34 r-So. LB Dayshawn Taylor (42 T, 13 A, 6 TFL, 2 Sacks); #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 (35 T, 15 A, 8.5 TFL, 4 Sacks); #13 Sr. DB/PR/KR Antonio Hamilton – Returned a kickoff 89 yds. for a TD in win over Hampton, earlier 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, 15 KRs, 366 yds., 1 TD)
 
North Carolina A&T Offense
Aggies have used two QBs this season. #7 r-Fr. QB Lamar Raynard (51-106-2 for 598 yds., 7 TDs); #2 Sr. QB Kwashaun Quick (45-82-4 for 440 yds., 4 TDs); #28 Jr. RB Tarik Cohen – Is the MEAC rushing leader (181 atts., 946 yds, 12 TDs, 18 recpts., 162 yds., 0 TDs); #1 Jr. WR Denzel Keyes (31 rcpts., 372 yds., 7 TDs); #81 r-So. WR Caleb Gabriel  (16 rcpts., 168yds., 2 TDs.).
 
Aggie Defense
#21 Sr. DB Tony McRae (27 T, 10 A, 1.5 TFL, 1.5 Sacks, 4 PBUs); #50 r-So. DE Angelo Keyes (16 T, 19 A, 11.5 TFL, 3.5 Sacks, 2 FRs, 5 PBUs); Ints.); #9 r-So. DB Zerius Lockhart (22 T, 12 A, 1 TFL, 2 PBUs); #56 r-Sr. LB Denzel Jones (14 T, 19 A, 5 TFL, 1.5 Sacks).