ORANGEBURG, SC—The South Carolina State Bulldogs (0-1.,0-0 MEAC) is set to play it first home opener of the season when they host the visiting Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls (0-2, 0-1 CIAA) of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Saturday (Sept. 16^th) at Oliver. C. Dawson Stadium. Kickoff is 2 p.m.
 
The two teams are meeting for the first time since 1998. Today's game is the defacto home opener for SC State, which had its Sept. 9 home contest against Charleston Southern postponed due to the threat of Hurricane Irma.
 
The Attraction
South Carolina will be celebrating Youth/ROTC Day. Youth groups throughout the Carolinas and Georgia, along with JR ROTC Brigades have been invited to attend the contest, usually one of the top-attended games of the year.
 
Players to Watch
SC State Offense:
#9 r-So., QB Dewann Ford (18-31-1, 187 yds.) ; #15 r-Sr. RB Trey Samuel (19 rushes, 61 yds.); #18 r-Fr. RB Datron James (6 rushes, 46 yds.);  #1  So. WR De'Montrez Burroughs (5 recpts, 35 yds); #4 r-So. WR Tra'Quan Dubose (4 rcpts., 70  yds.) ; r-Jr. WR Quan Caldwell (4 recpts, 60 yds); #51 r-Sr. OT Justin Evans); #56 Sr., OG Robbie Stephenson; # 14 Sr. PK Tyler Scandrett (2-2 FGs)
 
SC State Defense:
#10 r-Sr. LB Darius Leonard (9T, 3A, 1TFL, 1Sack; became SC State's all-time leader in tackles with 12 against Southern, giving him a career total of 293); #35 r-Jr. LB Damu Ford (5T, 3A, 3TFL); #34 r-Jr. DayShawn Taylor (2T, 4A, 1TFL);  #97 Jr. DL Tyrell Goodwin (2T, 3A, 2TFL); r-Sr. DE Tyberius Cravens).
 
Johnson C. Smith Offense
#4  Jr. QB Terrance Ervin (28-55-2 for 331 yds., 2TDs; 19 rushes, 97 yds., 1TD); # 22 RB Braxton Gambrell (26 rushes, 52  yds.);  #10 WR Roderick Carter (6 rcpts, 91 yds., 1TD); #11 Sr. WR Gabriel Yuille (3 rcpts., 3-62 yds); #18 Sr. WR Demarcus Berry (3 rcpts., 45  yds.).
 
Johnson C. Smith Defense
# 8 Sr. DB Carlo Thomas (22T, 9A, 2TFL); #5 Sr. DB Daryl Napper (8T, 3A, 1Int.); #32 Jr. LB Marcel Toran (6T, 5A, 2TFL); #51 Jr. DT Zach Cannon (6T, 4A, 1TFL)
 
The Series
The Bulldogs and Golden Bulls are meeting for the 32nd time in one of the oldest series in HBCU sports. The two teams first met in 1916. JC Smith won that contest 7-0 and followed up with a 6-0 win in the next meeting in 1925 before SC State began to dominate the rivalry. The Bulldogs, following a 13-6 loss in 1929, a 0-0 tie the following year and a 33-0 loss in 1961, won 21 straight and 22 of 23 games before J.C. Smith broke through with a 38-21 win in 1996. The two teams last met in 1998 with the Bulldogs winning 14-0 in Orangeburg.
 
The Coaches
SC State's Buddy Pough (SC State '75) is in his 16th season as head coach at his alma mater and owns a 117-55 overall mark (91-47 MEAC). This is his first meeting against J.C. Smith as a head coach.
 
 Johnson C. Smith's Kermit Blount (Winston-Salem State '80) is in his third season as Golden Bull head coach and owns a 7-10 record through two games of the 2017 campaign; Blount has also served head-coaching stints at his alma mater, Winston-Salem State (91-87), and Delaware State (16-29). He is 112-128 in 23 years as a head coach. Blount served as an assistant at SC State under head football coach emeritus Willie Jeffries for five seasons (1989-1993), as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks and wide receivers coach.
 
 Last Week's Scores (9-9-17