TALLAHASSEE, FL—Junior running back Deondra Duehart finished with 10 carries for 77-yards, but it wasn't enough as South Carolina State dropped a tough, 22-18, loss in the season opener to #25 Florida A&M Saturday (Aug. 31^st) inside Bragg Memorial Stadium on Ken Riley Field.

KZ Adams added 11 rushes for 66-yards, while senior quarterback Eric Phoenix threw 12-of-25 for 132-yards and a touchdown in the loss.

Defensive backs Diego Addison and Jamare Benjamin led the charge on defense with six tackles each respectively. Addison also finished with an interception for 14-yards and two pass breakouts.

Special teams posted a solid effort on the day with senior punter Dyson Roberts adding six (6) punts for 266-yards with an average of 44.3 yards per punt and along of 58-yards with one inside the 20-yard line.

Freshman kicker Kyle Gallegos connected on two field goals 35 and 37-yards.

NEXT UP: South Carolina State remains on the road for intrastate battle with The Citadel Saturday (Sept.7) at Johnson Hagood Stadium in a 12-noon showdown.

ABOUT SC STATE ATHLETICS
South Carolina State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 14 sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track & field, softball, men's and women's outdoor track and field, women's soccer and football with all teams competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), except for women's soccer.
 
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