ORANGEBURG, SC— The South Carolina State Bulldogs (1-1, 0-0 MEAC) will host the visiting Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman (0-2, 0-0 SWAC) in a non-conference showdown inside Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on Willie E. Jeffries Field Saturday (Sept. 13). 

Both teams are coming off contests against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponents. Coach Chennis Berry's Bulldogs lost 38-10 to 10^th-ranked South Carolina of the powerful Southeastern Conference, while the Wildcats, under third-year head coach Raymond Woodie, Jr., fell 45-3 to Miami of the Atlantic Coast Conference. 

Former Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) foes, the two teams are meeting for the first time since 2022 when SC State earned a 33-9 victory at Daytona Beach, FL. Bethune-Cookman, along with Florida A&M, left the MEAC for the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) the following season. The Wildcats last visited Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in 2021 when they lost 42-35 to the Bulldogs and Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough, who went on to win the MEAC title (5-0) and a 31-10 victory over Jackson State and Coach Deion Sanders in the Celebration Bowl. 

The Matchup 
Bethune-Cookman @ South Carolina State 
Saturday, September 13, 2025 – 6:02 P.M. 
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Series Record: SC State and Bethune-Cookman are meeting for the 58^th time in a series that got started in 1956. The host Bulldogs lead the rivalry 34-23. SC State won the last meeting 33-9 at Daytona Beach in 2022. The Wildcats lost 42-35 in their last visit to Orangeburg in 2021. B-Cookman's last win in the series came by a 28-26 score in 2018 at Orangeburg. 
 
Last Week: 
BULLDOG BITE
SC State visited intrastate rival South Carolina for the fourth time in a series that began in 2007. The Gamecocks, ranked 10^th in the nation this season, won the contest 38-10 to take a 4-0 edge in the series. The Bulldogs controlled the contest early, taking a 3-0 lead on a 21-yard Nico Alti field goal early in the first quarter, while keeping Heisman Trophy candidate LaNorris Sellers and the USC offense in check most of the first half. Coach Chennis Berry's defense was outstanding most of the contest. USC took advantage of two Bulldog miscues on special teams as Gamecock Vicari Swain returned two punts for touchdowns in the final five minutes of the half, giving Coach Shane Beamer's team some breathing room. USC went on to score 38 unanswered points in the victory. SC State's only touchdown in the contest came when reserve quarterback Ryan Stubblefield connected with Nick Sowell from nine yards out with 12:32 left in the game. For the second straight game, Stubblefield and starter Billy Akins split the signal-calling duties for Coach Berry's team. Stubblefield finished 8-14-0 for 90 yards and one TD. Akins stats line read 10-14-0, 118 yards, 0 TD. Jalen Johnson has five catches for 67 yards while Shamontae Burgess, who caught the winning TD in the Bulldogs' 16-15 win over Wofford in the season opener, snared three passes for 42 yards. Kacy Fields came off the bench for 19 yards to lead the Bulldog rushing attack, which totaled 62 yards. Overall, the Bulldogs outgained the Gamecocks in total offense (62-270) to (56-253) in the contest.  

The SC State defense was led by rover Tyler Jones with six tackles, five solos. Cornerback Jarod Washington and reserve linebacker Malik Harper added five tackles each. 

A LOOK AT THE Wildcats
Bethune-Cookman travelled to Miami, FL to face the fifth-ranked Miami Hurricane. Coach Raymond Woodie's team could muster only a 32-yard field goal by Juan Dominguez in losing 45-3 to Miami, the highest-ranked team the Wildcats have ever faced. The Hurricane rolled up 543 yards on offense, including 344 passing. Bethune-Cookman was held to 191 total yards, 99 passing. The Wildcats, who mirrored the SC State offense strategy (using 2 QBs) got steady play from the quarterback duo of Jimmy McClain and Cam'Ron Ranson. McClain finished 13 of 16 passing for 86 yards. Ransom turned in a team-high 39 yards rushing on just five carries. Running back Khamani Robinson had 38 yards on nine carries for the Wildcats. 
  
The Wildcat defense got a game-high tying nine tackles each from Stephen Sparrow Jr. and Gabe White, respectively. Sparrow also added a quarterback sack, while White had a pair of pass deflections. And it was Dominguez who continued his perfect kicking start to the season, now sitting at 4-for-4 on field goals early in the campaign. In fact, the only Wildcat points this season have come off the toe of Dominguez. 
  
Statistical Leaders; 
SC State: 
Offense: QB Billy Akins (27-47-0, 293 yds.); QB Ryan Stubblefield (18-31-0, 218 yds., 2TDs.); RB KZ Adams (22 rushes, 65 yards); WR Jalen Johnson (11 rcpts., 160 yds.); WR Johnny Jones (4 rcpts., 58 yds.); WR Deyandre Ruffin (7 rcpts, 52 yds.); WR Jordan Smith (4 rcpts, 41 yds.) 
Defense: DB Tyler Jones (6T, 1A, 7TOT); LB Shamari Reed (4T, 1A,5TOT); Josh Barker (2T), Jabin Ford (2T) 

Bethune-Cookman: 
Offense: QB Jimmy McClain (31-44-0, 250 yds.); QB Cam'Ron Ransom (6-12-1, 90 yds.); RB Marqui Johnson (16 rushes, 88 yds.); RB Khamani Robinson (9 rushes 43 yds.); WR Jalen Ross (10 rcpts, 131 yds.); Rickie Snow (5 rcpts., 52 yds.) 
Defense: LB Stephen Sparrow, Jr. (10T, 4 A,, 14TOT); CB Johnny Harris, III (6T, 3A, 9TOT); DB Joshua Thornhill (4T, 3A, 7TOT). 

 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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