ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Nationally ranked South Carolina State returns home Saturday, Oct. 3, when the Bulldogs host in-state opponent The Citadel at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on Willie Jeffries Field.
The contest will serve as
Youth Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Day for SC State. The Bulldogs enter the matchup ranked
No. 15 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and No. 12 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.
SC State carries a perfect
5-0 record into the contest after posting consecutive victories over Savannah State, Florida A&M, Virginia State, Furman and Bethune-Cookman. The Bulldogs are coming off a 31-21 road victory over Bethune-Cookman. The Citadel enters at
1-3 overall following a 27-8 loss to Chattanooga.
By the numbers
SC State has been productive on both sides of the football through five games. The Bulldogs are averaging
47 points and 479.4 yards of total offense per game, while limiting opponents to
10.2 points and 189.4 total yards per contest. SC State has outscored its opponents
235-51.
The Citadel is averaging
21.3 points and 323.3 yards of total offense per game. The Bulldogs from Charleston have allowed 34 points and 345.5 yards per contest.
The matchup features two teams that have leaned heavily on their running games. SC State enters averaging
280.6 rushing yards per game and 6.9 yards per carry, with 17 rushing touchdowns. The Citadel averages
225.8 rushing yards per game and 4.6 yards per attempt, with nine rushing touchdowns.
SC State rushing attack
Sophomore running back
Mason Pickett-Hicks has been the centerpiece of SC State's ground game. Pickett-Hicks has rushed 66 times for
613 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 9.3 yards per carry and 122.6 yards per game. His longest run is 67 yards. He also has 10 receptions for 82 yards and two touchdowns, giving him a team-high 695 all-purpose yards.
Josh Shaw has emerged as SC State's top scoring threat, particularly near the goal line. Shaw has rushed for 217 yards and a team-leading
nine touchdowns, accounting for 54 points through five games.
Tyler Smith has added 214 rushing yards while averaging 7.6 yards per carry.
Bulldogs effective through the air
Quarterback
Keely Watson has completed 60 of 94 passes for
788 yards and nine touchdowns, while completing 63.8% of his attempts.
Ronnie Robinson has completed 20 of 30 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. As a team, SC State has thrown for 994 yards and 11 touchdowns.
DJ Maultsby leads the receiving corps with 191 yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions, averaging 23.9 yards per catch. Troy Hillman has 10 receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown, while Malaqhi Jones has nine catches for 127 yards and a score.
SC State defense creating problems
The SC State defense has been one of the team's biggest strengths. The Bulldogs have surrendered just
289 rushing yards in five games — 57.8 per contest — and only two rushing touchdowns. Opponents are averaging just 1.8 yards per rushing attempt.
SC State has also generated
18 sacks for 117 yards in losses, compared with only two sacks allowed by its offense. The defense has accumulated 46 tackles for loss, recovered seven fumbles and intercepted three passes. SCStateFBStats
Ka'von Chisolm leads the defensive front with
8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, while
Jordan Dollard has seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Joshua Barker has 5.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, giving SC State multiple threats in the backfield.
The Citadel's ground game
The Citadel's offense is paced by
Gavin Garcia, who has carried 74 times for
349 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 87.3 rushing yards per game. Quentin Hayes has added 192 rushing yards, while Nick Billoups has 134 yards and two touchdowns. Sebastien Boyle has scored three times on the ground while averaging 6.7 yards per carry.
The Citadel has used Hayes and Billoups in the passing game. Hayes has completed 19 of 42 passes for 202 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, while Billoups is 21 of 29 for 188 yards. The Citadel is averaging
97.5 passing yards per game.
Ismael Zamor leads The Citadel receivers with eight catches for 103 yards. Damir Abdullah has five catches for 75 yards, while Braylon Knauth has five receptions for 72 yards.
Matchup to watch: SC State run defense vs. The Citadel rushing attack
One of the statistical focal points Saturday will be SC State's run defense against
The Citadel enters averaging
225.8 rushing yards per game, while SC State is surrendering only
57.8 rushing yards per contest. SC State opponents have managed only 289 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns through five games.
On the other side, SC State's rushing attack will face a Citadel defense allowing
180.3 rushing yards per game and 5 yards per carry. The Citadel has surrendered 11 rushing touchdowns through four games.
Statistical matchup
| Category |
SC State |
The Citadel |
| Record |
5-0 |
1-3 |
| Points per game |
47.0 |
21.3 |
| Total offense/game |
479.4 |
323.3 |
| Rushing offense/game |
280.6 |
225.8 |
| Passing offense/game |
198.8 |
97.5 |
| Points allowed/game |
10.2 |
34.0 |
| Total defense/game |
189.4 |
345.5 |
| Rushing defense/game |
57.8 |
180.3 |
| Passing yards allowed/game |
131.6 |
165.3 |
| Sacks |
18 |
9 |
| Third-down percentage |
44.1% |
43.3% |
| Red-zone scoring |
22 of 23 |
9 of 10 |
The statistical profiles in the attached reports show SC State entering Saturday with an advantage in scoring margin, total offense and total defense, while The Citadel's rushing attack represents its most productive offensive phase. SC State will look to remain unbeaten as it returns to Oliver C. Dawson Stadium for the first time since its 66-0 victory over Virginia State on Sept. 12.
