bosshogg
February 9th, 2006, 12:18 PM
Sept. 2 Open
Sept. 9 @ Winston-Salem State
Sept. 16 BETHUNE-COOKMAN
(Community Day)
Sept 23 @ Wofford
Sept.30 @ Coastal Carolina
Oct. 7 NORFOLK STATE
(Youth/ROTC Day)
Oct. 14 @ Florida A&M
Oct. 21 HAMPTON
(Greek & Organization Day)
Oct. 28 @ Delaware State
Nov. 4 HOWARD (Homecoming)
Nov. 11 @ Morgan State
Nov. 18 @ North Carolina A&T
Bulldogs to have less home games next season
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Thursday, February 09, 2006
After setting a new single-season attendance record at Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium en route to a second straight 9-2 finish, the South Carolina State football team will get to see less of home next season.
The 2006 football schedule released Wednesday has the Bulldogs slated to play just four home games. SCSU also finds itself without a ’bye’ week and will remain in action each Saturday following the Sept. 9 season-opener at Winston-Salem State.
“Having only four games in Orangeburg is a little bit of a disappointment,” SCSU head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough said. “It’s a good schedule in that we play really good opponents and it gives us a chance to make enough of a statement to possibly impress the pollsters.”
However, one of the Bulldogs’ home games is arguably their most important. Two-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Hampton will pay a visit to Orangeburg Oct. 21 (Greek and Organization Day).
Last year’s 14-10 road loss to the Pirates proved costly for SCSU’s conference title and playoff aspirations. It was at Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium four years ago when the Bulldogs posted their lone win in 11 meetings with Hampton in a 47-41 double-overtime thriller.
SCSU also has critical MEAC home games against Bethune-Cookman (Community Day) on Sept. 16, Norfolk State on Oct. 7 (Youth/ROTC Day) and Howard on Nov. 4 (Homecoming).
“We’ve got the table set. We’ve just got to go out and take care of business,” Pough said.
SCSU’s two other non-conference games will also take place on the road and both against Palmetto State teams. On Sept. 23, the Bulldogs will head to Spartanburg to get reacquainted with Wofford which returns to the schedule after a one-year absence.
A highly-anticipated and potential Top 25 rematch with Big South co-champion Coastal Carolina will take place the following week in Conway. The Chanticleers escaped Orangeburg last season with a 24-23 victory as they capitalized on a missed PAT with a touchdown catch by Jerome Simpson with 17 seconds left and a PAT by Josh Hoke.
“Nothing says more than beating quality opponents on the road,” Pough said.
Other road games has SCSU traveling to Florida A&M (Oct. 14), Delaware State (Oct. 28) and Morgan State (Nov. 11) before closing out the regular season Nov. 18 at archrival North Carolina A&T. This will be the Bulldogs’ first visit to Greensboro since the 1994 season as the two teams have utilized mostly neutral sites over the past 12 years.
Pough is entering his fifth season as SCSU head coach. Despite a 35-13 record and a co-MEAC championship in 2004 to his credit, Pough said the Bulldogs must make 2006 their “breakthrough” year as a program.
“Close is getting to be a little bit disappointing,” he said. “We need to get over the hump.”
The starting times and games to be televised will be released at a later date. For season ticket information, contact the SCSU Ticket Office at (803) 536-8579.
T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 803-533-5547.
Sept. 9 @ Winston-Salem State
Sept. 16 BETHUNE-COOKMAN
(Community Day)
Sept 23 @ Wofford
Sept.30 @ Coastal Carolina
Oct. 7 NORFOLK STATE
(Youth/ROTC Day)
Oct. 14 @ Florida A&M
Oct. 21 HAMPTON
(Greek & Organization Day)
Oct. 28 @ Delaware State
Nov. 4 HOWARD (Homecoming)
Nov. 11 @ Morgan State
Nov. 18 @ North Carolina A&T
Bulldogs to have less home games next season
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer
Thursday, February 09, 2006
After setting a new single-season attendance record at Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium en route to a second straight 9-2 finish, the South Carolina State football team will get to see less of home next season.
The 2006 football schedule released Wednesday has the Bulldogs slated to play just four home games. SCSU also finds itself without a ’bye’ week and will remain in action each Saturday following the Sept. 9 season-opener at Winston-Salem State.
“Having only four games in Orangeburg is a little bit of a disappointment,” SCSU head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough said. “It’s a good schedule in that we play really good opponents and it gives us a chance to make enough of a statement to possibly impress the pollsters.”
However, one of the Bulldogs’ home games is arguably their most important. Two-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Hampton will pay a visit to Orangeburg Oct. 21 (Greek and Organization Day).
Last year’s 14-10 road loss to the Pirates proved costly for SCSU’s conference title and playoff aspirations. It was at Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium four years ago when the Bulldogs posted their lone win in 11 meetings with Hampton in a 47-41 double-overtime thriller.
SCSU also has critical MEAC home games against Bethune-Cookman (Community Day) on Sept. 16, Norfolk State on Oct. 7 (Youth/ROTC Day) and Howard on Nov. 4 (Homecoming).
“We’ve got the table set. We’ve just got to go out and take care of business,” Pough said.
SCSU’s two other non-conference games will also take place on the road and both against Palmetto State teams. On Sept. 23, the Bulldogs will head to Spartanburg to get reacquainted with Wofford which returns to the schedule after a one-year absence.
A highly-anticipated and potential Top 25 rematch with Big South co-champion Coastal Carolina will take place the following week in Conway. The Chanticleers escaped Orangeburg last season with a 24-23 victory as they capitalized on a missed PAT with a touchdown catch by Jerome Simpson with 17 seconds left and a PAT by Josh Hoke.
“Nothing says more than beating quality opponents on the road,” Pough said.
Other road games has SCSU traveling to Florida A&M (Oct. 14), Delaware State (Oct. 28) and Morgan State (Nov. 11) before closing out the regular season Nov. 18 at archrival North Carolina A&T. This will be the Bulldogs’ first visit to Greensboro since the 1994 season as the two teams have utilized mostly neutral sites over the past 12 years.
Pough is entering his fifth season as SCSU head coach. Despite a 35-13 record and a co-MEAC championship in 2004 to his credit, Pough said the Bulldogs must make 2006 their “breakthrough” year as a program.
“Close is getting to be a little bit disappointing,” he said. “We need to get over the hump.”
The starting times and games to be televised will be released at a later date. For season ticket information, contact the SCSU Ticket Office at (803) 536-8579.
T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 803-533-5547.