American college football organization
South Carolina State Bulldogs football First season 1907; 118 years ago (1907 ) [ a] Head coach Chennis Berry 1st season, 9–3 (.750)Stadium Oliver C. Dawson Stadium (capacity: 22,000)Field surface Fieldturf Location Orangeburg, South Carolina Conference MEAC All-time record 567–361–27 [ 1] (.608) Bowl record 7–8 (.467) Playoff record 2–6 Claimed national titles 0 (FCS/I-AA )
6 (Black College ): 1976, 1977, 1981, 1994, 2009, 2021 Unclaimed national titles 2 (Black College ): 1982, 2008 Conference titles 19 (MEAC ) 1974*, 1975*, 1976 *, 1977 , 1978, 1980, 1981 , 1982, 1983, 1994 , 2004*, 2008, 2009 , 2010 *, 2013 *, 2014 *, 2019 *, 2021 , 2024
*denotes co-champions Colors Garnet and blue[ 2] Marching band The Marching 101 Website scsuathletics.com
The South Carolina State Bulldogs football team represents South Carolina State University in college football . The Bulldogs play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
A historically dominant football program, the Bulldogs lead the MEAC in conference championships. The school has produced four players enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame including Harry Carson , Deacon Jones , Marion Motley , and Donnie Shell . Other legendary Bulldog players include Robert Porcher , Shaquille Leonard , Barney Chavous , Charlie Brown and Orlando Brown Sr. , Javon Hargrave , Decobie Durant , among others.
Former SC State Coach Willie Jeffries became the first African American Head Coach of a predominantly white Division I-A football program, when he was hired to coach the Wichita State football program in 1979.[ 3] Jeffries is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame .
History
List of South Carolina State Bulldogs football seasons
Classifications
1956–1972: NCAA College Division
1967–1969: NAIA
1970–1978: NAIA Division I
1973–1977: NCAA Division II
1978–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS
Conference memberships
Bulldogs vs. in-state NCAA Division I schools
Championships
National championships
The Bulldogs have been awarded an NCAA-recognized black college football national championship six times in program history.[ 4]
Year
Coach
Selector
Record
Bowl
1976
Willie Jeffries
ADW , Jet , MBN , NPC
10–1
W Bicentennial Bowl
1977
Willie Jeffries
NPC
9–1–1
W Gold Bowl
1981
Bill Davis
ADW, SBN
10–3
1994
Willie Jeffries
ADW, BCSP, Heritage Bowl
10–2
W Heritage Bowl
2009
Oliver Pough
ADW, AURN , B-CP, B-MP, BCSP, PCWDC
10–2
2021
B-CP, Celebration Bowl , DCCC-M, HBCUS-UP
7–5
W Celebration Bowl
Conference championships
South Carolina State has won nineteen Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles, eleven outright and eight shared. Asterisk denotes shared title.
Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results
The Bulldogs have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs six times with a record of 2–6.
Bowl game results
The Bulldogs have appeared in 15 bowl games, with a record of 7–8.[ 5]
Alumni in the NFL
Over 40 South Carolina State alumni have played in the NFL,[ 9] including:
Rivalries
SC State has maintained heated rivalries with the North Carolina A&T Aggies , Florida A&M Rattlers, and Bethune-Cookman Wildcats.
NCAA Record
On November 19, 2016, Joe Thomas Sr., father of Green Bay Packers linebacker Joe Thomas , became the oldest player to play in an NCAA Division I game. At 55 years of age, Thomas Sr. had one carry for three yards as a running back in a contest versus Savannah State.[ 11] [ 12]
See also
Notes and references
^ The team was disbanded from 1908 to 1914, then reinstalled. It was canceled once again from 1917 to 1922, and re-launched in 1923; 102 years ago (1923 ) .
External links
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
Teams Championships & awards