S.C. State / Coastal Carolina

[bosshogg]

I hope, as alluded to in this article, that this game can be played every year. This is the real Carolina Classic...for 1-AA anyway I hope a good time is had by all, and we welcome all Chant fans, and 1-AA football fans to Orangeburg.


Coastal, S.C. State want to establish rivalry


LOU BEZJAK
Morning News
Give your opinion on this story


>>Advertisement<<

If both coaches had their way, then Saturday’s Coastal Carolina-South Carolina State game would be just the beginning of long rivalry.
The two teams, which are separated by 127 miles, meet each other for the first time in Orangeburg on Saturday and are scheduled to meet next year in Conway.
But there are plans to extend the series past 2006.
“Talks are already in the coming years,” S.C. State coach Buddy Pough said Tuesday. “It seems to be the going thing. We like playing teams from the state and that is why we talk to those schools about playing.”
And playing a team from the Palmetto State is something lacking from the two teams’ schedules this year.
This year, aside from Coastal, the Bulldogs don’t play another in-state school. S.C. State played Benedict at Williams-Brice Stadium in the Palmetto Classic in the past, but the two teams don’t meet this season.
Coastal’s only other Palmetto state opponent is Charleston Southern, a team from the Big South Conference.
“You got two state-supported schools in South Carolina and right in their backyard,” Coastal coach David Bennett said.
“So, it makes sense to play each other.”
And the coaches aren’t the only ones wanting to see the two teams play each other more often.
The players are also in favor of playing each other.
“This game should have been played a long time ago,” S.C. State linebacker Shanode Williams said. “Don’t know what took it so long, really. This probably could become something like Palmetto Classic.”
Williams, who played at Wilson High, is especially looking forward to going up against guys he played in high school like Coastal’s Aundres Perkins (West Florence) and Darnell Williams (South Florence).
“We all played ball together growing up and wanted to beat each other,” Williams said. “So, you can bet there will be a lot of trash talking.”
And the impact from playing each other will be felt off the field, too.
Attendance will be greater when the schools play. S.C. State is expecting a crowd of between 17 to 20,000 this weekend at Oliver Dawson Stadium.
“Anytime we can play somebody that will get a large crowd, it will help us,” Pough said.
Another impact might be in recruiting. Both rosters have players who were recruited by both schools. So, a victory might be able to sway a player who is leaning close to going to either S.C. State or Coastal Carolina.
“A victory won’t hurt,” Bennett said. “It definitely can have a bearing on an 18-year-old kid.”
Saturday’s game can also have an impact on the teams’ postseason aspirations.
S.C. State, ranked No. 20 in the latest I-AA Sports Network poll, is Coastal’s last guaranteed chance at a ranked opponent this season.
If the Chants win, it would be the school’s second over a ranked foe and could go a long way in helping them secure a spot in the I-AA playoffs.
The unbeaten Bulldogs (3-0) can also help their playoff resume with a win over Coastal, who beat top-ranked James Madison earlier in the year.
Notes
Bennett said he will make decision Thursday on who will start at running back Saturday. He also expects Jamie Fordham (bruised knee), who rushed for 109 yards against Delaware State, to be able play against S.C. State.

[OL FU]

I agree that it is a good game for SC football fans. I miss the days when FU and State played every year. We have six I-AA teams in the state and I would like see them play as often as practical. At least one intra state game a year.

No slam but at this point, I would not want to play Charleston Southern. Sorry

[bosshogg]

I also wish that we counld contiue to play furman and wofford as well. Furman might not have time for little old us, with you guys playing all the 1-A teams :D

Just kidding. I think that it is great that your program has developed to the point where you can play those guys.....I hope we can get to that point as well.

I know we SCSU, Wofford, Furman, and Coastal could not all play each other in the same year, but if all the AD's from these schools get in a room, I know something could be worked out.....

[IaaScribe]

Not to nitpick with S.C. State's Shanode Williams, but how long ago could this series have been formed? Coastal's only been around for three years.

I digress. Huge game for Coastal. The Chants cannot get a playoff bid without a win in this one. They may not anyway, but 9-2 isn't going to get it done.

bosshogg: Has there been any more scuttlebutt about S.C. State thinking about leaving the MEAC somewhere down the line?

[OL FU]

I also wish that we counld contiue to play furman and wofford as well. Furman might not have time for little old us, with you guys playing all the 1-A teams :D

Just kidding. I think that it is great that your program has developed to the point where you can play those guys.....I hope we can get to that point as well.

I know we SCSU, Wofford, Furman, and Coastal could not all play each other in the same year, but if all the AD's from these schools get in a room, I know something could be worked out.....

We have four ooc games a year and of course play Wofford and the Citadel every year in conference. So I agree at least one game a year ( may be skipping a year every so often) against either SC State or Coastal would be good for all programs.

[bosshogg]

Not to nitpick with S.C. State's Shanode Williams, but how long ago could this series have been formed? Coastal's only been around for three years.

I digress. Huge game for Coastal. The Chants cannot get a playoff bid without a win in this one. They may not anyway, but 9-2 isn't going to get it done.

bosshogg: Has there been any more scuttlebutt about S.C. State thinking about leaving the MEAC somewhere down the line?


It depends on what our conference does....if the conference passes on the playoffs, then we will expore our options...

I hav said before that if we were to leave, I really wouldn't be that mad as long as we still played A&T and a few other HBCU's for non-conference games...but that is just my opinion

Shanode is a kid...you know they talk crazy!!!

[bosshogg]

Striving to be the best in I-AA


LOU BEZJAK
Morning News
Give your opinion on this story


>>Advertisement<<

CONWAY - On the surface, the Coastal Carolina and South Carolina State football programs don’t have much in common.
S.C. State, which was founded in 1896, began playing football in 1907 and has 346 victories in its history.
On the other hand, Coastal started in 1954 and didn’t separate from the University of South Carolina until 1993. The school’s football program has only been in existence for three years and has played only 26 games.
Despite the differences in history, one thing the two programs have in common is a quest to become the best I-AA school in the Palmetto State.
“If you can become the best I-AA program in this state, you got a chance to be one of the best in the country,” Coastal coach David Bennett said Wednesday.
The battle for I-AA supremacy in the state isn’t easy.
Southern Conference powers Furman and Wofford have ruled the state’s landscape for several years and have no plans on slowing down.
The Paladins, ranked seventh in the latest Sports Network poll, were the I-AA champs in 1988 and have made the playoffs in three of the last six years. Furman also has 12 Southern Conference titles.
The Terriers are no slouch, either. Wofford is 31-9 since 2002 and advanced to the I-AA semifinals in 2003.
Still, both the Bulldogs and Chanticleers seem to be on the rise in the Palmetto State.
S.C. State, which enjoyed a long winning tradition under Willie Jeffries, has had a rebirth under fourth-year coach and former alum Buddy Pough.
Pough, an assistant under Lou Holtz at USC, is 24-11. He led the Bulldogs to the MEAC co-championship with Hampton last year and was on the cusp of the I-AA playoffs.
The Bulldogs almost beat Wofford in their opener last year, rallying from a 21-point deficit before falling 24-22.
“If you look at what they have done, they have won 7, 8 and 9 nine games under coach Pough,” Bennett said. “I have great respect for Buddy Pough and what he has done.
“It is never easy following a legend like Willie Jeffries, but he has done it with great class.”
This year, the Bulldogs want to take it to another level with a berth in the I-AA playoffs for the first time since 1982.
“I definitely think we can make the playoffs,” said S.C. State placekicker Stephen Grantham, who played high school ball at South Florence. “We have a chance to be a great team.”
While the Bulldogs are on the rise, the same can be said of Coastal.
The Chants have won 13 of their last 15 games, including a victory over defending national champion James Madison three weeks ago. In 2004. they won the Big South championship.
Despite that success, Bennett wants more.
“It’s nice get to the level we got it to, but we haven’t done anything yet,” Bennett said. “Sure, we beat James Madison, but is that all you want to do?
“If these young men will stay hungry, we might reach our goal.”

[blueballs]

I wish GSU and SC State played every year. I think it could turn into a nice rivalry. The two schools are pretty close geographically and I'm sure it would draw well. I know GSU has recruited some players from the Orangeburg area in the past.

Coastal plays GSU the next two years if memory serves correctly.

Close geographical rivalries and intraconference rivalries is part of what makes college football so unique.

[GannonFan]

Big game from a playoff perspective for sure - I don't see how Coastal gets left out of the playoffs if they finish 10-1, so a win here and an almost lock of running the conference schedule and the Chants are in. At 9-2 and losing this game, however, it gets real dicey and they'll probably need a lot of help to make it in (namely App St and SC St winning their conferences would be a big boost, and maybe JMU winning the A10 as well).

[MarkCCU]

I think this is the start of something beautiful. I graduated from CCU and my boss graduated from SCSU...this whole week has been one fun inter-office rivalry and this weekend will be the culmination of this talk and hype. Now, it won't be on the scale of the USC/Clemson rivalry, but will be just as fun and just as big around the state. USC/Clemson is still the Upstate/Midstate rivalry. Now we have the Midstate/Coast rivalry.Good luck to both teams....GO CHANTS!

[OL FU]

I think this is the start of something beautiful. I graduated from CCU and my boss graduated from SCSU...this whole week has been one fun inter-office rivalry and this weekend will be the culmination of this talk and hype. Now, it won't be on the scale of the USC/Clemson rivalry, but will be just as fun and just as big around the state. USC/Clemson is still the Upstate/Midstate rivalry. Now we have the Midstate/Coast rivalry.Good luck to both teams....GO CHANTS!


Yep it is great fun. But I do love Clemson Carolina week. When ask, Tiger or Gamecock? I love responding, Don't know, when are they playing?

[SoCon48]

Big game from a playoff perspective for sure - I don't see how Coastal gets left out of the playoffs if they finish 10-1, so a win here and an almost lock of running the conference schedule and the Chants are in. At 9-2 and losing this game, however, it gets real dicey and they'll probably need a lot of help to make it in (namely App St and SC St winning their conferences would be a big boost, and maybe JMU winning the A10 as well).


One of your fellow Hen fans seems to think that how well a team does on the season has no effect on how the chances of one of their opponets are to the selection committee. (see contenders/pretenders thread)

[89Hen]

One of your fellow Hen fans seems to think that how well a team does on the season has no effect on how the chances of one of their opponets are to the selection committee. (see contenders/pretenders thread)
OR you've completely missed the point. Please revisit the thread.

[GannonFan]

One of your fellow Hen fans seems to think that how well a team does on the season has no effect on how the chances of one of their opponets are to the selection committee. (see contenders/pretenders thread)

Yeah, I don't think you're reading that correctly either. That's not what I took from it.

[SoCon48]

Yeah, I don't think you're reading that correctly either. That's not what I took from it.

Seems to be saying that only WCU's record here out makes any difference no matter how the teams they have beaten end up.

[89Hen]

Seems to be saying that only WCU's record here out makes any difference no matter how the teams they have beaten end up.
Almost have it there. WCU's record here out is the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT thing to determine whether or not WCU is a contender or pretender. If they win out, it doesn't matter what FU does. If they lose out, it doesn't matter what FU does. Only in the instance that WCU is a bubble team could it matter what FU does.

[SoCon48]

Almost have it there. WCU's record here out is the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT thing to determine whether or not WCU is a contender or pretender. If they win out, it doesn't matter what FU does. If they lose out, it doesn't matter what FU does. Only in the instance that WCU is a bubble team could it matter what FU does.

EXACTLY!
No one says that WCU doesn't have to have a good record, but if the teams they beat suck, it won't mean crap lot unless they win the SoCon outright.
Which is why Coastal regardless of their great record last year, sat home. They won but beat only sukky teams.

[89Hen]

EXACTLY!
Glad you finally see things my way. :p

[SoCon48]

Glad you finally see things my way. :p

Same thing i was saying in the first post. :rolleyes:

[89Hen]

Same thing i was saying in the first post. :rolleyes:
"WCU just beat the dog crap out of Furman. If Furman is for real, then WCU is for real"

Almost.

[The Gadfly]

The Citadel and Furman would be #2 in the state in my book. I wish I could go to this one, but it being poor won't allow it. :(

[OL FU]

The Citadel and Furman would be #2 in the state in my book. I wish I could go to this one, but it being poor won't allow it. :(

Uh, #2 What? Number 2 rivalry?

[SoCon48]

"WCU just beat the dog crap out of Furman. If Furman is for real, then WCU is for real"

Almost.

Dude that wasn't all that was in the post.

[bosshogg]

http://www.meacsports.com/sports/men/football/gamenotes/scsu%20notes.pdf

[Lapper]

Uh, #2 What? Number 2 rivalry?

What else would he be talking about? I don't agree with him though. I think it would be the Pound Puppies and the Beach Chickens, but we're having trouble getting them to schedule us :cool: .

[OL FU]

What else would he be talking about? I don't agree with him though. I think it would be the Pound Puppies and the Beach Chickens, but we're having trouble getting them to schedule us :cool: .

Your right, and when I reread this morning I realized that. Should have edited sorry.