ESPNU 11/6/08 7:30pm Howard @ South Carolina State

[R.A.]

Catch the Bison and Bulldogs on ESPNU right now!

[Big Dawg]

We don't have ESPNU but SCSU HAS to crush Howard. SCSU better prove a point on national television tonight.

[Big Dawg]

SCSU 28 Howard 0 2nd quarter

[Big Dawg]

SCSU 49 Howard 0 Halftime

[ursus arctos horribilis]

SCSU 49 Howard 0 Halftime

Thanks Big Dawg, I don't have the game so thanks for the scores. What a slaughter.

[danefan]

WOW!

Blowout. Howard's bad (they lost to Georgetown) but that's a butt whooping.

[WileECoyote06]

Any changed opinions about SCSU?

[Pitbull]

And we did that w/ our 2nd string QB...plus Will Ford didn't play the entire sencond half.....xnodx :D

SCSU - 56
Howard - 0
Final

[mvemjsunpx]

Any changed opinions about SCSU?


No, they were & clearly are the best in the MEAC. Tonight they outgained lousy Howard by nearly 400 yards & committed no turnovers. The only remaining obstacle to an auto-bid now is Morgan State.

The bigger question is whether they can avoid peeing down their leg in the playoffs like so many seemingly dominant MEAC teams of the past (NC A&T in '03, Hampton in '05, DSU in '07; I'm guessing there are more). They'll be a tough out for anybody without a good run defense, though.

[WileECoyote06]

No, they were & clearly are the best in the MEAC. Tonight they outgained lousy Howard by nearly 400 yards & committed no turnovers. The only remaining obstacle to an auto-bid now is Morgan State.

The bigger question is whether they can avoid peeing down their leg in the playoffs like so many seemingly dominant MEAC teams of the past (NC A&T in '03, Hampton in '05, DSU in '07; I'm guessing there are more).

I hope their coaching finally matches their talent. They've been the MEAC's most talented team for three years now.

BTW, the 'dominant' (LOL) A & T team of 03 was murdered by SCSU in the Battle of the Border.

[rcny46]

I think this team could cause some major(unexpected) headaches for any potential opponents when the playoffs start.

[OhioHen]

We don't have ESPNU but SCSU HAS to crush Howard. SCSU better prove a point on national television tonight.

Does it really count as "national television" if only about 10% of the country has access?

[appfan2008]

congrats on the game and getting it on the U i dont have it so i missed the game... sure looked like a nice victory...

[KAUMASS]

I watched the first quarter and a half of that game. I honestly couldn't tell how good SC State is because Howard looked awful at best. It looked like Howard didn't even want to be there. Not many fans there for a Thursday night ESPNU televised game.

Looks like will find out what SC State has in the first round of the playoffs.

[danefan]

Its hard to guage how good SCSU is by this win. Howard is bad. Really bad.

But I will say this: I don't feel like SCSU is "out of place" with their current ranking. There are some teams ranked now that I don't feel should be ranked at all. SCSU isn't one of them. They deserve to be a top 20 team. Where in that top 20 is unknown and where they'll end up in the 1st round (if they make it) will be interesting.

[Black and Gold Express]

Any changed opinions about SCSU?

They'll get slaughtered by whatever SoCon team they face in the first round, so no.

[DSUrocks07]

They'll get slaughtered by whatever SoCon team they face in the first round, so no.

qffr xwhistlex

[bigchocolate]

They'll get slaughtered by whatever SoCon team they face in the first round, so no.

I respectfully disagree with you. App with Edwards in for 4 qtrs is the only Socon team that can feel any justified confidence that they will handle this version of the Bulldogs. I've watched as much Socon football as possible this season and until they start playing better defense....the jury is still out!

[SUjagTILLiDIE]

BTW, the 'dominant' (LOL) A & T team of 03 was murdered by SCSU in the Battle of the Border.SU also murdered A&T in 03.

[Big Dawg]

They'll get slaughtered by whatever SoCon team they face in the first round, so no.

Nope...There are gonna be some teams looking surprised when SCSU rolls into town. There defense is tough and they have one of the best RB's in the nation in Will Ford.

[LehighFan11]

They'll get slaughtered by whatever SoCon team they face in the first round, so no.

App St would have backups in by 3rd Q and Wofford would win by 30.

[OL FU]

Nope...There are gonna be some teams looking surprised when SCSU rolls into town. There defense is tough and they have one of the best RB's in the nation in Will Ford.

It has been a long time since SC State has been in the playoffs. I know their fans have to be hunmgry for it.


I wonder how competively they would bid for home field in the first round.

[Reign of Terrier]

I respectfully disagree with you. App with Edwards in for 4 qtrs is the only Socon team that can feel any justified confidence that they will handle this version of the Bulldogs. I've watched as much Socon football as possible this season and until they start playing better defense....the jury is still out!

That's because the best two offenses have been on TV recently (Wofford, app). GSU can be eliminated from the defensive conversation b/c they can't play it. AND don't you dare mention the Elon vs Wofford and Wofford vs App games--those team are better than that.

[catdaddy2402]

Good win for the Bulldogs.

If nothing else you got a ton of respect this morning on The Early Show this morning on 107.5. Tommy Moody, Bob Shields, and Benji Norton were raving about the game.xthumbsupx

[DSUrocks07]

App St would have backups in by 3rd Q and Wofford would win by 30.

qffr xwhistlex

[Big Dawg]

Let's not forget that SCSU is the only other MEAC school, other than FAMU of course, to win a playoff game.

[R.A.]

If SCSU plays Wofford in the first round, I'll be betting on SCSU.

[DSUrocks07]

That's because the best two offenses have been on TV recently (Wofford, app). GSU can be eliminated from the defensive conversation b/c they can't play it. AND don't you dare mention the Elon vs Wofford and Wofford vs App games--those teams are better than that.

You can say that about 95% of the teams out there xrolleyesx

The fact of the matter is...(reads sig) xpeacex

[G.S.Green]

I just hope SCSU gets a decent draw when they announce the brackets. I expect that they'll be playing right there in SC so at least the SCSU faithful can make a short trip.

G.S.Green

[R.A.]

I rather the Dawgs play Furman if the Paladins can make the cut. But I like the Dawgs over both South Carolina SoCon teams.

[OL FU]

Let's not forget that SCSU is the only other MEAC school, other than FAMU of course, to win a playoff game.

I rememberxbawlingx


Go Dogsxthumbsupx

[OL FU]

I rather the Dawgs play Furman if the Paladins can make the cut. But I like the Dawgs over both South Carolina SoCon teams.

A rematch of the 1982 semi finalxthumbsupx
and the start of a long series with SC State not to mention some very good friendshipsxnodx

[B&G]

I was at this game... just wanted to give some impressions of the live experience.

1) Will Ford is good. Not quite a beast but definitely someone who could pose some problems.
2) Would have loved to see what Malcolm Long could do but it sure seemed like there was no drop off with their backup. He's a much better runner than Long I think. Malcolm really looked scared versus Clemson but I hear he has improved as the season progressed.
3) Howard... they're a joke. We counted roughly 40 players on their sidelines. Their band started halftime and did some entertaining stuff by forming a heart to show their love for SCSU. Then State's band gets on the field and it was just a whole 'nother level. The difference in decibels was striking. They kept it low key though as they were playing backup for gospel singer Marvin Sapp who brought the house down.
4) Props to Howard's cheerleaders as they were performing the entire game. SCSU's put on sweatsuits and stood around for most of the game. But I love me some Champagne Girls though.
5) The most popular player on SCSU might be #38 Kenneth Smalls. When he got into the game and was running over folks it had the entire team fired up on the sidelines.
6) Howard's #6 is a punk. He caught a pass late in the game and held on despite a hard shot and started dancing and taunting with them down by 56 points. Just looked him up... he's a freshman from Miami, FL.
7) SCSU's defense is solid. I've seen many of the SoCon teams live this year and I feel that SCSU vs Furman would be a tight game. Not sure if Wofford would be a good matchup for them though. And I haven't managed to see Elon live this year so I can't comment on that.

[Bulldog87]

We had over 11,000 on a Thursday night. That's not bad attendance. The last two times that we played Wofford we lost by 1 point at home and by 6 or 7 in Spartanburg. The Terriers are good but they will not beat us by 30 if we showup to play no matter where the game is. Hopefully we'll get a home game in the 1st round if we win out and finish 10-2.

[Black and Gold Express]

I respectfully disagree with you. App with Edwards in for 4 qtrs is the only Socon team that can feel any justified confidence that they will handle this version of the Bulldogs. I've watched as much Socon football as possible this season and until they start playing better defense....the jury is still out!

No offense, just consider this my official annual post announcing that I will in no way respect any MEAC team as being worth a damn come playoff time until they go and win at least one game. 1999 was the last year a MEAC team proved worthy of such respect. Three years ago I gave up on buying in to all the talk from the MEAC fans. All bark, no bite (pardon the pun to SCSU). You win, I'll admit I was wrong. Considering the likelihood is you'll face either a CAA or SoCon team though, there's a lot of history going against you in those matchups.

Same goes for the OVC. Hell the OVC gets less respect from me come playoff time in fact.

[Black and Gold Express]

We had over 11,000 on a Thursday night. That's not bad attendance. The last two times that we played Wofford we lost by 1 point at home and by 6 or 7 in Spartanburg. The Terriers are good but they will not beat us by 30 if we showup to play no matter where the game is. Hopefully we'll get a home game in the 1st round if we win out and finish 10-2.

You're either going to have to outbid a non-seed, or you're going to Boone (assuming the sky doesn't fall and we hold serve the rest of the way). Wofford's got a lot of coin they can throw out to get a home game, and we should have the seed (and even if we didn't you won't outbid us). Right now those are your top two likely matchups at this point.