Know the Opponent: South Carolina State Bulldogs
By Mike Vamosi
Continuing our know the opponent series, we’ll spend the next three entries going back to the FCS ranks before finishing with FBS teams. Today we look at the South Carolina State Bulldogs who went 7-4 and 6-2 MEAC.
In 2011 the Bulldogs played at Central Michigan and Indiana both losses, this season they’ll again travel to a pair of FCS opponents. On September 15 they’ll travel to Tucson’s Arizona Stadium to face the Wildcats at 7:30 pm on the Pac-12 network and a week later they’ll visit College State and Texas A&M.
Returning will be two signal callers Richard Cue playing in nine games and Derrick Wiley who played in seven. Cue threw for 900 yards with seven touchdowns, he also rushed for 514 yards reaching the endzone eight times. Wiley had 727 yards through the air with six TD’s his longest pass being 71 yards.
Asheton Jordon played in all 11 games running for 774 yards with five scores good for 70.4 yards a game. Jalen Simmons is the third leading returners behind Cue and Jordon with 304 yards with two TD’s.
Tyler McDonald is the leading receiver from last season with 573 yards scoring four times but had a 14.0 per catch average in 11 games. Caleb Davis had 467 yards with two scores behind him on the list of returners Thomas Williams who scored twice and compiled 208 yards.
On defense SCSU brings back Joe Thomas who had 100 tackles last year 67 solo, 33 assisted, 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and three interceptions playing all 11 games. Another defender who played in every game was Courtney Ingram including 47 tackles 35 solo and 12 solo with six tackles for losses.
South Carolina looks to have the pieces to compete this season and enter 2012 having five of their last six games including the last three. Opening at Georgia State and perennial power Bethune-Cookman before facing Arizona and Texas A&M on the road will be the toughest stretch.
2012 South Carolina Bulldogs Schedule –
@Georgia State 8/30
Bethune-Cookman 9/8
@Arizona 9/15
@Texas A&M 9/22
Norfolk State 9/29
@North Carolina Central (Indianapolis, IN) 10/6
@Delaware State 10/13
@Florida A&M 10/20
Howard 10/27
North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, N.C.) 11/10
Savannah State 11/17
Previous Previewed Teams –
July 2 – Nicholls Colonels (32)
July 6 – Northern Colorado (31)
July 12 – UNLV (30)
July 13 – Duke (29)
July 16 – Colorado State (28)
July 18 – Sacramento State (27)
July 20 – Fresno State (26)
July 23 – Rice (25)
July 25 – San Jose State (24)
July 27 – Syracuse (23)
July 29 – Southern Utah (22)
August 1 – Eastern Washington (21)
August 3 – Hawai’i (20)
August 6 – Ohio State (19)
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