South Carolina State Bulldogs football

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).

South Carolina State Bulldogs football
2025 South Carolina State Bulldogs football team
First season	1907; 118 years ago (1907)[a]
Head coach	Chennis Berry 2nd 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)
Claimed national titles	0 (FCS/I-AA) 6 (Black College): 1976, 1977, 1981, 1994, 2009, 2021
Unclaimed national titles	2 (Black College): 1982, 2008
Playoff record	2–6
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

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

• 1907–1928: Independent
• 1929–1934: Southeastern Athletic Conference
• 1935–1970: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
• 1971–present: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

Bulldogs vs. in-state NCAA Division I schools

School	Record	Percentage	Streak	First Meeting	Last Meeting
Charleston Southern	7–0	1.000	Won 7	1991	1999
Clemson	0–5	.000	Lost 5	2008	2021
Coastal Carolina	0–5	.000	Lost 5	2005	2015
Furman	5–12	.294	Lost 1	1982	2015
Presbyterian	2–0	1.000	Won 2	1989	1990
South Carolina	0–2	.000	Lost 2	2007	2009
The Citadel	3–4	.428	Won 2	1989	2024
Wofford	3–6	.333	Won 1	1974	2019
South Carolina State 19 – in-state NCAA Division I Schools 33

Championships

National championships

The Bulldogs have been awarded a 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.

Year	Coach	Overall record	Conference record
1974*	Willie Jeffries	8–4	5–1
1975*	Willie Jeffries	8–2–1	5–1
1976*	Willie Jeffries	10–1	5–1
1977	Willie Jeffries	9–1–1	6–0
1978	Willie Jeffries	8–2–1	5–0–1
1980	Bill Davis	10–1	5–0
1981	Bill Davis	10–3	5–0
1982	Bill Davis	9–3	4–1
1983	Bill Davis	7–3	4–0
1994	Willie Jeffries	10–2	6–0
2004*	Oliver Pough	9–2	6–1
2008	Oliver Pough	10–3	8–0
2009	Oliver Pough	10–2	8–0
2010*	Oliver Pough	9–3	7–1
2013*	Oliver Pough	9–4	7–1
2014*	Oliver Pough	8–4	6–2
2019*	Oliver Pough	8–3	6–2
2021	Oliver Pough	7–5	5–0
2024	Chennis Berry	9–3	5–0

Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results

The Bulldogs have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs six times with a record of 2–6.

Season	Round	Opponent	Result
1981	Quarterfinals	Tennessee State	W 26–25 OT
	Semifinals	Idaho State	L 12–41
1982	First round	Furman	W 17–0
	Quarterfinals	Louisiana Tech	L 3–38
2008	First round	Appalachian State	L 21–37
2009	First round	Appalachian State	L 13–20
2010	First round	Georgia Southern	L 16–41
2013	First Round	Furman	L 20–30

Bowl game results

The Bulldogs have appeared in 15 bowl games, with a record of 7–8.^[5]

Year	Bowl	Opponent	Result
1946	Pecan Bowl	Johnson C. Smith	W 13–6
1947	Pecan Bowl	Allen (SC)	W 7–0
1950	Peninsula Bowl	Allen	L 13–47
1973	Orange Blossom Classic	Florida A&M	L 12–23
1974	Textile Bowl	Wofford	L 0–20
1974	Pelican Bowl	Grambling State	L 7–28
1975	Pelican Bowl	Southern	L 12–15
1976	Bicentennial Bowl	Norfolk State	W 26–10
1977	Gold Bowl	Winston-Salem State	W 10–7
1979	Gold Bowl	Norfolk State	W 39–7
1994	Heritage Bowl	Southern	L 0–11
1994	Heritage Bowl	Grambling State	W 31–27
1997	Heritage Bowl	Southern	L 28–34
2021	Celebration Bowl	Jackson State	W 31–10
2024	Celebration Bowl	Jackson State	L 7–28

Pro Football Hall of Fame members

Main article: Pro Football Hall of Fame

See also: List of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees

Pro Football Hall of Fame members
Player	Pos.	Years at SCSU	Year inducted	Ref.
Harry Carson	LB	1972–1975	2006	[6]
Deacon Jones	DE	1958	1980	[7]
Marion Motley	FB	1939–1940	1968	[7]
Donnie Shell	S	1970–1973	2020	[8]

College Football Hall of Fame members

Main article: College Football Hall of Fame

See also: List of College Football Hall of Fame inductees (players, A–K); List of College Football Hall of Fame inductees (players, L–Z); and List of College Football Hall of Fame inductees (coaches)

College Football Hall of Fame members
Player	Pos.	Years at SCSU	Year inducted
Harry Carson	DE	1972–1975	2002
Willie Jeffries	HC	1973–1978, 1989–2001	2010
Donnie Shell	S	1970–1973	1998

Alumni in the NFL

Over 40 South Carolina State alumni have played in the NFL,^[9] including:

• Phillip Adams
• Charlie Brown
• Orlando Brown Sr.
• Rafael Bush
• Barney Bussey
• Harry Carson
• Barney Chavous
• Anthony Cook
• Cobie Durant
• John Gilliam
• Javon Hargrave
• Dwayne Harper
• Antonio Hamilton
• Temarrick Hemingway
• Michael Hicks
• Willie Holman
• Deacon Jones
• William Judson
• Angelo King
• James Lee
• Shaquille Leonard
• Marshall McFadden
• Kimario McFadden
• Ervin Parker
• Robert Porcher
• Joe Thomas^[10]
• Christian Thompson
• Chuck Darby

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]

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of August 18, 2025^[13]

2025	2026	2027
Wofford	Alabama State	vs Alabama State (Atlanta, GA) MEAC/SWAC Challenge
at South Carolina	at Furman	at Coastal Carolina
Bethune–Cookman		at Wofford
at USF		Furman
at Charleston Southern
Savannah State
at North Carolina A&T

See also

• list of black college football classics