The 2018 South Carolina State Bulldogs football team represented South Carolina State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 17th-year head coach Oliver Pough and played their home games at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. They were a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). They finished the season 5–6, 4–3 in MEAC play to finish in a tie for fourth place.
Preseason
MEAC preseason poll
In a vote of the MEAC head coaches and sports information directors, the Bulldogs were picked to finish in seventh place.[1]
| Predicted finish
|
Team
|
| 1 |
North Carolina A&T
|
| 2 |
Howard
|
| 3 |
North Carolina Central
|
| 4 |
Bethune–Cookman
|
| 5 |
Florida A&M
|
| 6 |
Norfolk State
|
| 7 |
South Carolina State
|
| 8 |
Savannah State
|
| 9 |
Morgan State
|
| 10 |
Delaware State
|
Preseason All-MEAC Teams
The Tigers had four players selected to the preseason all-MEAC teams.[2]
|
Defense
2nd team
Damu Ford – LB
3rd team
Kendrick Gathers – DB
Alex Brown – DB
|
Special teams
3rd team
Clifford Benjamin, Jr. – P
|
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|
| September 1 | 6:00 p.m. | at Georgia Southern* | | ESPN+ | L 6–37 | 15,260 |
| September 8 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 19 (FBS) UCF* | | ESPN3 | L 0–38 | 43,269 |
| September 22 | 6:00 p.m. | Norfolk State* | | ESPN3 | L 7–17 | 7,820 |
| 7:00 p.m. | at No. 12 North Carolina A&T | | ESPNU | L 16–31 | 11,530 |
| October 6 | 1:00 p.m. | at Morgan State | | ESPN3 | W 21–18 | 8,103 |
| October 13 | 2:00 p.m. | Bethune–Cookman | - Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
- Orangeburg, SC
| | L 26–28 | 12,213 |
| October 20 | 1:30 p.m. | Delaware State | - Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
- Orangeburg, SC
| | W 30–19 | 14,477 |
| October 27 | 1:00 p.m. | at Howard | | | W 27–21 | 7,501 |
| November 10 | 4:00 p.m. | at Florida A&M* | | | W 44–21 | 12,608 |
| November 17 | 1:30 p.m. | Savannah State | - Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
- Orangeburg, SC
| | W 21–17 | 7,365 |
| November 24[a] | 12:30 p.m. | North Carolina Central | - Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
- Orangeburg, SC
| | L 17–21 | 3,996 |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Eastern time
|
Despite also being members of the MEAC, games against Florida A&M and Norfolk State will be considered non-conference games and will not have an effect on the MEAC standings.[3]
- ^ This game was originally scheduled for September 15, but was moved in anticipation of Hurricane Florence.
Game summaries
At Georgia Southern
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Bulldogs
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
0 |
6 |
| Eagles
|
13
|
3
|
7
|
14 |
37 |
At UCF
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Bulldogs
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0 |
0 |
| Knights
|
14
|
10
|
14
|
0 |
38 |
Norfolk State
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Spartans
|
7
|
7
|
0
|
3 |
17 |
| Bulldogs
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
0 |
7 |
At North Carolina A&T
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Bulldogs
|
7
|
9
|
0
|
0 |
16 |
| No. 12 Aggies
|
3
|
7
|
7
|
14 |
31 |
At Morgan State
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Bulldogs
|
7
|
7
|
0
|
7 |
21 |
| Bears
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
7 |
18 |
Bethune–Cookman
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Wildcats
|
10
|
15
|
0
|
3 |
28 |
| Bulldogs
|
0
|
13
|
7
|
6 |
26 |
Delaware State
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Hornets
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
12 |
19 |
| Bulldogs
|
0
|
7
|
13
|
10 |
30 |
At Howard
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Bulldogs
|
7
|
13
|
0
|
7 |
27 |
| Bison
|
0
|
7
|
0
|
14 |
21 |
At Florida A&M
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Bulldogs
|
10
|
14
|
6
|
14 |
44 |
| Rattlers
|
0
|
14
|
7
|
0 |
21 |
Savannah State
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Tigers
|
3
|
14
|
0
|
0 |
17 |
| Bulldogs
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
7 |
21 |
North Carolina Central
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| Eagles
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
14 |
21 |
| Bulldogs
|
0
|
10
|
0
|
7 |
17 |
References
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| Venues | |
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| Bowls & rivalries | |
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| Culture & lore | |
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| People | |
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| Seasons | |
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National championship seasons in bold |