Getty South Carolina State head coach Buddy Pough seeks a big rivalry win on Saturday.
Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State renew their rivalry on Saturday, September 10.
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The game (4 p.m. ET start time) won’t be on TV, but anyone in the US can watch SC State vs Bethune-Cookman live on ESPN+ right here:
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SC State vs Bethune-Cookman Preview
The South Carolina State Bulldogs (0-1) and Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (0-1) will come hungry for a rivalry win and get their seasons jumpstarted on Saturday.
Central Florida thumped S.C. State 56-10 on September 1. The Bulldogs mustered 91 yards of total offense and gave up 605 total yards by the Knights in the defeat.
“Sometimes I talk about the offense, sometimes the defense, but right now both sides need to improve,” Bulldogs head coach Buddy Pough said via The Times and Democrat’s Travis Boland. “We have to play at a much higher level against Bethune-Cookman.”
Miami pounded the Wildcats 70-13 on September 3. The Wildcats moved the ball with 342 yards of total offense but couldn’t contain the Hurricanes, which tallied 586 yards of total offense.
“Miami took us to the woodshed,” Wildcats head coach Terry Sims said via Boland. “We didn’t play well in any of the three phases. I think we had spots offensively, and had some guys step up that we think can be difference makers. Defensively, we have to tackle better and make sure we’re in the right areas when we need to be there. Overall, not a terrible game, but definitely a lot of work to do.”
That includes solving a rival in S.C. State where the two teams have been neck and neck for a decade, 5-5 in the past 10 meetings per Boland. The Bulldogs won the last meeting 42-35 in 2021.
“We have to be sure tacklers [against SC State],” Sims said per Boland. “It’s about swarming to the ball and being physical. Devuntray Hampton had a solid game Saturday and transfer Jerrold Pough played a lot of snap for us at corner and did a good job. Conroy Cunningham and Mason Hall did a solid job at the defensive ends.”
Pough hopes his team can start fast as they did last year with a 42-7 lead through the third quarter per Boland. He added that “both teams come into the game a bit vulnerable” after big losses per Boland.
“We have to get our defensive front playing better,” Pough said via Boland. “We’re a little broken on the offensive line ourselves, we have couple of guys still doubtful, but everybody has to play better than they did last week.”
“I think [Bethune-Cookman] played better than us last week,” Pough noted via Boland. “We’re going to have our work cut out for us.”