South Carolina State has to go back to the drawing board and figure out how it was thoroughly roughed up against Jackson State in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge.
On offense, the Bulldogs were held to 201 total yards and starting quarterback Corey Fields Jr. — playing in his first game since a shoulder injury cut short his 2022 season — to 59 yards passing on 20 attempts.
The defense, as best as it could, tried to hold up against a Jackson State attack that unveiled a new quarterback, running back, and pass catchers who debuted with 499 yards of offense led by signal-caller Jason Brown.
The FBS transfer shredded the Bulldogs for a MEAC/SWAC Challenge record 361 yards passing and three touchdowns. The Bulldogs were also tattered on the ground by the tandem of J.D. Martin and Wofford transfer Irv Mulligan, who combined for 145 yards on 5.8 yards per attempt.
Simply put, it wasn’t good.
“It’s our coaches’ fault, me in particular, as much as anybody,” said an honest head coach, Buddy Pough, after the 37-7 loss. “It was as much as me as anybody. We have to figure this out.”
Pough lamented that the Bulldogs’ offense — under new offensive coordinator Kevin Magouirk — lacked diversity in its approach versus a Jackson State defense that established early and often it would be physical.
The veteran coach wanted the group to be “a little less predictable” moving forward.
“Just from the first drive of the game, we didn’t execute our plays,” said Fields. “The plays were there, and I missed a couple of throws that I should have made to keep drives alive.
“It was mostly us instead of them (Jackson State). At the end of the day, we have to do our job, and we didn’t do it.”
The Bulldogs hoped that Pough’s retirement announcement — made days before the team arrived in Atlanta — would galvanize the group.
Defensive lineman Patrick Godbolt explained that the team was motivated to play well, considering the moment’s circumstances. However, the performance did not match the intention.
“It did pump the team up a little bit, but we just didn’t come here and show that, “Godbolt said.
How the Bulldogs can regroup will be tested by a continuing non-conference schedule that includes FBS games at UNC Charlotte and Georgia Tech before home games versus The Citadel, Virginia University of Lynchburg, and Tennessee Tech.
“So, we’ve got some work to do,” said Pough. “We will get back to the drawing board and see if we can find ourselves a little bit. Our goal now, you know … we have five, six more weeks before we get a (MEAC) conference game. Our whole season is wrapped up in those five conference games.
“We’ve got no reason to fall off the doggone ladder at this point.”
As Pough exited the media availability, a reporter suggested Pough and the Bulldogs could be back in Atlanta for the Celebration Bowl in December in what would be a storybook send-off.
As candid as always, Pough responded, “I don’t think so with the way we played tonight.”
