South Carolina State made an emphatic statement in its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opener Saturday, rolling past Norfolk State 51-20 before a crowd of 47,273 at Dick Price Stadium.
The Bulldogs (5-3 overall, 1-0 MEAC) showcased a balanced and explosive attack, piling up 613 yards of total offense — 428 through the air and 185 on the ground — to overwhelm the Spartans (1-7, 0-1).
Quarterback William Atkins IV turned in a career outing, completing 24 of 36 passes for 428 yards and four touchdowns, including a 75-yard strike that highlighted SCSU’s offensive fireworks.
Wideout Jordan Smith led the receiving unit with a career-best seven catches for 197 yards and two scores. Deyandre Ruffin added five receptions for 52 yards, while Nigel Johnson contributed three grabs for 48 yards and a touchdown.
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On the ground, Tyler Smith carried 19 times for a game-high 113 yards and a touchdown, including a 29-yard burst. Freshman Mason Pickett-Hicks added 63 yards and a score, continuing his strong debut campaign.
Linebacker Jordan Franklin, last week’s HBCU National Defensive Player of the Week, anchored the defense with 10 tackles (five solo) and two tackles for loss.
Special teams also shined as kicker Nico Cavanillas Alti went 6-for-6 on extra points and drilled field goals from 36, 26, and 21 yards to round out the scoring in the Bulldogs’ most dominant performance of the season.
