Shannon Sharpe knew Savannah State was in for a tough test against South Carolina State.
He didn’t expect 87-0.
Sharpe, a Savannah State alumnus, reacted with disbelief after his alma mater was shut out by the defending HBCU national champions Saturday night in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
“When they said that Savannah State got beat 87-nothing, I’m thinking they played Georgia,” Sharpe said on Night Cap with Chad Ochocino and Joe Johnson. “I’m thinking they played a Power 4 school. I’m not thinking they played South Carolina State.”
And honestly, the final score was hard to comprehend.
South Carolina State, ranked No. 24 in the FCS entering the season, wasted little time turning the game into a rout. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 21-0 lead after the first quarter and added 31 points in the second to take a 52-0 advantage into halftime.
The second half wasn’t much different.
Shannon sharpe can’t believe it after ocho asks him about his former college Savannah State losing 87-0 against South Carolina pic.twitter.com/rV1NWgkzjZ
— NBA Hoops (@Thechat101) August 30, 2026
South Carolina State added 14 points in the third quarter and another 21 in the fourth, finishing with a school-record 87 points. The Bulldogs piled up 627 yards of total offense, including 423 rushing yards, while holding Savannah State to just 117 yards.
Eight different South Carolina State players found the end zone, while running back Josh Shaw scored three rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Keely Watson added three touchdown passes while completing 8 of 12 attempts for 95 yards.
For Savannah State, the night marked the beginning of the Thomas Howard era — and a brutal introduction to the 2026 season.
The Tigers entered the matchup coming off a 4-6 season and were facing a South Carolina State team that went 10-3 last season before winning the MEAC championship and HBCU national championship.
Still, even with that context, 87-0 was jarring enough to make Sharpe wonder if he had heard the score correctly.
He expected his alma mater to have its hands full.
He just wasn’t expecting a score that sounded more like a video game than a college football opener.
