LUT WILLIAM, BCSP Editor

Dynamic redshirt sophomore running back J. J. Davis of Norfolk State (l.)
South Carolina State defensive disruptor, redshirt junior defensive lineman Jablonski Green (r.)

NORFOLK, VA — Everyone who follows Mid Eastern Athletic Conference football knows that 2021 champion South Carolina State pulled off last year’s biggest upset with a 31- 10 shellacking of Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Jackson State in the season- ending Celebration Bowl last December in Atlanta.

Head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough’s 7-5 troops also went undefeated (5-0) in the league a year ago.

So it was of little surprise when the Bulldogs were unveiled Friday as the preseason pick to win the 2022 MEAC football championship in voting by the conference’s head football coaches and sports information directors. The results were released at the 2022 MEAC Football Media Day.

The Bulldogs received eight first-place votes and racked up 124 points overall.

Something to ponder

Ironically, the 31-10 win over the SWAC champion was the second-largest margin of victory for the 7-5 Bulldogs a year ago. Only their 37-14 MEAC win over Morgan State was larger.

Every one of their other five wins, including three of their four wins in MEAC play, were by single digits. The other conference win was by 10, 31-21 over Norfolk State. And remember, SC State also lost to two SWAC schools in the regular season that Jackson State beat.

So, despite its domination of JSU, Pough and the Bulldogs’ real

competition has come and is likely to come from inside the MEAC.

The Bulldogs’ strengths

The defense that shut down the vaunted and high-powered Jackson State offense returns five players named to the preseason all-MEAC team. It is led by havoc-wreaking redshirt junior defensive lineman Jablonski Green who was voted the preseason defensive player of the year.

The Bulldogs’ returning tackles leader, linebacker B. J. Davis and linemen Patrick Godbolt, Octaveon Minter and Brandon Tucker are the others.

On offense, SC State returns first team wideout Shaquan Davis who torched JSU with five catches for 95 yards and three TDs in Atlanta. Also back in the fold is quarterback Corey Fields, a second team selection and first team selections in running back Kendrell Flowers and tight end Yancey Washington.

Two SCSU offensive linemen were voted to the second team as were the Bulldogs’ placekicker and punter. In fact, punter Dyson Roberts could have and perhaps should have been the MVP of the Celebration Bowl win with eight punts for 392 yards (49.0-yard average) with a long punt of 74 yards, two downed inside the 20 and a touchdown-saving shoestring tackle.

SC State had 16 selections to the first and second team preseason all-MEAC squads. The biggest takeaway for the Bulldogs however is that only two of those selected are seniors.

The challengers

Last season’s runner-up North Carolina Central, with one first- place vote, was picked to finish second, while Norfolk State was tabbed to finish third. Both played SC State tough en route to 27-24 and 31-21 losses respectively.

NCCU features first team all-conference quarterback Davius Richard who threw for over 2,000 yards with 15 TDs and just six interceptions. Finding the weapons to bolster the point production of his fifth-ranked offense (18.7 ppg.) will be the challenge for head coach Trei Oliver.

Norfolk State features redshirt sophomore running back J. J. Davis, who rambled for 887 yards while averaging 7.2 yards per carry and scoring ten rushing touchdowns. Davis was picked as the preseason offensive player of the year. Head coach Dawson Odums has to replace four-year starter and league passing leader Juwan Carter in his offense.

Delaware State, Howard and Morgan State (one first-place vote each) rounded out the preseason poll.

All five DelState conference games were decided by seven points or less in a 2-3 conference season. Head coach Rod Milstead’s Hornets have been making steady progress up the standings and look to take the next step.

Howard, in its first year under head coach Larry Scott, finished 1-4 in league play but was very competitive. The Bison have the second-most preseason all-MEAC picks (nine).

Morgan State has turned its fortunes over to the able hands of former Bowie State head coach Damon Wilson. Wilson’s challenge is to get the historic MSU program back into contention and eventually into title contention. In 13 years, he built BSU to a CIAA power with the Bulldogs winning the last three conference titles.

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