Bulldogs Improve to 2-0 In MEAC Play With Win Over Bears

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — — William Atkins IV threw for 363 yards and a touchdown, Tyler Smith ran for a pair of touchdowns and South Carolina State held off Morgan State for a 36-30 win on Saturday (Nov. 1) inside Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on Willie Jeffries Field.

South Carolina State (6-3, 2-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) led 7-0 after the first quarter, 28-10 at halftime and 33-10 after three. Nico Cavanillas Alti registered the Bulldogs’ final points with a 36-yard field goal with 12:58 left to make it 36-10.

Atkins IV connected with nine (9) different receivers for 21 catches on the day.

Morgan State quarterback Raymond Moore III threw a 14-yard touchdown to Dorian Harris with 8:29 left and a 25 yarder to Joseph Kennedy Jr. before a failed two-point conversion with 2:03 to go. After the recovery of an onside kick, Moore ran it in from the 4 less than a minute later to reduce Morgan State’s deficit to 36-30.

South Carolina State recovered the onside kick and ran a pair of plays allowing time to expire.

Running back Tyler Smith ran for 110 yards on 18 carries for the Bulldogs to lead the ground attack , while teammate Jordan Smith caught four passes for 107 yards to lead the receiving corps.

The Bears were led by Moore threw for 229 yards and three touchdowns while running for 76 yards and a touchdown for the Bears (3-6, 0-2).

Malik Harp led SC State defense with eight (8) tackles , while Jordan Franklin finished with six (6) tackles all solo along with a tackle for loss and an interception.