ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Nationally ranked No. 17/24 South Carolina State will put its unbeaten Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference record on the line Thursday when the Bulldogs travel to the nation's capital for a highly anticipated conference showdown against Howard.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Greene Stadium in Washington, D.C., with the contest televised nationally on ESPNU.

SC State (7-2 overall, 2-0 MEAC), under third-year head coach Chennis Berry, enters the matchup riding a two-game winning streak after a dominant 51-10 road victory over

Morgan State last Thursday. The Bulldogs have outscored their first two conference opponents 73-17, establishing themselves as a strong contender in the MEAC championship race.

Howard (4-5, 1-1 MEAC) returns home looking to rebound from a 34-0 setback against North Carolina Central. The Bison opened conference play with a 26-20 victory over Morgan State before suffering their first MEAC loss.

Thursday's contest features two programs looking to strengthen their positions in the conference standings as the regular season enters its final stretch.

Bulldogs Bring Explosive Offense, Dominant Defense
South Carolina State has established itself as one of the most productive teams in the Football Championship Subdivision this season, averaging 42 points and 450.9 yards of total offense per contest.

The Bulldogs have amassed 4,058 yards of total offense through nine games, including 2,149 passing yards and 1,909 rushing yards.

Defensively, SC State has been equally impressive, holding opponents to just 235.6 yards and 16.8 points per game. The Bulldogs have limited opposing rushing attacks to 82.2 yards per contest while recording 28 sacks.

Graduate quarterback Keely Watson continues to direct the Bulldogs' offensive attack. Watson has completed 139 of 214 passes for 1,647 yards and 15 touchdowns, including a standout performance against Morgan State in which he completed 27 of 36 attempts for 279 yards and four touchdowns.

Sophomore running back Mason Pickett-Hicks has provided a powerful rushing presence, accumulating 793 yards and seven touchdowns on 108 carries. He averages 7.3 yards per attempt and has added 204 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions.

The Bulldogs' receiving corps is led by DJ Maultsby, who has collected 25 receptions for a team-high 468 yards and four touchdowns. Malaqhi Jones has added a team-leading 27 receptions for 399 yards.

SC State has also been effective in scoring situations, converting 40 of 43 red-zone opportunities and scoring 33 touchdowns inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

Howard Looks to Defend Home Field
Howard enters Thursday's matchup averaging 18.1 points per game, with an offense that has faced challenges establishing consistency throughout the season.

Quarterback Ja'Shawn Scroggins leads the Bison passing attack with 1,092 yards and six touchdowns while completing 98 of 196 attempts. Scroggins has also contributed 228 rushing yards and three scores.

Running back Eden James leads Howard's ground attack with 317 yards and three touchdowns on 51 carries, averaging 6.2 yards per attempt.

Wide receiver Semaj Pierre has recorded a team-high 25 receptions for 245 yards, while Se'Quan Osborne has added 212 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Howard is led by Kaleb Gallop with 48 tackles, while Aidan Foster has contributed 41 stops. The Bison have recorded 22 sacks but have surrendered an average of 30.3 points and 378.2 yards per game.

The matchup presents an opportunity for South Carolina State to capitalize on its offensive production while continuing its strong defensive performances against conference opponents.

Top Players to Watch — South Carolina State
Season statistics through Oct. 29 | Source: SC State statistical report
 

• QB Keely Watson: 139-of-214 passing (65%), 1,647 yards, 15 touchdowns and three interceptions.
• RB Mason Pickett-Hicks: 108 carries, 793 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns; 20 receptions, 204 yards and three receiving touchdowns.
• RB Josh Shaw: 77 carries, 273 rushing yards and a team-high 13 rushing touchdowns.
• WR DJ Maultsby: 25 receptions, 468 yards, four touchdowns and 18.7 yards per reception.
• WR Malaqhi Jones: Team-high 27 receptions, 399 yards and one touchdown.
• DL Ka'von Chisolm: 24 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and a team-leading seven sacks.
• DL Jordan Dollard: 28 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.
• LB Marquis Lane-Owens: Team-leading 35 tackles, including 22 solo stops.
• K Jett Jackson: 12-of-13 on field goals, including a season-long 52-yarder.

Top Players to Watch — Howard
Season statistics through Oct. 31 | Source: Howard statistical report

• QB Ja'Shawn Scroggins: 98-of-196 passing, 1,092 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions; 228 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.
• RB Eden James: 51 carries, 317 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
• RB Billy Roberson II: 60 carries, 279 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown; 11 receptions, 92 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
• WR Semaj Pierre: 25 receptions and a team-leading 245 receiving yards.
• WR Se'Quan Osborne: 15 receptions, 212 yards and one touchdown.
• LB Kaleb Gallop: Team-high 48 tackles.
• LB Aidan Foster: 41 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
• DB Ben Chandler IV: 38 tackles, two interceptions and eight pass breakups.
• DL Rodney Roane Jr.: 34 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
• K Matt Conord: 10-of-11 on field-goal attempts.

By the Numbers: SC State vs. Howard
Nine-game team statistics from the attached reports.

Category	No. 24 SC State	Howard
Overall record	7-2	4-5
MEAC record	2-0	1-1
Points per game	42.0	18.1
Total offense per game	450.9	250.7*
Rushing yards per game	212.1	117.2*
Passing yards per game	238.8	133.4
Points allowed per game	16.8	30.3
Total defense per game	235.6	378.2
Sacks	28	22
Third-down conversions	46.0%	30.1%

Keys to the Showdown
For South Carolina State, establishing the running game and controlling the line of scrimmage will be critical against a Howard defense allowing 136.1 rushing yards per contest.

The Bulldogs will look to create favorable situations for Watson through their balanced offensive attack while utilizing Pickett-Hicks and Shaw to maintain possession and finish drives.

Defensively, SC State will attempt to pressure Scroggins, limit explosive plays and force the Bison into difficult third-down situations.

The Bulldogs have held opponents to a 25.4% conversion rate on third down, compared with Howard's offensive conversion rate of 30.1%.

With another conference victory, South Carolina State would improve to 3-0 in MEAC play and take another important step toward defending its conference championship.