by Donal Ware
Remember that talk about the demise of the MEAC after North Carolina A&T, Florida A&M, and Bethune-Cookman left? The demise of the MEAC was highly exaggerated.
With South Carolina State’s 31-10 victory over Jackson State, the Bulldogs did what most didn’t think they could do. They beat a team that was the talk of HBCU football all season long, that had an 11-1 record coming in and the No. 1 ranking in HBCU football. If you have watched SCSU play, you would understand that this win by the Bulldogs was not a surprise. The margin of victory? Yes, that was a surprise. It will be interesting to see who will be named HBCU national champions when the BOXTOROW polls are released on Monday.
As most spoke about how Jackson State and head coach Deion Sanders would obliterate the Bulldogs, SC State head football coach Buddy Pough, his staff, and the Bulldogs relied on his 20 years as head coach at SCSU. His teams have won eight MEAC championships and two HBCU national championships. He coached two of the best players in the National Football League at their positions while they were at SCSU in the Eagles’ Javon Hargrave and the Colts’ Darius Leonard.
That’s what experience will do for you. It’s not all about talent. It’s about how you coach the players you have. Talk about David and Goliath. There was talk about four years ago of South Carolina State shutting down because of financial issues. Even though SCSU generally recruits mostly in South Carolina, that recruiting budget probably got a little tighter, limiting the Bulldogs’ out of state recruiting.
Meanwhile, JSU has players from all over the country. Only 26 players listed on their roster are from Mississippi. There are more FBS transfers than you can count. Former stars of FBS programs. Yet, SCSU, stuck to its game plan—to run the football, pass when necessary, and play elite defense.
JSU quarterback Shedeur Sanders was pressured and confused all day. Remember, he is a freshman. He had never played on this type of stage before with a national championship hanging in the balance and the game being nationally televised on ABC. It doesn’t matter what your name is, that’s a lot of pressure. The other thing is SCSU players have names on the back of their jerseys too. Names like Green, Godbolt, and Davis. Of course, there is BOXTOROW All-American defensive back Decobie Durant, who had two interceptions in a game this season against Clemson. Yes, the Tigers.
But the name that shined the brightest for South Carolina State was wide receiver Shaquan Davis. Davis caught five passes for 95 yards and used his 6-5 frame to catch three touchdown passes.
All year, I’ve heard talk of the MEAC dissolving and the possibility of other schools leaving. On at least two occasions the MEAC has put out a statement stating that its eight schools (six football playing institutions) are united.
After the game, Pough had a big tear streaming down his face. If you think that tear was just because the Bulldogs defeated JSU, you’re wrong. He understood the magnitude of his team’s victory for the MEAC. He’s talked all year about what the conference has meant to him and how there is still good football in the conference. He was against this type of MEAC/SWAC bowl game years ago and rightfully so. His South Carolina State teams were elite and worthy of playing in the national playoffs. He has now embraced this game and had waited for this team’s turn to finally get there and the Bulldogs made the most of that opportunity.
The other thing to remember is this: the MEAC is financially solvent and has been for some time. The MEAC opened the season with North Carolina Central’s victory over Alcorn State in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and closed the season with the Bulldogs’ victory over Jackson State.
The MEAC is far from done.
Donal Ware is the host of the nationally syndicated sports talk radio program FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW, airing in over 26 markets across the country and on ESPNU Radio SiriusXM and on SiriusXM Channel 142 H.B.C.U. He is a Morgan State University graduate and has been covering HBCU sports for more than 20 years.