South Carolina State Bulldogs football

The South Carolina State Bulldogs football team represents South Carolina State University in college football. The Bulldogs play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

A historically dominant football program, the Bulldogs lead the MEAC in conference championships. The school has produced four players enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame including Harry Carson, Deacon Jones, Marion Motley, and Donnie Shell. Other legendary Bulldog players include Robert Porcher, Shaquille Leonard, Charlie Brown and Orlando Brown Sr. among others.

Former SC State Coach Willie Jeffries became the first African American Head Coach of a predominantly white Division I-A football program, when he was hired to coach the Wichita State football program in 1979. Jeffries is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

History
List of South Carolina State Bulldogs football seasons

Classifications

 * 1956–1972: NCAA College Division
 * 1967–1969: NAIA
 * 1970–1978: NAIA Division I
 * 1973–1977: NCAA Division II
 * 1978–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS

Conference memberships

 * 1907–1928: Independent
 * 1929–1934: Southeastern Athletic Conference
 * 1935–1970: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
 * 1971–present: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

National Championships
The Bulldogs have been awarded a NCAA-recognized black college football national championship six times in program history.

Conference Championships
South Carolina State has won eighteen Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles, ten outright and eight shared. *Denotes shared title.

Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results
The Bulldogs have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs six times with a record of 2–6.

Bowl game results
The Bulldogs have appeared in 14 bowl games, with a record of 7–7.

Professional Football Hall of Fame members (Canton, Ohio)

 * Harry Carson
 * Deacon Jones
 * Marion Motley
 * Donnie Shell

College Football Hall of Fame members
Note: Dennis Thomas, who served as Bulldogs head coach in the late 1980s, is also an inductee of the College Football Hall of Fame, for his time as a player at Alcorn State.
 * Harry Carson
 * Willie Jeffries
 * Donnie Shell

Alumni in the NFL
Over 40 South Carolina State alumni have played in the NFL, including:


 * Phillip Adams
 * Charlie Brown
 * Orlando Brown Sr.
 * Rafael Bush
 * Barney Bussey
 * Harry Carson
 * Barney Chavous
 * Anthony Cook
 * Cobie Durant
 * John Gilliam
 * Javon Hargrave
 * Dwayne Harper
 * Antonio Hamilton
 * Temarrick Hemingway
 * Willie Holman
 * Deacon Jones
 * William Judson
 * Angelo King
 * James Lee
 * Shaquille Leonard
 * Marshall McFadden
 * Kimario McFadden
 * Ervin Parker
 * Robert Porcher
 * Joe Thomas
 * Christian Thompson
 * Chatrick "Chuck" Darby

Rivalries
SC State has maintained heated rivalries with the North Carolina A&T Aggies, Florida A&M Rattlers, and Bethune-Cookman Wildcats.

NCAA Record
On November 19, 2016, Joe Thomas Sr., father of Green Bay Packers linebacker Joe Thomas, became the oldest player to play in an NCAA Division I game. At 55 years of age, Thomas Sr. had one carry for three yards as a running back in a contest versus Savannah State.