SC State football faces challenges on its quest to repeat as MEAC champs

South Carolina State football coach Chennis Berry did something in 2024 that no Bulldogs coach before him had done. Not even the great Willie Jefferies accomplished it. And Buddy Pough wasn’t able to get it done.

Berry guided S.C. State to the MEAC championship in his first year at the helm after coming over from Benedict College. The Bulldogs finished 9-3 overall with a 5-0 conference record. The question remains: What does he do for an encore?

“New team, new season but same mission,” Berry said after a recent practice. “We want players who will fall in love with the process of going 1-0 every day. We’re headed in the right direction. I saw some good things on the offensive side of the ball, but the challenge is to stack days.”

The Bulldogs will have a lot of new faces on the offensive side of the ball. Berry will be looking for a new quarterback to run the offense — replacing MEAC Offensive Player of the Year Eric Phoenix — as well as having to replace the top three receivers from last season and four of his five starting offensive linemen.

.Ryan Stubblefield was the backup at QB last season but has been challenged by James Madison transfer Billy Atkins for the starting spot. Jay Johnson (transfer from Grambling) and Johnny Jones (transfer from Edward Waters) have been mentioned at the wide receiver spot.

Roster Update

The Bulldogs have added 32 transfers and 12 freshmen to the roster back since the end of last season.

Among the headliners are freshman running back Mason Pickett-Hicks (South Pointe HS), wide receiver Terry Lowery (West Florence HS) and offensive lineman Joseph Allende (River Bluff HS). Among the transfers Berry signed include defensive lineman Michael Lunz (Tulane), running back Julian Milligan (Westwood HS/Fayetteville State) and offensive lineman Jacob Allen (Murray State).

The biggest challenge is to replace the production of Phoenix at quarterback. He threw for 2,603 yards and 20 touchdowns. Caden High was the leading receiver last year with 62 catches for 908 yards and seven scores, and he’s also gone.

Three Players to Watch

KZ Adams, running back: Adams was a record-setting running back for Gray Collegiate in high school and spent a few seasons at Georgia State before transferring to S.C. State last season. He had a team-best 513 yards on the ground and averaged 5.2 yards per carry. He will pair with Tyler Smith to form a formidable 1-2 punch.

Josh Barker, defensive line: Barker has garnered preseason second-team All-MEAC honors after coming away with 30 tackles, eight tackles for loss and five sacks in 2024.

Jarod Washington, defensive back: Washington has been named a second-team 2025 FCS Football Central All-American after a stellar 2024 season in which he returned two interceptions for touchdowns and added 12 pass breakups and 40 tackles in 13 games

Three Key Games

at South Carolina, Sept 6: This is the big money game on the S.C. State schedule and gives them a chance to experience an SEC atmosphere in the second week of the season. The Bulldogs have faced the FBS in-state foe three times and been outscored by an average of 42-9 in the three games. It’s the first meeting with the Gamecocks since 2022.

at North Carolina A&T, Oct 11: The Bulldogs snapped a seven-game losing streak in the series with a 45-25 victory in 2024. This will be the last non-conference game of the season, and a win here could give S.C. State some much needed momentum heading into the conference schedule.

at North Carolina Central, Nov 12: This game could very well determine the MEAC regular season championship. The Bulldogs were picked by the media to win the conference with 63 overall votes and five first-place votes, while N.C. Central finished with 61 points and four first-place votes to claim the No. 2 spot. S.C. State won 24-21 in 2024.

SC State 2025 football schedule

• Aug. 30: vs. Wofford, 6 p.m.
• Sept. 6: at South Carolina, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 13: vs. Bethune-Cookman, 6 p.m.
• Sept. 20: at South Florida, noon
• Sept. 27: at Charleston Southern, 6 p.m.
• Oct. 4: vs. Savannah State, 1:30 p.m.
• Oct. 11: at N.C. A&T, 1 p.m.
• Oct. 25: at Norfolk State, 2 p.m.
• Nov. 1: vs. Morgan State, 2 p.m.
• Nov. 8: vs. Howard, 1:30 p.m.
• Nov. 15: at N.C. Central, TBD
• Nov. 22 at Delaware State University, TBD