COLUMBIA, SC – SC State running backs Chris Massey and Asheton Jordan combined for 274 yards and four touchdowns to power the Bulldogs to a 61-20 victory over intrastate rival Benedict Saturday at Charlie Johnson Stadium before a record crowd of 13,334.
Massey, a senior, had 20 carries for 148 yards and added scoring runs of 11 and two yards, while Jordan, a sophomore, amassed 126 yards on 14 attempts and scored twice from two yards out in the victory in which the Bulldogs scored the most points since a 65-15 triumph over Morgan State in 2005.
Coach Buddy Pough’s team also got scoring runs from reserve running back Chris Merrill and backup quarterback Derrick Wiley, a punt return for a score from Richard Christie and two field goals from Blake Erickson in the win, the second in a row for SC State, which climbed to 2-1 on the year.
The Bulldogs won their second straight contest to climb to 2-1 on the season. SC State is idle next week and return to competition Oct. 2 at Florida A&M.
SC State rolled up 415 yards total offense in the contest, with 371 coming on the ground. The Tigers, meanwhile, were limited to 151 yards, just 38 rushing.
Benedict, which fell to 0-4, took a 7-0 lead in the game when Marquez blocked a punt attempt by the Bulldogs’ Erickson and Domenic Slivera returned it six yards for a score. Andy Polanco added the PAT with 6:20 on the first period clock.
SC State took just 42 seconds to pull even as the Bulldogs marched 69 yards in three plays, with Massey capping it with an 11-yard scoring run. Erickson added the PAT to deadlock the contest at 7-all with 5:33 on the first-period clock.
SC State added 17 more unanswered points on Jordan’s first scoring run, a 35-yard field goal by Erickson and Massey’s second score of the game to build a 24-7 edge with 9:29 left in the half. Pough’s team led 34-13 at the half.
The score was 41-20 after three before the Bulldogs outscored the host 20-0 in the fourth period for the final margin.
The Tigers had five turnovers in the contest, while the Bulldogs had two miscues.