Delaware State football team overmatched by South Carolina State

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Delaware State’s football team was hoping the start of its MEAC schedule would be rejuvenating.

It wasn’t.

South Carolina State put up 28 first-quarter points and never looked back, rolling to a 69-35 victory over the Hornets at Dawson Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (5-2) led 49-14 at halftime and 62-14 after three quarters before handing DelState (1-7) its sixth loss in a row.

The 69 points were the most allowed by a DSU football team since 2017 when it fell to FBS-level Florida State, 77-6. And against MEAC opponents, it matches the total that the Hornets gave up in 2014 in a 69-7 loss to Morgan State.

South Carolina State, which was celebrating its Homecoming before a crowd of 22,169, finished with 631 yards of offense compared to 322 for the Hornets.

Bulldogs quarterback Eric Phoenix completed 18-of-21 passes for 341 yards with four touchdowns. Caden High caught four passes for 132 yards with Finaj Carter adding 114 yards on six receptions.

DSU was playing without either of its top two quarterbacks in Marqui Adams and C.J. Henry. Jaden Stewart and Mikai Davis were a combined 10-of-25 for 126 passing yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Skyler Jordan caught a 71-yard scoring pass from Stewart with 2:34 left in the contest.

The one bright spot for DSU was the performance of Jaden Sutton, who ran for 150 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries. He had a 72-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter.

The Hornets travel to Howard for a 1 p.m. game next Saturday.