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The Citadel Athletics | The Military College of South Carolina
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Football

Game Day Central: South Florida

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The Citadel (0-0)
at South Florida (0-0)
Sept. 12 - 7 p.m.
Raymond James Stadium - Tampa, Florida
 
Stadium Raymond James Stadium
Capacity 65,890
Surface Bermuda Grass
Kickoff 7 p.m.
TV ESPNU
Lincoln Rose (PxP), Stan Routt (Analyst)
Radio WQNT (92.1 FM / 102.1 FM / 1450 AM
Luke Mauro (PxP) and Lee Glaze(Analyst)
Internet CitadelSports.com
Series Record Series tied 1-1

Inside The Numbers
112 - Linebacker Willie Eubanks III finished the 2019 season with 112 tackles. The Preseason First-Team All-American selection is just the fourth Bulldog in the last 20 years to surpass the 100-tackle mark.
30 - Quarterback Brandon Rainey accounted for 30 touchdowns last season, the most by a Bulldog signal caller in program history. Rainey also become just the second QB to rush for and throw for at least 10 touchdowns in a season. Rainey rushed for 17 touchdowns and threw for 13 more.
8 - The Bulldogs have eight victories over Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams since officially becoming a member of the FCS in 1982. The most recent victory came in 2019 against Georgia Tech. Other victories include Army West Point (2), Navy (2), South Carolina (2) and Arkansas.
3 - The Citadel will be playing three games against Football Bowl Subdivision FBS teams this season. It is the most played in a single-season. The Bulldogs will also face Clemson and Army West Point.

On This Date
In 1998, the Bulldogs scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to rally for a 20-14 road victory over Wofford in the conference opener for both teams. Trailing by one in the fourth quarter, The Citadel went on a 15-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Jason Barley catching a nine-yard touchdown pass from Stanley Myers with just four seconds remaining. The TD reception was Barley's first of his career.

The Game
The Citadel opens the 2020 season on the road as it travels to face South Florida. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Radio Coverage
All games this season can be heard live on 92.1-FM/102.1-FM/1450-AM in the Charleston. The new voice of the Bulldogs, Luke Mauro, will be joined by Lee Glaze in the booth.

ESPNU
Saturday's game will be broadcast on ESPNU. Lincoln Rose will be on the call alongside Stan Routt.

Saturday Weather
The early forecast is calling for partly sunny skies and temperatures in the upper-80s during the day.

vs. South Florida
Saturday's game will be the third meeting between the two schools. The teams met in Charleston in 1997, with the Bulldogs winning 10-7. The second meeting happened in Tampa in 1998, with the Bulls prevailing 45-6.

Inside the USF Series
Although the teams have only played twice previously, there is a bit of history that goes with both games. The 1997 game was the first road game in Bulls history, and also the first loss in program history. The 1998 contest was the first Bulls' game played inside Raymond James Stadium.

Season Openers
The Bulldogs are 58-50-3 all-time in season openers. The Citadel has lost a pair of close games in each of the last two season openers.

FBS Win
The Citadel notched its eighth win over a FBS opponent with the win over Georgia Tech in 2019. It was the Bulldogs fourth victory over a Power 5 program.
Year    Opponent    Score
2019    Georgia Tech    27-24ot
2015    South Carolina    23-22
1992    Arkansas    10-3
1992    Army    15-14
1991    Army    20-14
1990    South Carolina    35-30
1989    Navy    14-10
1988    Navy    42-35

Opening Against the FBS
Saturday's game will mark the 12th time the Bulldogs open the season against an FBS opponent. The last time The Citadel opened a season against a FBS opponent was against North Carolina in 2009. The Bulldogs are 1-10 in the previous 11 games.
Year    Opponent    Score
2009    North Carolina    6-40
2006    Texas A&M    3-35
2002    LSU    10-35
2001    Georgia Tech    7-35
2000    Clemson    0-38
1998    Florida    10-49
1996    Miami    6-52
1992    Arkansas    10-3
1986    North Carolina    14-45
1985    South Carolina    17-56
1984    South Carolina    24-31

Three FBS Opponents
The 2020 season will mark the first time in program history that the Bulldogs will play three FBS opponents in a season. The Citadel has played two FBS opponents in a season 10 times prior, with six of those occurrences happening in the 1980s.
Year    Opponents    
2015    Georgia Southern and South Carolina
2004    Auburn and Duke
2002    LSU and Wyoming
1992    Arkansas and Army*
1988    Duke and Navy
1987    Georgia Tech and Army
1986    North Carolina and Clemson
1984    South Carolina and Georgia Tech
1983    North Carolina State and Tennessee
1982    Georgia Tech and Navy
* - both victories

Group of 5
Saturday's game at USF will be the 13th game against a Group of 5 team. The first 10 came against the service academies, while the two most recent games came against Wyoming in 2002 and Georgia Southern in 2015.

100-Yard Rusher in Season Opener
The Citadel has had a 100-yard rusher in the season opener every year dating back to the 2014 season.
Year    Rusher    Opponent    Yards
2019    Brandon Rainey    Towson    169
2018    Lorenzo Ward    Wofford    124
2017    Cam Jackson    Newberry    110
2016    Tyler Renew    Mercer    146
2015    Evan McField    Davidson    132
    Isiaha Smith    Davidson    109
2014    Tyler Renew    Coastal Carolina    137
    Jake Stenson    Coastal Carolina    120

Rushing Yards Against the FBS
The Bulldogs have had success on the ground in their last seven games against FBS opponents. The Citadel has rushed for at least 250 yards in six of the seven games.
Year    Opponent    Yards
2019    Georgia Tech    320
2018    Alabama    275
2017    Clemson    155
2016    North Carolina    344
2015    Georgia Southern    313
    South Carolina    350
2014    Florida State    250

Up Next
The Bulldogs play their second-straight game against a FBS opponent as they travel to face No. 1 Clemson on Sept. 19. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. on the ACC Network.

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Players Mentioned

Tyler Renew

#36 Tyler Renew

B-Back
5' 11"
Junior
Isiaha Smith

#39 Isiaha Smith

B-Back
5' 10"
Sophomore
Cam Jackson

#18 Cam Jackson

A-Back
6' 2"
Senior
Evan McField

#34 Evan McField

B-Back
6' 0"
Sophomore
Lorenzo Ward

#8 Lorenzo Ward

B-Back
5' 10"
Junior
Willie Eubanks III

#9 Willie Eubanks III

LB
6' 2"
Junior
Brandon Rainey

#16 Brandon Rainey

QB
6' 0"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Tyler Renew

#36 Tyler Renew

5' 11"
Junior
B-Back
Isiaha Smith

#39 Isiaha Smith

5' 10"
Sophomore
B-Back
Cam Jackson

#18 Cam Jackson

6' 2"
Senior
A-Back
Evan McField

#34 Evan McField

6' 0"
Sophomore
B-Back
Lorenzo Ward

#8 Lorenzo Ward

5' 10"
Junior
B-Back
Willie Eubanks III

#9 Willie Eubanks III

6' 2"
Junior
LB
Brandon Rainey

#16 Brandon Rainey

6' 0"
Junior
QB

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