SCSU Pulls Away from The Citadel in Second Half

Saturday, September 23

Orangeburg, S.C.

6:00 PM

The Citadel

0-4

South Carolina State

1-3

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
The Citadel	0	3	0	7	10
South Carolina St.	7	7	10	7	31

SCSU Pulls Away from The Citadel in Second Half

9/23/2023 10:34:00 PM | Football

Box Score

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The Citadel football team trailed 14-3 to the South Carolina State University Bulldogs at halftime before SCSU pulled away in the second half, as The Citadel fell 31-10 on Saturday evening.

Game Information
Score: South Carolina State 31, The Citadel 10
Records: SCSU (1-3), The Citadel (0-4)
Location: Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
Series: The Citadel leads 3-1

How it Happened:

SCSU got on the board first on their second possession of the game with a 34-yard TD pass.
SCSU was ready to take an early 14-0 lead but The Citadel defense came up with a pair of one yard to goal stops to force a turnover on downs.
SCSU looked poised to add to that lead early in the second quarter, but Melvin Ravenel came up with a timely interception on a deep out to the right pile before returning it 65 yards to the SCSU 34-yard line.
The Citadel offense took advantage of that field position, moving the ball to the 11-yard line before having to settle for a Colby Kintner 25-yard field goal.
SCSU responded on the next drive, orchestrating a 13-play, 81-yard drive, culminating in a 21-yard TD pass to push the advantage to 14-3.
After The Citadel threw an interception with 31 seconds remaining in the half, SCSU hit a 58-yard-deep ball to give them 1^st and Goal from the CIT 5.
SCSU left points on the table heading into halftime however as the pass off a reverse play was short-armed, forcing the SCSU receiver to make a sliding catch at the CIT 2, with no timeouts left, ending the half 14-3 SCSU.
SCSU got the ball first in the second half and drove the ball down the field before connecting on a 35-yard TD, with the receiver getting one foot down just inside the left pile on, SCSU 21-3 with 9:48 left in the third.
On the ensuing possession, The Citadel was faced with a 4^th & 1 and attempted a fake punt that was stopped by the SCSU defense on the CIT 32, leading to a Bulldogs chip shot 22-yard field goal, SCSU 24-3 with 4:35 remaining in the quarter.
In the fourth, a long gain off a screen pass set SCSU up for a one-yard TD plunge to grow the margin to 28 at 31-3 with 11:11 to go in the game.
The Citadel added a touchdown late as Cooper Wallace took a short out pass to the house for a 39-yard score with 2:16 remaining.