Saturday, October 24
Charleston, S.C.
2:00 PM
The Citadel
vs
Tennessee Tech
Photo by: Aaron Beswick / The Citadel Athletics
10/23/2026 3:27:00 PM | Football
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Citadel (2-5, 0-3 SoCon) returns home to kindle a new Southern Conference rivalry against league newcomer No. 12/11 Tennessee Tech (6-1, 3-1 SoCon) on Saturday, Oct. 24, squaring off with the Golden Eagles for the Tangerine Bowl in a 2 p.m. kickoff at Sansom Field at Johnson Hagood Stadium. For full coverage, tune in live via the ESPN+ or follow along via social media -- @CitadelFootball.
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
THE CITADEL (2-5, 0-3 SoCon) vs. TENNESSEE TECH (6-1, 3-1 SoCon)
Saturday, Oct. 24 | 2 p.m.
Sansom Field at Johnson Hagood Stadium | Charleston, S.C.
Game Notes: The Citadel | Tennessee Tech | Southern Conference
Follow Live: Live Stats | Watch | Listen | Tickets
WEEKLY SOCIAL SYNC
SERIES INFO
Series Results: 1-0, The Citadel
Last Time: W, 27-0 (12/30/1960)
Last at Johnson Hagood: N/A
Streak: W1
KEY GAME NOTES
HOMEGROWN TALENT
Highlighted by multiple offseason additions on the recruiting trail, the Bulldogs continue to showcase the strong football tradition of the greater Charleston area on the roster, including:
- LB Chase Anderson, LS Tommy DiLiegro, DL Andrew Jackson, OL Frank Schmidt, TE Whit Hobgood, LB Robert Mallard III & TE Jude Claborn, Charleston, S.C.
- RB Dorvensky Reichley, Moncks Corner, S.C.
- DB JJ Fludd, North Charleston, S.C.
- DB Ryland Mitchell, OL Andrew Tumbleston & LB Tim Miller Jr., Summerville, S.C.
- P Jack Weil & LB Jameson Bell, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
POUND THE ROCK
Fueled by seven 200-yard-plus rushing performances over the course of the past 11 games, including 2025 vs. VMI (329), vs. Wofford (201) and at ETSU (218) plus 2026 at Wofford (227), at Charlotte (268), vs. Charleston Southern (235) and at South Carolina State (235), the Bulldogs' ground game has evolved into one of the offense's most reliable weapons under third-year OC Lamar Owens. From the national perspective, The Citadel slots in as one of the top rushing attacks in the FCS, currently ranking 15th nationwide and second in the SoCon behind a 200.6 yards per game mark. Individually, Gavin Garcia paces the pack behind a 89.3 yards per game average, good for 21st nationally and third league-wide, with six touchdowns off 127 total carries. Quentin Hayes slots in second on the squad with 292 yards and one TD for the year, including a team-long 60-yard burst to set up the Bulldogs' first touchdown of the day at SC State.
THE SHARK HUNTER (YES, LITERALLY)
The offseason addition of RB Gavin Garcia has created additional avenues of opportunity for The Citadel offense, as the Kent State transfer brings a wealth of experience from four years of #MACtion. A multi-year contributor in the backfield for the Golden Flashes, Garcia logged 146 rushes for 647 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, good for 4.4 yards per carry. All-in-all, when the Pennsylvania product entered the portal, The Citadel proved an attractive option for more than just football -- Charleston, and even more specifically, Charleston beaches. A longtime gamesman and fisherman, Garcia has recently turned his focus to shark hunting, working the reel directly off the shore or from a chartered vessel. Unsurprisingly, he has transformed the pursuit into a burgeoning social media presence via his @gghooksnhorns handle, and currently runs his own shark fishing charters in the spare time between graduate school and football commitments.
MILITARY DISCIPLINE
In spite of the mascot, The Citadel managed to avoid the doghouse often during the 2025 season, ranking ninth FCS-wide with 4.42 penalties per game while sitting 19th nationally with just 42.42 penalty yards per game. Seven games deep into the 2026 campaign, the Bulldogs continue their displined approach, ranking first nationally and first in the SoCon (naturally) with just 3.29 penalties per game as well as second in the FCS and second league-wide with 29.29 penalty yards per game.
RETURN FIRE
Since arriving on campus ahead of the 2024 campaign, Braylon Knauth has served as the team's defacto kickoff and punt returner, amassing nearly 100 total returns and innumerous fair catches and touchbacks. Now a junior and member of the famed Palmetto Battery, Knauth ranks 14th nationally and first in the SoCon for combined kick returns behind 386 total yards, averaging 21.8 yards per kickoff return (34th in FCS, first league-wide) and 8.5 yards per punt return (27th nationwide, fifth in SoCon).
WORLD WAR Z
A lead-by-example centerpiece for The Citadel defense, Dartmouth transfer Zyion Brown has made his presence felt throughout the 2026 campaign, registering a team-best 61.0 total tackles thus far, good for 29th in the FCS and second in SoCon, with 27.0 logged as solo takedowns, slotted as 83rd nationally and third league-wide. The Ohio native also serves as the team's top backfield disrupter behind 6.5 tackles-for-loss on the season.
#DISRUPTORS
As a unit, the defensive front has proven difficult for opposing offenses to properly deal with in terms of penetration, racking up 2.14 sacks per game en route to the No. 36 position on the FCS leaderboard as well as fifth conference-wide. Individually, Zyion Brown (6.5 TFLs; 4.0 sacks), Jalen Wright (4.5 TFLs; 2.0 sacks), Maurice Bonneau Jr. (3.5 TFLs; 2.0 sacks), Savionne Rogers (3.5 TFLs; 2.5 sacks) and Beau Shugarts (3.0 TFLs; 0.5 sacks) have served as the primary threats for The Citadel on the season, combing for 21.0 of the team's 35.0 TFLs thus far.
NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP
After dominating the time-of-possession in three of the opening four contests, The Citadel offense has managed to average a daunting 32:58 minutes of possession on the year, good for seventh nationally and first within the Southern Conference. Further, the Bulldogs have proven effective at retaining possession, surrendering just seven total giveaways -- five fumbles & two interceptions -- for the season, good for 26th overall in the FCS and third league-wide. A year ago, The Citadel set a new program record for fewest turnovers, giving up 11 en route to No. 17 in the national rankings and second amongst SoCon brethren.
The Tangerine Bowl | A Rebirth
Prior to Tennessee Tech officially joining the Southern Conference on July 1, 2026, The Citadel and the Golden Eagles shared a unique moment in football history: the 1960 Tangerine Bowl, good for the first -- and until now, only -- meeting between the two programs. Notably, the Bulldogs left Orlando, Fla., boasting a 27-0 shutout victory over Tennessee Tech, laying the foundation for the team's first SoCon title the following season in 1961. To commemorate the bowl game and the Golden Eagles' entrance into the league, a new Tangerine Bowl trophy was commissioned to celebrate a rivalry over six decades in the making.
RED (HOT) ZONE
Through seven games, The Citadel offense has risen to the challenge within the red zone, garnering points on 17-of-19 visits (.895), good for the 22nd-best conversion rate in the FCS and third within the league. When within striking distance, the Bulldogs have set their sights on the end zone as well, punching in TDs on 13 of their 17 successful attempts inside the 20-yard line.
SECONDARY SWAGGER
Defensively, the Bulldogs have proven a difficult unit for opposing offenses to crack thus far into the season, notably ranking 27th nationally in passing yards allowed, good for fourth in the Southern Conference, via a 189.4 yards per game average. Further, four of the team's seven takeaways were generated off INTs, including a pair each in the opening two games.
DEGREES OF DISTINCTION
Amongst the multitude of offseason additions for The Citadel, head coach Maurice Drayton managed to sign a number of college graduates to the program, adding considerable depth and experience for the Bulldogs. Within the group, though, four standouts hail from prestigious academic institutions ranked inside the Top 40 colleges & universities via U.S. News & World Report, including LB Zyion Brown (Dartmouth, t-No. 13), WR Derek Kee (Vanderbilt, t-No. 17), QB Nick Billoups (UCLA, t-No. 17) and WR Ismael Zamor (Boston College, t-No. 36).
(NORTH) AMERICAN MADE
The Citadel 2026 roster hails from across the United States and even into Canada, spanning 20 states coast-to-coast and one Canadian province:
- South Carolina: 49
- Georgia: 16
- Florida: 8
- North Carolina: 7
- Alabama: 4
-California: 3
- Ohio: 3
- Tennessee: 3
- Texas: 2
- Arizona: 1
- Connecticut: 1
- Illinois: 1
- Kentucky: 1
- Louisiana: 1
- Maryland: 1
- Massachusetts: 1
- Mississippi: 1
- Nebraska: 1
- New Jersey: 1
- Pennsylvania: 1
- Quebec: 1
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
THE CITADEL (2-5, 0-3 SoCon) vs. TENNESSEE TECH (6-1, 3-1 SoCon)
Saturday, Oct. 24 | 2 p.m.
Sansom Field at Johnson Hagood Stadium | Charleston, S.C.
Game Notes: The Citadel | Tennessee Tech | Southern Conference
Follow Live: Live Stats | Watch | Listen | Tickets
WEEKLY SOCIAL SYNC
𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟏𝟎𝟏,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 🎬🤠 #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/l4gQVTGkdY
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 19, 2026
Ahead of the Bulldogs' home return on Saturday, HC @KoachDrayton chatted w/ the local CHS media during his weekly press conference 🫡 Full presser ⤵️ 🎥: https://t.co/oFJbGyqr7a #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/r2KvuZ7Ywa
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 19, 2026
ICYMI: The full episode from last night's edition of Beyond the Barracks is now available on all our usual podcast channels 🎧 🎙️: https://t.co/gjSipdEpgf #FireThoseCannons
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 20, 2026
🎥 We caught up with fifth year linebacker Zyion Brown ‼️ He reflects on Texas A&M, looks ahead to Tennessee Tech, and discusses his monster season where he leads the 'Dogs in tackles, tackles for a loss, and sacks! 🗣️⬇️ #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/qVbOyD0vG1
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 20, 2026
𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 8️⃣ 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 🔵⚪️ #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/cXsKcvnLdY
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 21, 2026
The first and only meeting between The Citadel & Tennessee Tech occurred over 65 years ago in the 1960 Tangerine Bowl 🍊🏆 The rivalry lives on Saturday when the Golden Eagles visit Charleston 🫡 Full feature ⤵️ 📰: https://t.co/lftpL1HG5t #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/dv5zEwizRI
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 21, 2026
Today marks the 20th anniversary of Tory Cooper's 200-yard, two-TD rushing performance against Western Carolina, helping lead the Bulldogs to a 30-24 OT victory 🤩 Notably, The Citadel has witnessed only 15 individual 200-yard ground outings all-time 🫡 #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/gnkTtE6yBX
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 21, 2026
𝐀 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐩 𝟔𝟔 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠… 🎬🍊 #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/0yOeH3vyV1
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 22, 2026
Shoutout to our very own Tommy DiLiegro for garnering 2026 @philsteele042 FCS Mid-Season All-American honors as a first-team long snapper 🫡🤩 Additional details ⤵️ 📰: https://t.co/kHrqj757pV #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/v8F4jmdp0b
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 22, 2026
Q gettin' some love 🫡🤩🔥
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 23, 2026
SERIES INFO
Series Results: 1-0, The Citadel
Last Time: W, 27-0 (12/30/1960)
Last at Johnson Hagood: N/A
Streak: W1
KEY GAME NOTES
HOMEGROWN TALENT
Highlighted by multiple offseason additions on the recruiting trail, the Bulldogs continue to showcase the strong football tradition of the greater Charleston area on the roster, including:
- LB Chase Anderson, LS Tommy DiLiegro, DL Andrew Jackson, OL Frank Schmidt, TE Whit Hobgood, LB Robert Mallard III & TE Jude Claborn, Charleston, S.C.
- RB Dorvensky Reichley, Moncks Corner, S.C.
- DB JJ Fludd, North Charleston, S.C.
- DB Ryland Mitchell, OL Andrew Tumbleston & LB Tim Miller Jr., Summerville, S.C.
- P Jack Weil & LB Jameson Bell, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
POUND THE ROCK
Fueled by seven 200-yard-plus rushing performances over the course of the past 11 games, including 2025 vs. VMI (329), vs. Wofford (201) and at ETSU (218) plus 2026 at Wofford (227), at Charlotte (268), vs. Charleston Southern (235) and at South Carolina State (235), the Bulldogs' ground game has evolved into one of the offense's most reliable weapons under third-year OC Lamar Owens. From the national perspective, The Citadel slots in as one of the top rushing attacks in the FCS, currently ranking 15th nationwide and second in the SoCon behind a 200.6 yards per game mark. Individually, Gavin Garcia paces the pack behind a 89.3 yards per game average, good for 21st nationally and third league-wide, with six touchdowns off 127 total carries. Quentin Hayes slots in second on the squad with 292 yards and one TD for the year, including a team-long 60-yard burst to set up the Bulldogs' first touchdown of the day at SC State.
THE SHARK HUNTER (YES, LITERALLY)
The offseason addition of RB Gavin Garcia has created additional avenues of opportunity for The Citadel offense, as the Kent State transfer brings a wealth of experience from four years of #MACtion. A multi-year contributor in the backfield for the Golden Flashes, Garcia logged 146 rushes for 647 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, good for 4.4 yards per carry. All-in-all, when the Pennsylvania product entered the portal, The Citadel proved an attractive option for more than just football -- Charleston, and even more specifically, Charleston beaches. A longtime gamesman and fisherman, Garcia has recently turned his focus to shark hunting, working the reel directly off the shore or from a chartered vessel. Unsurprisingly, he has transformed the pursuit into a burgeoning social media presence via his @gghooksnhorns handle, and currently runs his own shark fishing charters in the spare time between graduate school and football commitments.
MILITARY DISCIPLINE
In spite of the mascot, The Citadel managed to avoid the doghouse often during the 2025 season, ranking ninth FCS-wide with 4.42 penalties per game while sitting 19th nationally with just 42.42 penalty yards per game. Seven games deep into the 2026 campaign, the Bulldogs continue their displined approach, ranking first nationally and first in the SoCon (naturally) with just 3.29 penalties per game as well as second in the FCS and second league-wide with 29.29 penalty yards per game.
RETURN FIRE
Since arriving on campus ahead of the 2024 campaign, Braylon Knauth has served as the team's defacto kickoff and punt returner, amassing nearly 100 total returns and innumerous fair catches and touchbacks. Now a junior and member of the famed Palmetto Battery, Knauth ranks 14th nationally and first in the SoCon for combined kick returns behind 386 total yards, averaging 21.8 yards per kickoff return (34th in FCS, first league-wide) and 8.5 yards per punt return (27th nationwide, fifth in SoCon).
WORLD WAR Z
A lead-by-example centerpiece for The Citadel defense, Dartmouth transfer Zyion Brown has made his presence felt throughout the 2026 campaign, registering a team-best 61.0 total tackles thus far, good for 29th in the FCS and second in SoCon, with 27.0 logged as solo takedowns, slotted as 83rd nationally and third league-wide. The Ohio native also serves as the team's top backfield disrupter behind 6.5 tackles-for-loss on the season.
#DISRUPTORS
As a unit, the defensive front has proven difficult for opposing offenses to properly deal with in terms of penetration, racking up 2.14 sacks per game en route to the No. 36 position on the FCS leaderboard as well as fifth conference-wide. Individually, Zyion Brown (6.5 TFLs; 4.0 sacks), Jalen Wright (4.5 TFLs; 2.0 sacks), Maurice Bonneau Jr. (3.5 TFLs; 2.0 sacks), Savionne Rogers (3.5 TFLs; 2.5 sacks) and Beau Shugarts (3.0 TFLs; 0.5 sacks) have served as the primary threats for The Citadel on the season, combing for 21.0 of the team's 35.0 TFLs thus far.
NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP
After dominating the time-of-possession in three of the opening four contests, The Citadel offense has managed to average a daunting 32:58 minutes of possession on the year, good for seventh nationally and first within the Southern Conference. Further, the Bulldogs have proven effective at retaining possession, surrendering just seven total giveaways -- five fumbles & two interceptions -- for the season, good for 26th overall in the FCS and third league-wide. A year ago, The Citadel set a new program record for fewest turnovers, giving up 11 en route to No. 17 in the national rankings and second amongst SoCon brethren.
The Tangerine Bowl | A Rebirth
Prior to Tennessee Tech officially joining the Southern Conference on July 1, 2026, The Citadel and the Golden Eagles shared a unique moment in football history: the 1960 Tangerine Bowl, good for the first -- and until now, only -- meeting between the two programs. Notably, the Bulldogs left Orlando, Fla., boasting a 27-0 shutout victory over Tennessee Tech, laying the foundation for the team's first SoCon title the following season in 1961. To commemorate the bowl game and the Golden Eagles' entrance into the league, a new Tangerine Bowl trophy was commissioned to celebrate a rivalry over six decades in the making.
RED (HOT) ZONE
Through seven games, The Citadel offense has risen to the challenge within the red zone, garnering points on 17-of-19 visits (.895), good for the 22nd-best conversion rate in the FCS and third within the league. When within striking distance, the Bulldogs have set their sights on the end zone as well, punching in TDs on 13 of their 17 successful attempts inside the 20-yard line.
SECONDARY SWAGGER
Defensively, the Bulldogs have proven a difficult unit for opposing offenses to crack thus far into the season, notably ranking 27th nationally in passing yards allowed, good for fourth in the Southern Conference, via a 189.4 yards per game average. Further, four of the team's seven takeaways were generated off INTs, including a pair each in the opening two games.
DEGREES OF DISTINCTION
Amongst the multitude of offseason additions for The Citadel, head coach Maurice Drayton managed to sign a number of college graduates to the program, adding considerable depth and experience for the Bulldogs. Within the group, though, four standouts hail from prestigious academic institutions ranked inside the Top 40 colleges & universities via U.S. News & World Report, including LB Zyion Brown (Dartmouth, t-No. 13), WR Derek Kee (Vanderbilt, t-No. 17), QB Nick Billoups (UCLA, t-No. 17) and WR Ismael Zamor (Boston College, t-No. 36).
(NORTH) AMERICAN MADE
The Citadel 2026 roster hails from across the United States and even into Canada, spanning 20 states coast-to-coast and one Canadian province:
- South Carolina: 49
- Georgia: 16
- Florida: 8
- North Carolina: 7
- Alabama: 4
-California: 3
- Ohio: 3
- Tennessee: 3
- Texas: 2
- Arizona: 1
- Connecticut: 1
- Illinois: 1
- Kentucky: 1
- Louisiana: 1
- Maryland: 1
- Massachusetts: 1
- Mississippi: 1
- Nebraska: 1
- New Jersey: 1
- Pennsylvania: 1
- Quebec: 1
-- #FireThoseCannons --
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