The moment the broadcast went live on ESPN2, the clash between South Carolina State and North Carolina Central simply felt big. This was more than just a game; it was the inevitable showdown that would determine who controlled the destiny of the MEAC Championship race. The physical intensity between these two evenly matched teams was evident from the start, a tight defensive struggle that quickly went from 3-3 to a full-blown offensive storm.
South Carolina State answered quickly, finding success in the run game with K.Z. Adams, who had several big gains. The momentum culminated in an up-tempo drive that ended when quarterback William Atkins IV delivered a touchdown throw, which pushed the score to 10-3 after a successful PAT. But Chennis Berry wasn't satisfied with a tight lead. In a game this big, he pulled out all the stops.
In a bold, high-risk call, the Bulldogs attempted an onside kick, their first of the season, and successfully recovered it. This display of aggressive play-calling paid off immediately: on the very next play, Atkins launched a 51-yard touchdown bomb to Nigel Johnson. In the span of mere seconds, South Carolina State had gone from a modest lead to a commanding 17-3 lead to end the first quarter. The atmosphere of the game felt completely flipped.
In a bold, high-risk call, the Bulldogs attempted an onside kick and successfully recovered it. This display of aggressive play-calling paid off immediately: on the very next play, Atkins launched a 51-yard touchdown bomb to Nigel Johnson. In the span of mere seconds, South Carolina State had gone from a modest lead to a commanding 17-3 lead to end the first quarter. The atmosphere of the game felt completely flipped. It looked like South Carolina State was cruising to a huge victory.
The Eagles, however, refused to relent. They quickly orchestrated a scoring surge in the second quarter—a field goal, followed immediately by the defensive play of the game. NCCU's defense began dialing up the pressure on Atkins, and defensive back Eric Adams intercepted a pass that turned into a pick-six. All of a sudden, the game was competitive again at 17-13.
The defensive pressure applied by Trei Oliver’s staff worked to perfection; Atkins looked tentative, having been sacked and knocked off his square. NCCU capitalized on the offensive momentum shift, driving the length of the field. The drive culminated in Chris Mosley powering through tackles for a nine-yard touchdown run. NCCU had flipped the script, taking a 20-17 lead into the half. The Bulldogs had come out swinging, but the Eagles had made the necessary adjustments to control the flow of the game, leaving Atkins looking shaky.
The third quarter saw South Carolina State recover a fumble on the kickoff, leading to a field goal that tied the game at 20-20. But Walker Harris quickly struck back, hitting Makai Wall for a 35-yard touchdown reception to put NCCU back up 27-20. South Carolina State was on its heels, needing an answer. And ultimately, they found one.
The defense was the story of the fourth quarter. After South Carolina State's defense held, Atkins showed resilience, connecting on a Jordan Smith touchdown catch to tie the game again at 27-27. Then came the game's ultimate moment of controversy: Deep in the red zone, Chennis Berry made an aggressive choice to go for it on fourth down instead of kicking an easy field goal. NCCU's defense held, forcing a turnover on downs and raising questions about Berry's decision-making. If you kick the easy field goal, you go up and trust your defense to keep North Carolina Central out of the endzone. Fortunately for Berry, his defense proved unforgiving.
They immediately held NCCU to a three-and-out. With the ball back and minutes ticking down, Josh Shaw ripped off a phenomenal 30-yard touchdown run, breaking tackles and outrunning defenders to find paydirt, putting the Bulldogs ahead 34-27. North Carolina Central raced against the clock, but the Bulldogs' defensive pressure was unrelenting. They collapsed the pocket and forced Walker Harris into a final fourth-down desperation throw. Harris had Chris Mosley open, but the pass was incomplete, resulting in a turnover on downs.
Chennis Berry won his second straight game over North Carolina Central—but not before the Eagles demonstrated why they will remain a major factor in the MEAC landscape. Now, all eyes are on Delaware State. If they beat Howard tomorrow afternoon, next week's South Carolina State/Delaware State game will be the unofficial MEAC Championship game, with DeSean Jackson and Chennis Berry battling for the conference crown and an invite to the Celebration Bowl.
