Box Score
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina State Bulldogs showed just how big a gap there is between a playoff-tested veteran NCAA Football Championship Subdivision team and a young NCAA Division II team as they dominated the Benedict Tigers 59-6 on Saturday in the 12^th annual Palmetto Capital City Classic at Williams-Brice Stadium.

The Bulldogs, 2-2, held a 52-0 lead before the Tigers scored. Benedict fell to 2-1 on the season. Benedict lost to S.C. State for the seventh straight time since the two long-time rivals renewed their football series in 2002 in the first Capital City Classic.

The Tigers, who entered the game with the No. 1 defense in Division II, couldn't stop the Bulldogs, who racked up 405 yards of offense. On the flip side, Benedict struggled to move the ball, gaining 57 yards on the ground and 239 yards of total offense. Quarterback Marcus Graham was sacked five times and finished the day with -22 yards rushing.

"They controlled the line of scrimmage," Benedict coach James Woody said. "If you control the line of scrimmage, it's very hard to get anything going offensively or defensively. They are a strong and very good football team. We were out-matched today. We tried and we gave it all we have. Even though the score doesn't seem like it, we played hard and the guys gave everything they had to give."

The Tigers started out with enthusiasm, as Stephen Williams blocked a punt after the Tigers held the Bulldogs to a three-and-out on the first series of the game. The Tigers had the ball at the S.C. State 19-yard line, but Eduardo Hernandez had a 36-yard field goal blocked. The Bulldogs then moved the ball 54 yards on nine plays with quarterback Richard Cue completing a 7-yard pass to Caleb Davis for the first of eight S.C. State touchdowns on the day. S.C. State also got a 20-yard field goal and a safety.

The Bulldogs had a 28-0 lead at the half, thanks to three costly second-quarter turnovers. Darrius Drummond intercepted a Marcus Graham pass and returned it to the Benedict 6. Two plays later, Justin Taylor ran it in from the 4 to give the Bulldogs a 14-0 lead.

On Benedict's next series, Graham was picked off again, as Shaquan Brock returned the interception 55 yards for a score.

On the ensuing possession, Graham's first pass was picked off yet again. The Bulldogs drove 66 plays on five yards for the scoring drive, with Cue connecting with Tyler McDonald for a 46-yard touchdown and a 28-0 halftime lead.

S.C. State scored on five of its seven second-half offensive possessions to put the game safely out of reach.

The Tigers averted the shutout as Tavion Wright scored a 3-yard run with 4:23 left in the game. The scoring run capped Benedict's best drive of the day, going 91 yards on 15 plays. The drive was kept alive on a 23-yard rush by Graham on fourth down. Freshman running back Kenneth Hurley Jr. gained 23 yards in that drive. He finished the game as Benedict's leading rusher with 60 yards on 12 carries and was named Benedict's MVP.

"Of course I'm disappointed when you lose a football game," Woody said. "But I'm happy the guys didn't lay down and quit. Our focus when we were down was to maintain our drive and get a score. And they did that in the fourth quarter and I tip my hat off to them. I'm very happy that they made a drive in the fourth quarter and they didn't give up. By no means am I disappointed in this football team. Sometimes when you get your butt kicked, you've just got to wrap it up, strap it up and get ready for next week."

Benedict opens its SIAC slate with a contest against Fort Valley State in Augusta, Ga., in the annual Augusta City Classic at Lucy Laney High School Stadium.