Sept. 19 (Saturday)
The Citadel at Clemson (ACC Network/
ACC Extra), 4 p.m.
Notes:
• The Citadel visits Clemson on Saturday in its second contest against a No. 1 FBS team in three seasons.
• The Bulldogs opened the season on Sept. 12 with a 27-6 loss at South Florida, the first of three FBS opponents for The Citadel this fall. Freshman Colby Kintner kicked a pair of field goals for the Bulldogs, while quarterback Brandon Rainey ran for 65 yards and threw for 84. Linebacker Willie Eubanks III posted 12 solo tackles, including three for loss.
• The Citadel last faced Clemson in 2017, when the second-ranked Tigers claimed a 61-3 win.
• The last time the Bulldogs faced the FBS No. 1 team, they were tied 10-10 at the half with Alabama on Nov. 17, 2018, en route to an eventual 50-17 loss.
• Rainey enters Saturday’s contest with 1,989 career rushing yards.
• The Citadel has rushed for at least 200 yards in seven of its last eight games against FBS foes.
• The Bulldogs boast a trio of preseason All-Americans in Eubanks, Rainey and running back Alex Ramsey, though VMI transfer Ramsey, who led the SoCon in rushing last season, has opted out of playing in the fall. Eubanks is the reigning SoCon Defensive Player of the Year.
• Seven other SoCon student-athletes also earned preseason All-America honors, including Samford punt returner Montrell Washington, who garnered first-team honors from Athlon Sports, HERO Sports, Phil Steele and Stats Perform. ETSU’s Quay Holmes; Furman’s Adrian Hope and Devin Wynn; Chattanooga’s Chris James and Cole Strange; and VMI’s Robert Solderholm have also earned preseason All-America distinction from at least one of those organizations.
• The Citadel also claims a member of the FCS Preseason Punter of the Year Award watch list in junior Matthew Campbell.
• Furman is ranked No. 15 and Wofford is No. 16 in the Stats Perform 2020 Preseason FCS Top 25. The Citadel and Chattanooga also received votes in the poll, with the Bulldogs finishing as the third team out. Stats Perform will not conduct a weekly poll this fall.
• The Citadel was ranked No. 21 in the Athlon Sports and HERO Sports preseason polls.
• Mercer announced last week a slate of three fall games. The Bears will open their season at Jacksonville State on Oct. 10 before visiting FBS Army West Point on Oct. 24. Mercer hosts Abilene Christian on Oct. 31 in its lone home game of the fall.
• Chattanooga faces FBS Western Kentucky on Oct. 24, while Western Carolina visits FBS Liberty on Nov. 14 and FCS Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 21.
• SoCon teams are slated to make four appearances on national television this fall. The Citadel opened its season on ESPNU and will face Clemson on the ACC Network and Army West Point on CBS Sports Network. Mercer will also take on Army West Point on CBS Sports Network.
Recent news:
SoCon Goes Pro: NFL Week 1 (9/15/20)
The Citadel falls at USF in season-opener (9/12/20)