Long before the season-opener, the South Carolina State football team expected a tough road matchup with Bethune-Cookman.

The Wildcats’ 20-6 loss to Division II Shaw University has not lessened the team's approach toward’s Saturday Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener.

According to S.C. State defensive coordinator Mike Adams, the team expects a more focused, intense Bethune-Cookman team awaiting it in Daytona Beach.

“What you get from that game is, and we talked about it as a staff, is I guarantee you, Bethune, for as much as we get ready for them, their whole season is based on how they do against us.”

Although S.C. State (1-0) has won three of the last four meetings, the memory of the 2007 loss (a 45-21 rout at the Lowcountry Classic in Charleston) still resonates with Adams.

“I was the secondary coach here and going into that game, everybody told me that when you show up, you’re going to see these tremendous athletes walk out there,” he said. “Even though they didn’t look that good on film the week before, those kids are great looking kids and they’re going to be flying around.”

“So I’m watching this film and they’re doing these different things and they’re not always doing the same thing. Sure enough, three years ago I walked out there and that was one of the best-lo oking college teams I have seen at this level. Dbs look like linebackers, the D-lineman looked like professional D-lineman and that day, they proceeded to get after us pretty good. From that day on, I’ve probably taken this game more seriously.”

Adams said the Bulldogs have to prepare for two different styles of offenses against Bethune-Cookman (0-1). As he learned in 2007, the Wildcats have no qualms about throwing the football should their vaunted ‘Wyattbone’ offense struggle against S.C. State’s defense.

With a short week, the Bulldogs took some steps during the spring and preseason camp to face Bethune-Cookman’s option attack, Adams said.

He also expressed concern about the temperatures after the heat forced several S.C. State players, including quarterback Malcolm Long, wide receiver Lenell Elmore and defensive lineman Markus James out of the game against Grambling on Sunday due to heat cramps.

Current forecast call for a 50 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms with temperatures reaching a high of 86 degrees and the maximum humidity at 91 percent. During his Tuesday teleconference, Bethune-Cookman head coach Alvin Wyatt said rainfall was a factor in his team committing seven turnovers against Shaw.

Pough said Long, Elmore and James have done well enough this week in practice to see action on Saturday.

Another health concern was running back Will Ford, who appeared to have injured his2 0left arm after having the football stripped by Grambling defensive lineman Christian Anthony.

Ford returned late in the contest to finish with 72 yards, placing him second on the school’s all-time rushing list behind Michael Hicks and fifth behind Hampton’s Alonzo Coleman with 3,712 career yards. Up next on Ford’s ‘Drive To History’ is Hampton’s Montrell Coley in fourth place with 3,838 yards.

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