COLUMBIA - It’s the toughest 57 rushing yards Will Ford will probably gain all season for South Carolina State.

Two years after rushing for 112 yards against the University of South Carolina, the Walter Payton Award finalist expected to be the center of attention of a more-improved defense. Even with quarterback Malcolm Long having success throwing and running the football, slowing down number 28 remained the top priority for the Gamecocks.

Like his three previous games, Ford found the terrain for each of his 17 carries on Saturday full of hard resistance. The Traveler’s Rest native has had to work for all 304 yards he’s gained this season and does not expect it to get any easier as he closes in on the school and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference career-rushing list record.

“It’s been rough,” Ford said. “When you’re out there on the radar, they’re going to bring that extra guy, those extra two guys in the box.

So, it’s going to be rough, but you’ve just got to find a way. You’ve just got to buckle down and continue to work hard.”

With seven regular-season games remaining, Ford will need to average

94.3 yards per game to surpass Hampton’s Alonzo Coleman for first place in the conference career rushing list. He needs just 106 yards to supplant Michael Hicks on the Bulldogs’ all-time rushing list and 157 yards to move past=2 0Howard’s Harvey Reid for second place.

Ford was more than encouraged with the play of the offensive line.

After struggling with consistency through the first three games, the offensive line did not allow a single sack to an SEC school.

“I think they played the best this game,” he said. “I might not have had the big yardage, but I think they played pretty good and they stepped up to the plate.”

The timing of the group’s improvement comes as the Bulldogs head into the meat of the MEAC schedule starting Saturday against Norfolk State.

Ford said it’s important for the team to maintain the same work ethic and preparation showed this past week if S.C. State is to repeat as MEAC champion.

“Just continue to work and prepare,” Ford said. “We can’t take any days off. We can’t take anybody for granted. We’ve just got to look at every team like they’re South Carolina and play our hardest and leave it all out on the field.”

INSTANT REPLAY

WORKS FOR POUGH

Facing an SEC foe on national television not only afforded exposure for the football team (despite a power outage which interrupted the television broadcast in the first half), but another chance to capitalize on instant replay challenges.

In two appearances at Williams-Brice Stadium, Pough is now 3-4 in challenges after coming out on top on 1-2 on Saturday. The challeng e he won was on a called fumble on quarterback Derrick Wiley during the Bulldogs’ final scoring drive in the fourth quarter.

The call was reversed after the instant replay showed Wiley was down before losing the football, allowing Malcolm Long to enter the game two plays later to score on a one-yard keeper with four seconds left.

UNSPECIAL NIGHT

Through the first two games of the season, the S.C. State special teams has excelled on its side of the football. On Saturday, however, punter Leigh Manley struggled under the lights as he averaged a paltry

29 yards on seven attempts.

The Gamecocks would capitalized on the short field gained on five punts to score 31 of its points. South Carolina’s Eric Norwood also blocked a 36-yard field goal attempt by Blake Erickson which led to a 40-yard touchdown pass by Stephen Garcia to Moe Brown.

“We protected the punter pretty good. We just didn’t hit it pretty good,” Pough said. “We’ll work on it.”

BULLDOGS AT SPARTANS

WHO: 14th-ranked S.C. State (3-1, 1-0) at Norfolk State (2-2, 1-1)

WHEN: 1 p.m.

WHERE: Dick Price Stadium in Norfolk, Va.

TV: none

RADIO: WQKI (102.9 FM) and WOIC (1230 AM)

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