South Carolina State Holds Norfolk State to a Punt Return
Norfolk State scored one touchdown in this game, and it came on a 47-yard punt return by Jason Wonodi. The offense scored zero. South Carolina State won 22-7 and got there with three field goals and a pair of Mason Pickett-Hicks touchdowns.
The Bulldogs started fast. Pickett-Hicks ran in from 21 yards out in the first quarter, Jett Jackson kicked a 28-yard field goal, and a 7-yard Pickett-Hicks run made it 16-0 in the second (the extra point failed, which is the sort of detail that matters about once a season). Jackson added a 46-yarder at 4:15 of the half for 19-0. Norfolk State did not get on the board until the punt return, with 9:28 left in the third. It never led and never tied. Jackson's 34-yard field goal at 7:56 of the fourth finished the scoring.
Norfolk State turned it over three times, two interceptions from Da'Jean Golmond and a lost fumble, against none for South Carolina State. Golmond completed 17 of 35 for 162 yards. Keely Watson was 21 of 38 for 215 yards with no interceptions. The SC State offense was not spectacular either, with 321 total yards and 106 on the ground, but it did not need to be. Take away the punt return and this is a shutout.
South Carolina State moves to 4-2 and Norfolk State is 2-2.
Fantasy takeaway: Pickett-Hicks had 24.6 points on 9 carries, which is a lot of value for a back who touched it 13 times. Brevin Caldwell led Norfolk State with 14.0.