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Norfolk State University Athletics

Jason Wonodi returns punt for his second touchdown of the game
7
Norfolk St. NSU 4-4 , 0-1
22
Winner South Carolina St. SCS 6-2 , 1-0
Norfolk St. NSU
4-4 , 0-1
7
Final
22
South Carolina St. SCS
6-2 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
NSU Norfolk St. 0 0 7 0 7
SCS South Carolina St. 10 9 0 3 22

Game Recap: Football | | Alysse Scripter, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications

Wonodi’s Return Accounts for Only Points in MEAC Opener

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Jason Wonodi returned a punt 47 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, and it was the only time Norfolk State reached the end zone in a 22-7 loss to South Carolina State on Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in the Spartans' Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener.

The Spartans reached South Carolina State territory on six possessions and never once crossed the 20-yard line. They turned the ball over three times, forced none, and lost by 15 despite being outgained by only 42 yards.

The Spartans fall to 4-4 overall and 0-1 in MEAC play. South Carolina State improves to 6-2 and 1-0, and has now won five straight in the series since Norfolk State's 42-38 victory at Orangeburg on Nov. 19, 2022.

The only points

The defense set it up. Norfolk State pinned South Carolina State at its own 7, held the Bulldogs to minus-1 yard on three plays and forced a punt from the 6.

MaxCeon Cobb's kick traveled 41 yards to the Norfolk State 47. Wonodi fielded it and went the distance with 9:28 left in the third quarter, and Marco Peery's extra point cut the deficit to 19-7.

It was his third punt return for a touchdown this season. He returned two against Hampton on Sept. 19, a performance that set Norfolk State single-game records for punt return yards and punt return average and produced the program's first punt return touchdown since Nov. 3, 2018.

Wonodi finished with two returns for 56 yards. Before this season, Norfolk State had gone nearly seven years without returning a punt for a score. He now has three in six weeks.

Both interceptions became points

DaJean Golmond threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. The Norfolk State defense did not force a turnover. South Carolina State did not give the ball away once.

Both picks turned into points, and quickly. Norfolk State had driven 53 yards to the South Carolina State 28 midway through the second quarter when Jamal Brown intercepted at the 15 and returned it 51 yards to the Norfolk State 34. Six plays later, Mason Pickett-Hicks scored from seven yards out.

On the first snap of the ensuing possession, Marquis Evans intercepted at the Norfolk State 30. The Bulldogs gained nothing on four plays and Jett Jackson kicked a 46-yard field goal anyway. Ten of South Carolina State's 22 points came directly off turnovers, on drives covering a combined 34 yards.

The third takeaway cost the Spartans their best chance. Norfolk State had moved 40 yards to the South Carolina State 17 early in the fourth quarter when it fumbled the ball away.

The offense

Golmond completed 17 of 35 passes for 162 yards with no touchdowns and the two interceptions, and was sacked twice. He added 38 net rushing yards on eight carries.

Norfolk State finished with 279 yards of total offense on 64 plays, an average of 4.36 per snap. The Spartans ran 28 times for 117 net yards but converted just 4 of 15 third downs and were flagged 10 times for 90 yards.

The drive chart tells the rest. Norfolk State reached South Carolina State territory six times and came away with nothing each time — two punts, an interception, a fumble and two turnovers on downs, the last two at the Bulldog 41 and 37 inside the final six minutes. South Carolina State scored on all three of its redzone chances, while Norfolk State never reached the redzone in the game.

Jalyn Daniels led the rushing attack with 51 net yards on 12 carries and broke the longest run of the day, a 34-yarder. Brevin Caldwell caught six passes for 80 yards with a long of 27, and Kam'Ryn Thomas added three receptions for 53 yards, including a 30-yard catch. Elyjah Mitchell caught five passes for 15 yards.

Punter Jacob Nichols picked up 21 yards on a fake, the second time this season a Norfolk State specialist has converted one. Peery ran 19 yards on a fake punt at Robert Morris on Oct. 3.

The defense kept it close

Twenty-two points is the fewest South Carolina State has scored against Norfolk State since a 20-17 overtime win in Norfolk on Nov. 23, 2019. The Bulldogs had scored at least 38 in each of the four meetings since, including 51 in Norfolk last season and 53 in Orangeburg in 2024.

The Spartans held the two-time defending MEAC champions to 321 yards on 71 plays and outrushed them, 117 net yards to 106, while holding a 4.2-to-3.2 edge in yards per carry. Kaden Watson completed 21 of 38 for 215 yards without a touchdown. South Carolina State did not reach the end zone after halftime, scoring once in the second half on Jackson's 34-yard field goal with 7:56 to play.

Mason Pickett-Hicks did the damage, running nine times for 52 yards and both Bulldog touchdowns.Rontravious Perry led the Spartans with nine tackles, eight of them solo, and recorded the team's only sack, an eight-yard loss that also counted as its only tackle for loss of consequence. Brenden Thompson added eight tackles and Nasir Bashir seven. Josiah Saunders, Josiah Davis, Daizon Allen and Perry each broke up a pass.

GAME NOTES

  • Norfolk State's only points came on Jason Wonodi's 47-yard punt return in the third quarter
  • It is Wonodi's third punt return touchdown of the season, after two against Hampton on Sept. 19
  • Before this season, Norfolk State had not returned a punt for a touchdown since Nov. 3, 2018, at North Carolina A&T
  • The Spartans committed three turnovers and forced none
  • Norfolk State managed 279 yards of total offense on 64 plays and was outgained by only 42 yards
  • The Spartans had no red zone possessions. South Carolina State scored on all three of its chances
  • Norfolk State reached South Carolina State territory on six drives and scored no points on any of them
  • Both Norfolk State interceptions led directly to South Carolina State points — 10 of the Bulldogs' 22, on drives covering a combined 34 yards
  • Wonodi's touchdown followed a defensive stand that pinned South Carolina State at its own 7 and forced a punt from the 6 after a minus-1-yard series
  • The Spartans outrushed South Carolina State, 117 net yards to 106, and held a 4.2-to-3.2 edge in yards per carry
  • Norfolk State converted 4 of 15 third downs to South Carolina State's 8 of 18
  • The Spartans went 2-for-4 on fourth down
  • Norfolk State was flagged 10 times for 90 yards
  • South Carolina State did not commit a turnover
  • South Carolina State scored on each of its first four possessions and led 19-0 at halftime
  • The Bulldogs did not reach the end zone after halftime
  • Jett Jackson was perfect, making all three field goal attempts from 28, 46 and 34 yards
  • Mason Pickett-Hicks scored both South Carolina State touchdowns, from 21 and seven yards
  • Punter Jacob Nichols converted a fake punt for 21 yards, the second fake punt a Norfolk State specialist has converted this season
  • Norfolk State is 4-4 overall and 0-1 in MEAC play
  • 22 points allowed is the fewest South Carolina State has scored against Norfolk State since a 20-17 overtime win on Nov. 23, 2019. The Bulldogs had scored at least 38 in each of the four meetings since
  • South Carolina State has won five straight in the series. Norfolk State's last win was 42-38 at Orangeburg on Nov. 19, 2022

UP NEXT
Norfolk State returns to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to face Delaware State on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 3 p.m. It is the second consecutive season the Spartans and Hornets have met at the home of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles.

Delaware State comes in off a 31-12 loss to North Carolina Central in its conference opener on Friday night, Oct. 23, at Alumni Field in Dover, Del. Both teams enter Philadelphia at 0-1 in MEAC play.

The game streams on ESPN+, with Ross Gordon, Ahmad Franklin and Cayla Sweezie on the call.

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