Between Rain and Lightning, South Carolina State Makes a Statement at the Orange Blossom Classic
Bulldogs’ 31–13 victory over FAMU reflects the difference between a defending champion and a program still finding its footing
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The rain came first. Then came the delay, the restless crowd, the restless bands and nearly two hours of anticipation inside Hard Rock Stadium.
When the football finally arrived, South Carolina State made the wait worthwhile for Bulldog Nation.
South Carolina State entered the game as the reigning Celebration Bowl champion and the team widely regarded as the HBCU national champion powered past Florida A&M, 31–13, on Sunday, September 6, in the 2026 Orange Blossom Classic. Before an announced crowd of 23,188, South Carolina State controlled the line of scrimmage, overwhelmed FAMU’s rushing attack and used a punishing ground game to pull away from the Rattlers.
The result offered an early snapshot of two programs entering the season from very different places. South Carolina State arrived as the reigning MEAC and Celebration Bowl champion, while FAMU entered a new era under first-year head coach and former Rattler quarterback Quinn Gray Sr.
On this afternoon, the Bulldogs looked like the established power. The Rattlers looked like a team still searching for its identity.
Pickett-Hicks puts on a show
The clearest difference between the two teams was the running game.
South Carolina State rushed for 292 yards, while Florida A&M finished with minus-1 yard on the ground. The Bulldogs also held a commanding 479–161 advantage in total offense and produced 19 first downs to FAMU’s 10.
Bulldog running back Mason Pickett-Hicks delivered the game’s defining performance, breaking loose for 210 yards and two touchdowns on only 17 carries. His touchdowns covered 58 and 32 yards, and his explosive running repeatedly forced the Rattlers’ defense to chase from behind.
Responding to a question from Mark Stallworth of The Miami Times, South Carolinas State Head Coach Chennis Berry spoke highly about Pickett-Hicks for more than his production on the field. After this breakout performance, Berry highlighted the running back’s character, academic commitment and championship background:
“M.P.H.—Mason Pickett-Hicks, as you know, his initials stand for miles per hour. He’s a bad man on the football field, and we’re grateful to have him on our team. But I’ll tell you this: he’s an even better young man and an even better student.”
Berry also pointed to the young man’s upbringing at South Point High School in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and the winning culture he brought with him to South Carolina State.
“He’s an outstanding talent from a great program at South Point High School in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He’s used to winning championships, and we’re grateful that he’s part of Bulldog Nation.”
Pickett-Hicks’ 58-yard touchdown came almost immediately after FAMU had taken a 3–0 lead on Emilio Bacardi’s opening field goal. The Bulldogs needed only two plays and 28 seconds to answer. After a FAMU fumble, Josh Shaw scored from six yards out, and South Carolina State quickly turned a brief Rattler advantage into a 14–3 lead.
Shaw added two rushing touchdowns, and all four of South Carolina State’s touchdowns came on the ground. Quarterback Keely Watson completed 10 of 17 passes for 168 yards, but the Bulldogs did not need to rely heavily on the passing game because the offensive line and running backs were consistently moving the football.
FAMU’s offense struggles to find rhythm
Florida A&M’s offense never developed the rhythm it needed.
The Rattlers managed only 161 total yards, went 4-for-17 on third down and were held without an offensive touchdown. Their lone touchdown came when defensive back Justin Bostic intercepted a Watson pass and returned it 80 yards for a score, cutting the Bulldogs’ lead to 28–13 late in the third quarter.
Bostic was one of the brightest spots for FAMU. He recorded two interceptions and tied for the team lead with six tackles. Emilio Bacardi also connected on both of his field-goal attempts.
But the Rattlers could not sustain drives, and the absence of a dependable running attack left FAMU’s offense too one-dimensional. Gray said the answer would require greater physicality.
“We’re looking for tough people. That’s it—physical, tough people. That’s what it takes to run the football.”
South Carolina State’s defense recorded five sacks and 15 tackles for loss, repeatedly forcing FAMU behind schedule.
For Gray, it was a difficult introduction to one of the biggest stages in HBCU football. The game was his first major test against a defending national champion, and South Carolina State showed the difference that continuity, confidence and championship experience can make.
“Obviously, it’s not good enough,” Gray said. “When you play a good team like that, you’ve got to make sure you’re playing your A-game, and we didn’t do that. Everything that you do during the week will show up on game day—and that’s exactly what happened.”
A champion playing like one
South Carolina State entered Miami having already established itself as one of the nation’s most complete HBCU programs.
The Bulldogs won the 2025 Celebration Bowl in a four-overtime thriller over Prairie View A&M and entered the Orange Blossom Classic carrying the unofficial mantle of Black college football’s national champion. Their performance against FAMU suggested that the championship season was not an ending—it was a foundation.
South Carolina State’s Head coach Chennis Berry has emphasized that his team is built around process, physicality and collective responsibility. Before the game, Berry described the Classic as something larger than football.
Coach Berry recognized the significance of the matchup when speaking with James Hill of James Hill Sports. Berry described the matchup as a meeting between “two blue-blood programs,” recognizing the history and stature of both institutions.
“First and foremost, when you get a chance to put two blue-blood programs together—Florida A&M and South Carolina State University—it’s going to be a special moment.”
The Bulldogs did not play a perfect game. They committed three turnovers and were penalized 13 times for 112 yards. Still, they consistently answered mistakes with explosive plays and never allowed FAMU’s offense to turn its defensive opportunities into sustained momentum.
South Carolina State improved to 2–0, extended its winning streak to 11 games dating back to last season and added another significant win to the program’s growing résumé.
The rain could not stop the Classic
The weather may have delayed the game, but it did not dampen the Orange Blossom Classic experience.
Lightning and heavy rain forced players back into the locker rooms, delayed kickoff by nearly two hours and interrupted the bands’ preparations. Fans waited through the weather with the patience familiar to anyone who has ever attended a South Florida football event in September.
Responding to Keith Hadley of the Fang Up Podcast, Berry compared his team’s mentality to that of a mail carrier:
“Hey, man—rain, sleet or snow, the mailman’s got to go to work. In a game like football, with so many unknowns, you’ve got to be able to weather the storm.”
Once the storm moved through, the stadium resumed its role as an HBCU gathering place.
The Orange Blossom Classic delivered its familiar combination of football, music, celebrity, fashion, alumni fellowship and school pride. Miami personalities including Trick Daddy, Trina, Uncle Luke, JT Money and others added local flavor to the weekend, while the Fan Fest provided entertainment before the game. Former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and South Carolina State coaching legend Buddy Pough were also among the notable football figures connected to the event.
The presence of South Florida celebrities helped underline an important point: the Orange Blossom Classic is not simply a neutral-site game transported to Miami. It is a Miami event, an HBCU event and a community gathering with football at its center.
The event’s official programming included Fan Fest performances by Trick Daddy and Trina, along with the halftime meeting of South Carolina State’s Marching 101 and FAMU’s Marching 100.
A classic with history—and a future
The 2026 game also added another chapter to the long history of the Orange Blossom Classic.
The event began in 1933 and became one of the most significant showcases in Black college football. It operated for decades before disappearing in 1978. After a 43-year absence, the Classic was revived in 2021 under the leadership of Kendra Bulluck-Major, executive director of the Orange Blossom Classic.
Under Bulluck-Major’s leadership and through the Orange Blossom Football Classic Association, Inc., the event has been rebuilt as a combination of football, entertainment, community programming, tourism and scholarship fundraising. The organization says the revived Classic has generated more than $500,000 in scholarships since its return.
That mission was visible throughout the weekend. The game celebrated two historic universities, but it also created a platform for HBCU culture and South Florida’s Black community.
The original Classic was closely associated with Florida A&M, making FAMU’s return to the event especially meaningful. South Carolina State’s participation also carried historical weight. Buddy Pough, now South Carolina State’s interim athletic director, played in the 1973 Orange Blossom Classic, when the Bulldogs lost to FAMU, 23–10. More than 50 years later, South Carolina State returned to Miami and left with a victory.
FAMU Now Faces Miami on a Short Week
The Rattlers will not have much time to dwell on the loss. Even with the difficult result, Gray emphasized that FAMU’s players continued to fight.
“What I did like about tonight was that our guys didn’t quit. That’s something we can hang our hat on.”
Florida A&M remains in South Florida for a Thursday night matchup against the University of Miami on September 10, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium. The game is scheduled for an 8 p.m. kickoff and will be broadcast on the ACC Network.
That short turnaround gives Gray and his staff an immediate opportunity to respond. The challenge will be significant, but the game also gives FAMU another nationally visible stage and another chance to learn what this new version of the Rattlers can become.
The Final Word
The scoreboard favored South Carolina State, and deservedly so.
The Bulldogs ran harder, tackled better, protected their championship standard and made the critical plays when the weather, the stage and the opponent demanded them. Pickett-Hicks supplied the fireworks, the defense supplied the pressure and Berry’s team looked every bit like the defending Black college football champion.
FAMU, meanwhile, received an early and honest evaluation of where its program stands. The Rattlers have talent, tradition and a new leader with deep personal ties to the university. But against South Carolina State, the offense was inconsistent, the running game disappeared and the Bulldogs controlled too much of the afternoon.
Still, the Orange Blossom Classic accomplished what the best HBCU classics have always done: It brought people together, showcased culture, celebrated history and gave the teams a meaningful stage on which to measure themselves.
The rain delayed the game.
It did not delay the celebration.
And South Carolina State made sure the final word belonged to the Bulldogs.
Game Summary
South Carolina State 31, Florida A&M 13
Date: September 6, 2026
Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Attendance: 23,188
Records: South Carolina State 2–0; Florida A&M 1–1
Leading rusher: Mason Pickett-Hicks, SC State — 210 yards, 2 touchdowns
FAMU defensive standout: Justin Bostic — 2 interceptions, 1 interception return touchdown
Next for FAMU: at Miami, September 10, 2026, 8 p.m. on ACC Network
