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The Citadel Launches Home Slate Saturday Against Cross-City Rival Charleston Southern – The Citadel Athletics

Photo of Michael King Michael King Send an email 43 minutes ago
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The Citadel Launches Home Slate Saturday Against Cross-City Rival Charleston Southern – The Citadel Athletics
CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Citadel officially kicks off the 2026 home schedule with the Lowcountry Boil Bowl against cross-city rival Charleston Southern on Saturday, Sept. 12, kickoff slated for 6 p.m. at Sansom Field at Johnson Hagood Stadium. For full coverage, tune in live via ESPN+ or follow along via social media — @CitadelFootball.

GAMEDAY CENTRAL

THE CITADEL (1-1, 0-1 SoCon) vs. Charleston Southern (0-2, 0-1 OVC)

Saturday, Sept. 12 | 6 p.m.

Sansom Field at Johnson Hagood Stadium | Charleston, S.C.

Game Notes: The Citadel | Charleston Southern | Southern Conference

Follow Live: Live Stats | Watch | Listen | Tickets

WEEKLY SOCIAL SYNC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SERIES INFO

Series Results: 8-6, The Citadel

Last Time: W, 22-21 (8/31/2024)

Last at JHS: L, 21-38 (9/11/2021)

Streak: W1

KEY GAME NOTES

HOMEGROWN TALENT

Highlighted by multiple offseason additions on the recruiting trail, the Bulldogs continue to showcase the strong football tradition of the greater Charleston area on the roster, including:

– LB Chase Anderson, LS Tommy DiLiegro, DL Andrew Jackson, OL Frank Schmidt, TE Whit Hobgood, LB Robert Mallard III & TE Jude Claborn, Charleston, S.C.

– RB Dorvensky Reichley, Moncks Corner, S.C.

– DB Jammall Fludd, North Charleston, S.C.

– DB Ryland Mitchell, OL Andrew Tumbleston & LB Tim Miller Jr., Summerville, S.C.

– P Jack Weil & LB Jameson Bell, Mount Pleasant, S.C. 

POUND THE ROCK

Fueled by five 200-yard-plus rushing performances over the course of the past six games, including, 2025 vs. VMI (329), vs. Wofford (201) and at ETSU (218) plus 2026 at Wofford (227) and at Charlotte (268), the Bulldogs’ ground game has evolved into one of the offense’s most reliable weapons under third-year OC Lamar Owens. From the national perspective, The Citadel slots in as one of the top rushing attacks in the FCS, currently ranking 11th nationwide and second in the SoCon behind a 247.5 yards per game mark. Individually, Gavin Garcia paces the pack behind a 102.5 yards per game average, good for 10th nationally and first league-wide, with three touchdowns off 36 total carries. Quentin Hayes slots in second on the squad with 96 yards on 26 attempts for the year while Sebastien Boyle owns 81 yards with three scores via 10 attempts, including a team-long 56-yard TD burst on the opening drive of the third quarter against Charlotte.

THE SHARK HUNTER (YES, LITERALLY)

The offseason addition of RB Gavin Garcia has created additional avenues of opportunity for The Citadel offense, as the Kent State transfer brings a wealth of experience from four years of #MACtion. A multi-year contributor in the backfield for the Golden Flashes, Garcia logged 146 rushes for 647 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, good for 4.4 yards per carry. All-in-all, when the Pennsylvania product entered the portal, The Citadel proved an attractive option for more than just football — Charleston, and even more specifically, Charleston beaches. A longtime gamesman and fisherman, Garcia has recently turned his focus to shark hunting, working the reel directly off the shore or from a chartered vessel. Unsurprisingly, he has transformed the pursuit into a burgeoning social media presence via his @gghooksnhorns handle, and currently runs his own shark fishing charters in the spare time between graduate school and football commitments.

The Lowcountry Boil Bowl

Saturday marks the third installment of the Lowcountry Boil Bowl, the official rivalry between cross-city adversaries The Citadel and Charleston Southern. The Citadel currently owns an 8-6 advantage in the all-time series, notably rallying from an 18-point deficit en route to a dramatic 22-21 victory in the inaugural competition for Lowcountry Boil Bowl trophy on Aug. 31, 2024. Historically, the Bulldogs won first three meetings before CSU claimed four straight from 2013-15; since then, The Citadel has prevailed in three-of-four meetings (2018, 2019 & 2024).

RECOGNITIONS GALORE

On the heels of a dramatic 43-41 triple-overtime upset of FBS opponent Charlotte on Saturday, The Citadel garnered distinction as the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week. Individually, Bulldogs’ running back Gavin Garcia generated league-wide attention as well following his 137-yard, three-touchdown rushing performance against the 49ers, securing the program’s first Southern Conference honors on the season after getting the nod as Offensive Player of the Week.

BACK ON THE NATIONAL RADAR

The Citadel received three votes in the Sept. 7 edition of the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll plus one vote in the Sept. 8 release of the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, marking the Bulldogs’ first appearance in the national conversation since 2017. The last time The Citadel appeared in the national rankings came during the week of Oct. 9, 2017, when the Bulldogs were ranked No. 23 / 22 nationally ahead of a 20-16 loss to then-No. 5 Wofford.

MILITARY DISCIPLINE

In spite of the mascot, The Citadel managed to avoid the doghouse often during the 2025 season, ranking ninth FCS-wide with 4.42 penalties per game while sitting 19th nationally with just 42.42 penalty yards per game. Two games deep into the 2026 campaign, the Bulldogs continue their displined approach, ranking fourth nationally and first in the SoCon with just 3.0 penalties per game as well as ninth in the FCS and first league-wide with 29.00 penalty yards per game.

DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH | THE REPRISE

Since the 1978 decision to reclassify DI football into I-A (FBS) and I-AA (FCS), The Citadel leads the SoCon in victories over FBS opponents behind 10 wins, notably knocking off Georgia Tech (2019), South Carolina (2015 & 1990) and Arkansas (1992). The Bulldogs’ latest FBS triumph over Charlotte also extended a unique historical quirk against the 49ers, as The Citadel owns a perfect 2-0 all-time mark against UNCC with both victories coming beyond regulation — a 63-56 double-overtime victory in 2014 and this year’s 43-41 triple-overtime barn burner.

SECONDARY SWAGGER

In spite of a program-record 11 turnovers given up during the 2025 campaign, the Bulldogs still only managed an even 0.00 turnover margin as The Citadel defense only secured as many takeaways of their own for the year. As such, head coach Maurice Drayton challenged fourth-year DC Raleigh Jackson & Co. to significantly bolster defensive turnovers for the Bulldogs entering the 2026 season. Thus far, The Citadel has generated back-to-back two-turnover performances — good for a program first since 2021 — via a pair of interceptions against both Wofford and Charlotte. In total, the four takeaways represent more than one-third of last year’s season total turnovers gained while statistically placing The Citadel as one of the national leaders in the category, including 12th overall in the FCS and third in SoCon.

RELIEF EFFORT

Quarterback Nick Billoups provided a critical spark in the Bulldogs’ comeback at Charlotte, entering the contest for the final possession of the first half and ultimately completing 9-of-13 passes for 91 yards while adding a pair of rushing touchdowns. Notably, the California native guided The Citadel to back-to-back-to-back scoring drives across the third and fourth quarters en route to late seven-point advantage, not to mention two additional overtime TDs and a successful two-point conversion, good for the eventual game-winning play. Across two games thus far, Billoups currently owns a 71.4 percent completion rate  behind 10-of-14 passing for 127 yards while adding 76 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground via 16 total carries.

DEGREES OF DISTINCTION

Amongst the multitude of offseason additions for The Citadel, head coach Maurice Drayton managed to sign a number of college graduates to the program, adding considerable depth and experience for the Bulldogs. Within the group, though, four standouts hail from prestigious academic institutions ranked inside the Top 40 colleges & universities via U.S. News & World Report, including LB Zyion Brown (Dartmouth, t-No. 13), WR Derek Kee (Vanderbilt, t-No. 17), QB Nick Billoups (UCLA, t-No. 17) and WR Ismael Zamor (Boston College, t-No. 36).

(NORTH) AMERICAN MADE

The Citadel 2026 roster hails from across the United States and even into Canada, spanning 19 states coast-to-coast and one Canadian province:

– South Carolina: 49

– Georgia: 16

– Florida: 8           

– North Carolina: 7

– Alabama: 4       

-California: 3

– Ohio: 3           

– Tennessee: 3

– Texas: 2           

– Connecticut: 1

– Illinois: 1           

– Kentucky: 1

– Louisiana: 1       

– Maryland: 1

– Massachusetts: 1       

– Mississippi: 1

– Nebraska: 1       

– New Jersey: 1 

– Pennsylvania: 1       

– Quebec: 1

 

— #FireThoseCannons —

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