5 Reasons That North Carolina A&T vs. South Carolina State Is Must-See

Five reasons to watch SC State vs. North Carolina A&T this Saturday in Orangeburg, SC.

Sep 29, 2017 by Kolby Paxton

5 Reasons That North Carolina A&T vs. South Carolina State Is Must-See

Two of the MEAC's best will collide on Saturday in Orangeburg, SC, when undefeated North Carolina A&T (4-0) visits South Carolina State (1-2). The Bulldogs' record is misleading, with a pair of losses by a combined 11 points. SC State is less than a handful of plays from being undefeated.

For those in need of a reason or two to tune in for this heated conference rivalry LIVE on FloFootball -- we'll give you five, instead.

1. Lamar Raynard

The 6-foot-4, 203-pound redshirt junior is putting up video game numbers this season. Raynard has completed 71 percent of his throws for 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns with no interceptions heading into NC A&T's road trip to South Carolina State.

Raynard's passer efficiency rating of 202.8 is the best in the FCS -- and second only to Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield across all of Division I.

2. Darius Leonard

The redshirt senior linebacker earned 2016 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year honors and a spot on the first-team All-America defense thanks to a team-leading 124 tackles along with 14 1/2 tackles for a loss and 3 1/2 sacks.

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Widely considered a late-round NFL Draft prospect, Leonard flexes his versatility throughout the game -- or, as his head coach Buddy Pough puts it, "He's athletic as all get-out and he will rock your world. He's the total package."

Leonard, who -- no surprise -- was the MEAC's preseason defender of the year and a preseason All-American, leads the team with 27 stops through three games.

3. Mac McCain III

The redshirt freshman from Greensboro, NC, has been one of the most impactful defensive backs in the country through the first four weeks of North Carolina A&T's season. McCain has five interceptions with 274 return yards and three touchdowns.

"Mac has a knack for making plays," NC A&T head coach Rod Broadway said. "We had an idea that he could be a special player for us, and he's off to a good start. If he continues to work, he has an opportunity to be great. You're only going to see this guy get better as he continues to grow."

McCain's namesake is from his late grandfather, Franklin McCain -- one of four North Carolina A&T students to play a role during the famous 1960 Woolworth lunch counter sit-in protest that is often credited for starting the modern day Civil Rights Movement.

4. Broadway vs. Pough

North Carolina A&T head coach Rod Broadway and SC State head coach Buddy Pough are very well acquainted. The coaches are meeting for the eighth time as head coaches and for the 14th time overall.

Broadway spent six seasons as the defensive line coach for Steve Spurrier at Florida, where he faced off against Pough for the first time when Pough was an assistant under Lou Holtz at South. Carolina.

5. Tarik Cohen's Replacements

Tarik Cohen wasn't just the face of the Aggies' program. He was also one of the most electrifying players in the country during a career in which he was a four-year starter who compiled 5,619 rushing yards, 945 receiving yards, and 59 touchdowns.

Cohen has picked up where he left off with the Chicago Bears -- and become an early-season fantasy football waiver wire hit in the process -- but his departure hasn't left North Carolina A&T without a running game.

Quite the contrary.

Marquell Cartwright and Jamari Smith have formed a formidable tandem in the Aggies backfield, combining for 602 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground through the team's first four games. Cartwright, alone, has rushed for 425 yards and five touchdowns, while Smith has been lethal in the passing game, hauling in 12 reception for 145 yards and another score.

How to Watch NC A&T State vs S.C. State

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