The Citadel Upsets S.C. State 34-31

Read Time:3 Minute, 31 Second

By: The Citadel Athletics

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Buoyed by a vintage performance from Quentin Hayes plus yet-another standout three-touchdown showcase courtesy of Gavin Garcia, The Citadel (2-3, 0-2 SoCon) managed to orchestrate the program’s first ranked victory since 2022 against regional rival No. 15/12 South Carolina State (5-1, 0-0 MEAC), edging past the host Bulldogs in a back-and-forth slugfest behind a 34-31 margin on Saturday afternoon at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋❕

What a finish in Orangeburg! The Citadel knocks off ranked South Carolina State on a game-winning field goal as time expires for its first ranked win since 2022🦴#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/30RI0vqSpI

— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 3, 2026

Notably, Evan Kiely drilled a 31-yard field goal as time expired to clinch the win, good for his second of the game. The Citadel last topped a ranked adversary in 2022, outlasting then-No. 8/9 ETSU via a 20-17 mark within the friendly confines of Johnson Hagood Stadium; further, the Bulldogs’ most recent ranked victory on the road came back in 2015 at then-No. 9 Coastal Carolina, ousting the Chanticleers behind a 41-38 decision in the opening round of the FCS Playoffs.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐭❕

Evan Kiely drills the game-winner to send us home with a W! 🦴
#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/n74Pp1005p

— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 3, 2026

KEY NOTES

— The Citadel outgained SC State for the game via a 448-to-346 margin; notably, the former compiled a balanced attack on the ground and through the air, finishing with 244 rushing yards for a pair of touchdowns plus 204 passing and another two scores.

GARCIA FINDS THE EDGE 🌊🦈

The fifth-year running back opened the drive w/ a 32-yard gash before collecting another TD Bank touchdown on this 19-yard scamper!!!

💻: MEAC Network / https://t.co/31ZDbxFbLq
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJeoU #FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/YT5yJGopd8

— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 3, 2026

— On the ground, Garcia set the tone with a season-high 167 yards on just 18 carries, scoring a pair of TDs and breaking off his longest rush of the year — a 44-yard bounce outside — in a critical moment on the final drive of the game to set up the eventual Kiely game-winning field goal; Hayes contributed 56 yards on 11 carries as well, including a 60-yard sprint up the seam to position The Citadel for the team’s first touchdown of the day midway through the first quarter.

THE HAYES-TO-ABDULLAH CONNECTION!!!

The senior signal-caller drops a DIME to Damir Abdullah up the seam for a 55-yard TD Bank touchdown, gifting the lead back to the 'Dogs 🫡

💻: MEAC Network / https://t.co/31ZDbxFJAY
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJMes #FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/cwegPVxYNR

— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 3, 2026

— Through the air, Hayes finished 7-of-12 passing for 127 yards and two scores; Nick Billoups tacked on 2-of-3 for 56 yards as well, highlighted by a 34-yard dime to Michael Lorino up the right side late during the game-winning drive.

GAVIN GARCIA MAGIC 🪄✨

The fifth-year running back bails out an under-pressure Quentin Hayes, dodging his way for an eight-yard TD Bank go-ahead score!!!

💻: MEAC Network / https://t.co/31ZDbxFbLq
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJeoU #FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/I8t6sbHRIf

— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 3, 2026

— For the receiving corps, six different wideouts pulled down catches on the day with Damir Abdullah headlining the group behind a three-reception, 84-yard performance, notably plucking a 55-yard toss from Hayes out of the air for his first touchdown catch of the season; Whit Hobgood and Lorino added a pair of receptions each for 59 and 36 yards, respectively; finally, Garcia notched one catch on the day, dodging and weaving his way for eight yards and a score late in the second quarter.

Quentin Hayes breaks off a 22-yard chunk play for The Citadel as the senior brings the 'Dogs within a yard of a go-ahead touchdown 🏈🫡

💻: MEAC Network / https://t.co/31ZDbxFJAY
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJMes #FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/pCMQJYhfaa

— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 3, 2026

— Defensively, The Citadel managed to hold the nation’s fifth best offense and second-best rushing attack to just 346 total yards, stuffing the ground game to the tune of 91 yards in the process; entering the contest, the host Bulldogs averaged 478.4 total yards per game as well as 280.6 rushing yards per game, not to mention an FCS-best 47.0 points per game.

We checked in w/ Evan Kiely in the wake of his game-winning 31-yard field goal, clinching the upset victory for your Bulldogs 🏈✅

Full interview ⤵️#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/nGYrFu2mjO

— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 3, 2026

— Individually, Zyion Brown led the way once again with 8.0 total tackles, including 1.5 tackles-for-loss with 1.0 logged as a sack; Khaleb Bridges and DK McGruder contributed 6.0 tackles apiece as well while J’hari Mosley and Jalen Wright each added 5.0 tackles, including another 1.5 tackles-for-loss for the latter.

We caught up w/ HC @KoachDrayton postgame to discuss his first victory over a ranked opponent since taking over the program 🫡

Full interview ⤵️#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/2JIr3Rq1AF

— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 3, 2026

— For the special teams, Jack Weil posted a 48.0 yards per punt average on five attempts, sending two kicks over 50 yards — including a season-long 56-yarder — while pinning South Carolina State twice inside the 20-yard line; Kiely, meanwhile, concluded the day a perfect 4-for-4 on PATs plus a 2-for-2 mark on field goals, hitting from 30 and 31 yards.