Chennis Berry is chasing history. He and his South Carolina State Bulldogs are after their third consecutive HBCU National Title. He said as much. But no one, perhaps not even Berry, had predicted how historic their season opener against the Savannah State Tigers was going to be. 

The Bulldogs weren’t just staring down an opponent on August 29. They were hosting and up against their head coaches’ alma mater. So when the reigning HBCU title champions defeated the Tigers by 87-0, they reminded everyone why their motto is: “Be Better, Brick by Brick.” This season-opener victory is the first of many to come.

On X, Craig Haley, the Analyst’s FCS senior editor, brought up that South Carolina State’s 87-0 triumph over Savannah State is the fifth-largest by an FCS team since 1996. The game is remarkable not just for the disparity between the teams. 

It is special for the Bulldogs because they are now one among the few teams that notched such unimaginable numbers. Haley pointed out that Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks beat Warner 98-0 in 2022, which is the highest margin of defeat in recent history. Portland State still holds the bragging rights for the most resounding FCS victory. In 1980, they beat Delaware State 105-0.

The Bulldogs’ latest win against the Tigers is their ninth since the two faced off in 2011. They dominated the Tigers from the get-go. At halftime, the Bulldogs were already at a 52-0 advantage. The Bulldogs added another 35 points in the second half.

Quarterback Keely Watson delivered throughout the game. He threw three touchdown passes and opened the game with a 23-yard touchdown pass. In total, Watson passed for 95 yards before he was replaced by Ronnie Robinson.

Running back Josh Shaw rushed for 74 yards and three touchdowns. Mason Pickett-Hicks also added 95 rushing yards and a touchdown. Ricorian Brown went for 75 rushing yards and a touchdown. In total, South Carolina State had seven rushing touchdowns and 432 rushing yards. Savannah State had no answers for their run game.

Offensively, they finished with 627 yards. The Bulldogs are continuing their momentum from last season. They rank No.1 in the MEAC and, under Berry, are looking ahead, not reminiscing. 

“Until I hoist the trophy in 2026, what I did in 2025 and before that has nothing to do with now,” he said in conversation with HBCU Legends during the school’s opening week preseason camp. 

Berry’s mindset is to be better, and he has a foolproof affirmation for his team. 

Chennis Berry on how he regulates himself for SCSU’s Championships

Entering the 2025 Celebrations Bowl, the Bulldogs were plagued with self-doubt. Their inaction for three-ish weeks just before D-Day was up against Prairie View A&M, who were still basking in their SWAC championship from last week.

Berry knew he needed to get past the mental roadblock, and so he came up with WWW-We Will Win.

“We had a hashtag that we went by that week [of the Celebration Bowl],” Berry said per HBCU Legends on SI. “Nobody really knew what that meant, but it was just getting them to speak positive affirmations.”

It looked rather silly to the Bulldogs, who were trailing 21-0 at halftime. The game seemed out of reach, and all hopes of a second title were slipping away. But Berry hadn’t given up.

“I said, ‘Do you believe?’ We said before the game, you speak what you seek until you see what you said,” Berry recalled. “I didn’t yell at them. I didn’t flip tables over. I said, ‘We will win.'”

The comeback was quite impressive. In just 10 minutes in the third quarter, South Carolina State made it 21-21. But Prairie View A&M responded with a touchdown of their own, only to be followed by another South Carolina State touchdown.

The game finished 35-35 in regular time. The two teams were tied even after the first overtime (38-38). It took South Carolina State the fourth overtime to win by 40-38.

Berry is hoping to lead the Bulldogs to another HBCU national title this season and opened with a bang. But knowing how he processes his victories, the team is already working to lay the next brick.