NORFOLK, Va. — South Carolina State spoiled Homecoming for Michael Vick and Norfolk State in front of a record-breaking crowd at William “Dick” Price Stadium, rolling to a 51–20 victory on Saturday afternoon. The announced attendance of 47,273 marked not only the largest in Norfolk State history but also the biggest home-field attendance in the FCS this season — a fitting stage for Vick’s debut Homecoming as head coach.
Dominant Second Quarter Breaks the Game Open
After falling behind 7–0 early, South Carolina State exploded for 35 points in the second quarter, overwhelming the Spartans on both sides of the ball. Quarterback William Atkins IV turned in one of the best passing performances of the HBCU season, throwing for 428 yards and four touchdowns on 24-of-36 passing. His favorite target, Jordan Smith, was nearly unstoppable, finishing with seven catches for 197 yards and two long touchdowns of 75 and 36 yards.
The Bulldogs trailed briefly after Norfolk State’s J.J. Evans caught a 22-yard touchdown from Otto Kuhns in the first quarter. From there, it was all South Carolina State. Mason Pickett-Hicks capped a 73-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown to give SCSU the lead for good, and Atkins IV followed with scoring strikes to Nigel Johnson, Smith, and Pickett-Hicks before halftime. The Bulldogs led 38–14 at the break, having outgained the Spartans 397–144 in the first half.
South Carolina State’s balance causes problems
South Carolina State’s offense piled up 613 total yards, with a balanced attack that saw 185 rushing yards complement the aerial assault. Running back Tyler Smith ran for 113 yards and a touchdown, while Pickett-Hicks added another score on the ground and one through the air. Kicker Nico Cavanillas Alti contributed three field goals to finish a perfect 3-for-3.
The Bulldogs dominated time of possession (37:52 to 22:08) and converted nine of 16 third downs. Defensively, they limited the Spartans to just one third-down conversion all afternoon and recorded three sacks and an interception by Josh Barker, which set up an early second-half field goal.
For Vick’s Norfolk State, the bright spots came from wideouts Evans and Xzavion Evans, who combined for all three Spartan touchdowns, including a 66-yarder late in the first half and a 48-yard strike in the fourth. However, the offense managed only 61 rushing yards and struggled to sustain drives against an aggressive Bulldog front.
Despite the loss, the electric Homecoming atmosphere and record crowd reflected renewed energy around the program under Vick’s leadership. A ticket was required for entry on campus, which explains why the listed attendance was more than 17k over the capacity of Dick Price Stadium. Many people never got within 100 feet of the stadium, but were counted nonetheless. But on this Saturday, South Carolina State (5–3, 1–0 MEAC) left Norfolk with the momentum — and the statement win — in a game that was as historic for its crowd as it was lopsided on the scoreboard.