The South Carolina State Bulldogs have added the Savannah State Tigers to their 2026 football schedule, according to an official announcement Tuesday.
The Bulldogs will host the Tigers in Week Zero on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg, S.C. The matchup marks the 22nd meeting between the programs.
The teams last met in Orangeburg during the 2025 season, a game South Carolina State won 49-6. With that victory, the Bulldogs extended their lead in the all‑time series to 20-2.
Savannah State competes in the Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and finished the 2025 season 4-6 overall and 3-5 in league play, placing seventh.
With Savannah State added, South Carolina State now has six of its seven possible non‑conference opponents scheduled for 2026. After the Week Zero matchup, the Bulldogs are slated to face Florida A&M on Sunday, Sept. 6, in the Orange Blossom Classic at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Other non‑conference games include home dates with Virginia State (Sept. 12) and The Citadel (Oct. 3), along with road trips to Furman (Sept. 19) and Charleston Southern (Oct. 10).
South Carolina State’s 2026 Mid‑Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) slate has not yet been released, though the Bulldogs do know they will travel to Morgan State on Oct. 31.
Additional conference opponents this fall include Norfolk State, North Carolina Central, and Delaware State at home, with a road matchup at Howard.
