CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern makes its home debut under head coach Autry Denson this weekend as the Buccaneers welcome No. 17/15 North Carolina A&T to Buccaneer Field for Hanahan Appreciation and Buc Club Appreciation Day on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.

Charleston Southern vs. North Carolina A&T
Date/Time: Saturday, September 14 at 6 p.m. ET

Tickets: General Admission
Location: North Charleston, S.C. | Weather | Radar
Stadium: Buccaneer Field (4,000 Capacity)
Gates: Open at 4:30 p.m.
Parking: Lots open at 2 p.m. - $5 cash parking
TV: Big South Network on ESPN+
Live Stats: CSUSports.com
History: First Meeting
More Information: Follow us on Twitter @CSUSports and @CSUGameDay for up-to-date information on Game Day

Charleston Southern (0-2, 0-0 Big South): Head Coach Autry Denson | Roster | Schedule | Statistics | Game Notes
North Carolina A&T (1-1, 0-0 MEAC): Head Coach Sam Washington | Roster | Schedule | Statistics | Game Notes

GAME DAY INFORMATION PAGE

Game Day Activities
Buc Walk: Charleston Southern continues the pregame Buc Walk this season. The team, joined by members of the band and cheer team, will walk the length of Academic Drive starting at Jones Hall and ending at the Stadium. Fans are encouraged to meet and greet the team as they prepare for kickoff starting at 3:50 p.m.

Game Day Giveaway: The Charleston Southern marketing department will have a giveaway for the first 500 fans through the gates at Saturday's game.

Food Trucks: The Charleston Southern Athletic Department welcomes several food trucks to Buccaneer Field this season as an additional source of food, while helping enhance the game day atmosphere at CSU. This weekend's game will feature: Cast Iron, Happy Thai, Area 51, Samira's Gyros, Jamison Carts, Tony the Peanut Man, and Donut Connection.

Hanahan Appreciation: Hanahan residents will be able to purchase a $5 general admission ticket to Saturday's game, while kids wearing their Hanahan recreation uniforms will be admitted free of charge. Mayor Christie Rainwater will be recognized and participate in pregame festivities, including the coin toss, while members of the Hanahan youth leagues, first responders, and others will also be recognized throughout the game.

Game Preview
First Time Opponents Meet Again
Charleston Southern makes it three consecutive weeks facing off against new opponents as the Buccaneers welcome North Carolina A&T to Buccaneer Field on Saturday evening. The Bucs scheduled four first-time opponents this season with three of the matchups coming on the road at Furman (Aug. 31), at South Carolina (Sept. 7), and at North Alabama (Oct. 19). The Bucs fell in the first two matchups in a pair of tough losses to both the Paladins and the Gamecocks, while their matchup against North Alabama starts an annual rivalry between the future Big South opponents. CSU won both of its first-time opponent games in the 2018 season as CSU topped Hampton, 48-14, and followed up with a 58-6 win over Virginia Lynchburg.

Another Week, Another Ranked Opponent
Two weeks after squaring off against No. 17/19 Furman in the season opener, the Bucs face off against another opponent sitting squarely in the middle of the FCS Top 25 polls on Saturday evening. Furman, now ranked No. 13/16 in the FCS Coaches Poll and STATS FCS Top 25 Poll, topped the Bucs 46-13 in the season opener between the two teams. The Aggies (1-1) enter the weekend sitting No. 17/15 in the same polls following their own difficult opening stretch that saw North Carolina A&T top Elon, while falling this past week at Duke. Saturday's game features just one of three currently scheduled games against the top-ranked teams in the country as the Buccaneers will be taking on No. 7/9 Kennesaw State on October 12.

Bucs Last Season Against Teams from The Tar Heel State
Charleston Southern traditionally takes on several teams from the state of North Carolina. This season is no different as the Buccaneers take on North Carolina A&T, as well as conference foes Gardner-Webb and Campbell. Last season, CSU boasted a 2-1 record against teams that hail from The Tar Heel State, dropping an early contest to Elon, while topping both Gardner-Webb and Campbell. The Bucs held the 19-10 lead over the Phoenix in the first half in their matchup at Buccaneer Field, before a late Elon rally. CSU topped both the Runnin' Bulldogs and the Camels thanks to strong defensive play.

The Bucs in Home Openers
Last season's 31-22 loss to Elon ended Charleston Southern was undefeated at home in a stretch that dated back to the 2013 season. Over the stretch, CSU faced off against Shorter (2013), Point (2014 & 2017), North Greenville (2015), and Kentucky State (2016). The Bucs contest against Elon was the first time the Bucs faced off against an FCS opponent in their home opener since 2012 when CSU was topped by Jacksonville. CSU last faced off against a MEAC opponent in their home opener in the 2011 season with CSU falling to Norfolk State, 33-3. CSU boasts an all-time winning record in their home openers with a 14-12 overall record. The Bucs did have to vacate a pair of home wins in both the 2014 and 2015 seasons due to NCAA infractions.

Bucs against the MEAC
Charleston Southern fell to 8-14 all-time against the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference last season following their 23-3 loss to Savannah State in early October 2018. The Bucs have lined up against five MEAC teams all-time in program history having taken on Howard, Morgan State, Norfolk State, Savannah State, and South Carolina State. The Bucs are most familiar with Savannah State and S.C. State over their histories with CSU lining up against Savannah State eight times, while taking on the S.C. State Bulldogs six times. North Carolina A&T marks the sixth MEAC team the Bucs have faced with CSU returning the trip to the Aggies in the 2020 season.

CSU Home Debut – What's New?
Announced earlier this week, Buccaneer Field will feature a number of exciting new features for fans and guests coming to watch the Charleston Southern football team. After adding palm trees, new signage, game day ambassadors and enhanced dining options last season, CSU went even further this year. The Bucs will be adding food trucks, a new kids zone, additional bathrooms, in-game and postgame firework displays, as well as the addition of a brand-new 52-foot Daktronics Video/Scoreboard. CSU also added a new entrance/exit on Buc Club Dive, a special VIP Hospitality Tent in the North End Zone, as well as end zone bleachers for special guests and the Blue Crew.

Bouncing Back from Difficult Opening Stretch
Charleston Southern enters the weekend with an 0-2 record marking the third consecutive season the Buccaneers have dropped each of their first two games. CSU has started off a season 0-3 on nine separate occasions with the last coming in 2012. The Bucs' offense has seen success early on the season combining for 322.0 total offensive yards per game, including 193.5 passing yards per game in CSU's new Air Raid pass attack. The Bucs have struggled to contain the run and face the Aggies' offense that is averaging 135.5 yards per game on the ground through the first two weeks.

Passing Game On Point
Charleston Southern's passing offense is one of the best in the Big South this season as the Buccaneers are currently averaging 193.5 yards per game through the air this year. Sophomore quarterback Jack Chambers is currently seventh in the Big South in total offense per game at 168.5 yards and fourth overall in the conference at 154.0 passing yards per game. Senior wide receiver Geoffrey Wall has been one of the top passing targets in the conference this year as well sitting third in receptions per game (5.0) and 10th in receiving yards per game (49.5). Overall, the Bucs lead the Big South with 44 pass completions, while sitting second in the Big South with a 61.1% completion rate.

Punter Making Waves
Redshirt senior punter Kyle Reighard entered the 2019 season already turning heads with his ability to punt for distance and placement. He has continued to progress this season and enters Saturday's game sitting seventh in FCS averaging 45.2 yards per punt. He boasts seven punts that have exceeded 50 yards this season, including a season-best 55 yards in his final attempt this past weekend at South Carolina. All five punters that have recorded enough attempts to qualify for the Big South rankings are exceeding 40.0 yards per punt in the 2019 season. Reighard leads the conference by 1.2 yards per attempt.

Tackling Leaders
Seven different Charleston Southern players are ranked among the top-50 players in the Big South in tackling this season. Three of the Bucs (Cody Cline, Nick Salley, and Justin McIntire) are all tied for eighth in the conference at 7.0 tackles per game on the year. Hombre Kennedy, Kyle Syvarth, Edward King, and J.D. Sosebee are also among the leaders in the category.

Previewing North Carolina A&T
North Carolina A&T was picked to defend its MEAC football championship in the annual poll for the third consecutive season. The Aggies received 12 first-place votes and represented N.C. A&T at the Celebration Bowl this past season with a 24-22 win over Alcorn State. The Aggies won consecutive outright MEAC championships in 2017 and 2018, capturing the title in back-to-back years for the first time since 1991-92.

North Carolina A&T posted four players on the MEAC All-Conference First Team led by offensive linemen Marcus Pettiford and Dontae Keys, as well as defensive lineman Justin Cates and defensive back Franklin McCain. Three more players were recognized on the All-Conference Second Team with running back Jah-Maine Martin and wide receiver Elijah Bell, as well as linebacker Antoine Wilder.

Martin continues to be one of the top backs in the MEAC this season leading the conference in rushing yards (136), including a conference-best 66-yard rush against Elon. Bell is also among the MEAC leaders on the season with 11 receptions for 145 yards on the year.