Gameday: Saturday’s area college football games to watch
S.C. STATE (0-2) AT NO. 5 CLEMSON (2-0)
Memorial Stadium, Clemson, S.C., 12 p.m., Fox Sports Carolinas
The Tigers will host the MEAC’s Bulldogs for the fourth time in program history. … Clemson fell three spots in the rankings despite beating Troy 30-24 last week, giving the Tigers their sixth 2-0 start in eight years under coach Dabo Swinney. … Clemson leads the all-time series 3-0, outscoring S.C. State 179-20 over the span.
Bill Kiser
NO. 25 MIAMI (2-0) AT APPALACHIAN STATE (1-1)
Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, 12 p.m., ESPN
The Mountaineers will host a Power 5 conference team for the first time when they face the ACC’s Hurricanes. … Appalachian State will take on one of the nation’s top defenses Saturday. Miami leads all FBS teams in rushing defense (34.5 yards per game) and tackles for loss (14), and is fourth in total defense (205.5 ypg).
B.K.
JOHNSON C. SMITH (0-2) AT WOFFORD (1-1)
Gibbs Stadium, Spartanburg, 3 p.m.
The Golden Bulls will play an FCS team for the first time in three years when they visit the Terriers. … Wofford has one of the nation’s top running games, with its 289.5 yards-per-game average sixth among FCS teams. … However, J.C. Smith’s five interceptions lead the CIAA, and are tied for third nationally among Division II teams.
B.K.
EAST CAROLINA (2-0) AT SOUTH CAROLINA (1-1)
Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, 4 p.m., SEC Network
After opening with back-to-back conference games, the Gamecocks will face a nonconference opponent when they host the Pirates. … South Carolina leads the series 13-5, including the past three games. … East Carolina quarterback Philip Nelson leads all FBS teams in completion percentage (81.3 percent), and is in the top 10 in three other catagories.
B.K.
EASTERN MICHIGAN (1-1) AT CHARLOTTE (1-1)
Richardson Stadium, 6 p.m.
The 49ers will play their second straight home game, hosting the Eagles of the Mid-American Conference. … Charlotte’s defense leads Conference USA in turnovers recovered (six) and turnover margin (plus 5), tying the 49ers for fourth in FBS. … Eastern Michigan leads the MAC and is third in FBS in red-zone scoring, with 11 touchdowns in 13 attempts.
B.K.
THE CITADEL (2-0) AT GARDNER-WEBB (1-1)
Spangler Stadium, Boiling Springs, N.C., 6 p.m.
Gardner-Webb will face nationally ranked Citadel in the Bulldogs’ home opener. … Gardner-Webb is 12-4 in home openers since moving to FCS in 2000, but is 0-2 against ranked opponents. … The Citadel, No. 15 in the FCS rankings, is sixth nationally in turnover margin (plus 5) and interceptions (four).
B.K.
DELAWARE (2-0) AT WAKE FOREST (2-0)
BB&T Field, Winston-Salem, 6:30 p.m.
The Deacons will host the Blue Hens of the FCS’s Colonial Athletic Association. … Wake Forest is off to its first 2-0 start since 2012 after beating ACC rival Duke last week, and can get its first 3-0 start since 2008 with a win Saturday. … Delaware is also off to its best start since 2012, but has lost its past five games against FBS teams.
B.K.
LIVINGSTONE (0-2) AT DAVIDSON (1-1)
Richardson Stadium, Davidson, 7 p.m.
After two weeks on the road, the Wildcats will play their home opener, hosting the CIAA’s Blue Bears. … A win would give Davidson its first 2-1 start since the 2011 season. … Livingstone has lost its first two games by five total points (to Benedict 5-3, to Edward Waters 31-28). … The Wildcats’ defense has held opponents to 10 of 34 on third-down conversions.
B.K.
DUKE (1-1) AT NORTHWESTERN (0-2)
Ryan Field, Evanston, Ill, 8 p.m., Big Ten Network
Both teams probably expected to be 2-0 entering this game, but Duke was beaten by Wake Forest last week and Northwestern has absorbed unexpected losses to Western Michigan (22-21) and then Illinois State (9-7), which won on a last-second field goal. The Blue Devils go to Notre Dame next week, adding urgency to Saturday’s game, while the Wildcats could slip to 0-3.
Chip Alexander
James Madison (2-0) at North Carolina (1-1)
3:30 p.m., Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, FSN
In one-sided victories against Morehead State and Central Connecticut, James Madison averaged 405 yards rushing. Cardon Johnson, a junior who ran for 1,037 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, leads the Dukes’ offense. Expect James Madison to run, run and run some more against the Tar Heels, whose defensive line is banged up and whose struggles in run defense have persisted this season. ... The Dukes, ranked No. 8 in the FCS coaches’ poll, are probably the best FCS team that UNC has faced under coach Larry Fedora. The Dukes should be able to compete, at least for a while. As Fedora has said, though, UNC’s success, or failure, usually comes back to how the Tar Heels execute. If they avoid mistakes and play a relatively clean game, it shouldn’t be close come the fourth quarter.
Andrew Carter
Old Dominion (1-1) at N.C. State (1-1)
6 p.m., Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh
Old Dominion junior Ray Lawry led Conference USA with 1,136 rushing yards last season. He had 119 yards, on 15 carries, in last week’s 31-7 loss to Appalachian State and 110 yards in a season-opening win over Hampton. ... This is the third straight year N.C. State will play the Monarchs. The 2014 game in Raleigh was tight, a 46-34 win for the Wolfpack. Last year’s game in Norfolk, Va. was tilted more in N.C. State’s favor, a 38-14 Wolfpack. N.C. State ran for 256 yards in last year’s game and held ODU to minus-3 yards. Appalachian State ran for 230 yards against the Monarchs last week.
Joe Giglio
This story was originally published September 16, 2016 at 7:11 PM with the headline "Gameday: Saturday’s area college football games to watch."