Charleston Southern captured the Lowcountry Boil Bowl for the first time in program history Saturday night, edging The Citadel 26-20 in double overtime at Johnson Hagood Stadium.
Running back Hakeem Watters ended it on a nine-yard scoring run in the second extra period, capping a defensive slugfest between the cross-city rivals that stayed within a possession most of the night.
The Bulldogs struck first when quarterback Quentin Hayes hit Michael Lorino on a 33-yard fourth-down completion to set up the game’s opening touchdown. Charleston Southern answered on the following series after Josiah Wyatt blocked a punt and Anthony Paulk recovered at the Citadel 24-yard line following a penalty. Running back Harry Smalls punched it in from one yard out, and Matt Rolader’s extra point tied the score at 7-7.
Rolader gave the visitors their first lead of the night with a 48-yard field goal, making it 10-7 with 10:34 to play in the first half. The Citadel’s kicking game matched him twice more — a 45-yarder to tie at 10, and a 37-yarder to open the fourth quarter at 13-10 — before Rolader answered with a 52-yard field goal to send the game to overtime knotted at 13.
The teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime before Watters delivered the finishing blow in the second. Charleston Southern quarterback Lek Powell finished 8 of 16 for 84 passing yards, while Watters led the Buccaneers with 56 yards on 11 carries and Smalls added 39 yards on 11 attempts. Linebacker Tristan Lennon paced the defense with 10 tackles.
The Buccaneers moved to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in Ohio Valley Conference play after the nonconference win. The Citadel fell to 1-2 overall. Charleston Southern hosts Point University on Sept. 19.
