Oliver Pough

Oliver Pough
	Pough in 2022
Playing career
1971–1974	South Carolina State
Position	Offensive lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1976–1978	Orangeburg-Wilkinson HS (SC) (assistant)
1979–1980	South Carolina State (DL)
1981–1985	South Carolina State (DC/DL)
1986–1988	Orangeburg-Wilkinson HS (SC) (AHC)
1989–1993	Keenan HS (SC)
1994–1996	Fairfield Central HS (SC)
1997–2001	South Carolina (RB)
2002–2023	South Carolina State
Head coaching record
Overall	151–93 (college)
Bowls	1–0
Tournaments	0–4 (NCAA D-I playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
	3 Black college football national (2008, 2009, 2021); 8 MEAC (2004, 2008–2010, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2021)
Awards
	4× MEAC Coach of the Year (2008, 2009, 2019, 2021)

Oliver Wendell "Buddy" Pough III is an American former college football coach and player. He served as the head football coach at South Carolina State University, a position he held from 2002 until his retirement in 2023.^[1] He led the South Carolina State Bulldogs football team to eight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) titles, in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2019, and 2021.

Pough is a member of the MEAC Hall of Fame^[2] and the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame.^[3]

Head coaching record


Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	TSN^#	Coaches^°
South Carolina State Bulldogs (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) (2002–present)
2002	South Carolina State	7–5	4–4	T–5th
2003	South Carolina State	8–4	5–2	T–2nd
2004	South Carolina State	9–2	6–1	T–1st		22
2005	South Carolina State	9–2	7–1	2nd		20
2006	South Carolina State	7–4	6–2	T–2nd
2007	South Carolina State	7–4	7–2	T–2nd
2008	South Carolina State	10–3	8–0	1st	L NCAA Division I First Round	13	13
2009	South Carolina State	10–2	8–0	1st	L NCAA Division I First Round	8	8
2010	South Carolina State	9–3	7–1	T–1st	L NCAA Division I First Round	16	17
2011	South Carolina State	7–4	6–2	T–2nd
2012	South Carolina State	5–6	4–4	T–6th
2013	South Carolina State	9–4	7–1	T–1st	L NCAA Division I First Round	25
2014	South Carolina State	8–4	6–2	T–1st
2015	South Carolina State	7–4	6–2	4th
2016	South Carolina State	5–6	5–3	T–3rd
2017	South Carolina State	3–7	2–6	T–8th
2018	South Carolina State	5–6	4–3	T–4th
2019	South Carolina State	8–3	6–2	T–2nd*
2020–21	South Carolina State	3–1	2–0	1st (South)
2021	South Carolina State	7–5	5–0	1st	W Celebration Bowl
2022	South Carolina State	3–8	1–4	6th
2023	South Carolina State	5–6	3–2	T–3rd
South Carolina State:		151–93	115–44	*conf champs in 2019 due to NCAA sanctions on Florida A&M
Total:		151–93
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth
^†Indicates Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, BCS, or CFP / New Years' Six bowl.