There's two and a half decades between the last one and this one. There were close chances in some years. Others weren't so close.

Today, the South Carolina State University Bulldogs will take their place among the nation's elite in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) playoffs.

It's been 26 years since the Bulldogs were last in postseason play.

It was 1982. Ronald Reagan was president. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album had just hit the store's shelves and a postage stamp was only 20 cents.

It was also the senior year for Orangeburg businessman Sidney Fulton, the owner of Popeye's restaurant on Chestnut Street.

In 1982, Fulton was coming off his own championship season. While he was at State, Fulton and his teammates captured three MEAC football titles. Fulton himself was voted All-Conference three times and All-American once. He is in the SCSU Hall of Fame.

Fulton knows what the Bulldogs face in three-time defending national champion Appalachian State.

"They wouldn't be App State and they wouldn't have a talented team if they weren't excellent," Fulton said.

Recruited by SCSU legend Coach Willie Jeffries in 1978, Fulton wore Bulldog red for four years, winning the MEAC Championship every year but his freshman year.

Many players off those squads went on to play with teams like the Steelers, the Dolphins, the Cowboys.

Others, like quarterback Nate Rivers, currently serve the country overseas in the military.

Like many of the "Old 'Dogs," as Fulton calls them, he attends nearly every game, watches the current players.

Of the current team now going where Fulton's team was last to tread, the former middle linebacker credits the post-season invitation to the game plan of the head coach who was an assistant during Fulton's football career.

"Buddy Pough's had the cards in place for it," Fulton said. "I see where Buddy has the tools to reload, and he's got good talent" on the field today.

S.C. State ended the 2008 regular season campaign at 10-2 overall with a perfect 7-0 conference record.

Saying they're both outstanding, Fulton won't compare the two teams, 1982 and today's squad.

He does admit, though, that he pays more attention to the middle linebacker slot when attending a game with his wife and two sons.

"I find myself watching his read," he said of current Bulldog middle linebacker, Tony White. "He's done a super job all season."

But Fulton said he is pleased with more than White's play. He is impressed with the solidarity displayed on the field.

"I see that team unity," he said. "In my era, we relied on the defense, three and out, whereas with them it's both sides of the ball."

In Appalachian State, the former linebacker said the 'Dogs will need that same combined effort to bring home the win.

The former All-American recalled the 1982 playoffs when the 'Dogs were to face the Paladins of Furman, who had the reputation of being anything but cream puffs. State was easily the underdog for that game.

"But we went up there and shut them out, 17-0," Fulton said. "Furman had a solid unit."

For Saturday's game, the Bulldogs again have been labeled the underdogs, facing Appalachian State in western North Carolina.

"App State is a tremendous team, lots of talent everywhere. (ASU's) Monty Edwards is a tremendous quarterback from South Carolina" Fulton said. "I'm not going to predict an outcome. I'm just happy we're going up to Boone and playing a tough game."

T&D Staff Writer Richard Walker can be reached by e-mail at rwalker@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5516. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

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