Ronell Ferguson has the moment already mapped out in his head. He's experienced already it once before.

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SOUTH CAROLINA STATE ATHLETICS

South Carolina State's Ronell Ferguson, a former Lincoln County standout, says he has already pictured what it would be like to sack Joshua Nesbitt Saturday.

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Georgia Tech's Heisman Trophy candidate Joshua Nesbitt will roll out right. Ferguson, the starting nose guard for South Carolina State, will come off the blocker and run down Nesbitt from the back side for the sack.

Both of them on the turf of Grant Field at Bobby Dodd Stadium, Ferguson has his statement already prepared.

"I'm gonna say, 'Remember this?' " the former Lincoln County star said with a laugh.

It's been a few years since Ferguson and Nesbitt shared the same field during a preseason scrimmage between Lincoln County and Nesbitt's Greene County. But the one time Ferguson got a sack on the future Yellow Jackets' quarterback was a moment he hasn't forgotten.

"He didn't see me coming so he probably was surprised," said Ferguson, now a junior with defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion S.C. State. "He's a Heisman candidate. It motivates me to do what I did against him in high school and do it now."

If the situation presents itself, two former Red Devils defenders could be chasing after Nesbitt in Saturday's season opener in Atlanta. Freshman Marquis Parks has already put himself in the backup role at defensive end for the Bulldogs.

"I would love it," Parks said of the potential for two Lincoln County guys disrupting the vaunted offense of the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference champions.

Season openers always carry with them an air of excitement, but Saturday's trip to Georgia Tech has Ferguson and Parks walking on air. They expect family reunions to be breaking out in the bleachers.

"I'm real excited because this is the first time in my college career I've been able to go back and play in Georgia," Ferguson said.

Parks didn't have to wait three years for the same chance.

"My first ever college game and it's in Georgia," he said. "Georgia Tech is a D-I school and No. 1 in the ACC. It gets no better than that."

It's the first meeting between these two programs, but taking on prominent neighbors is nothing new for S.C. State since Ferguson got there in 2008. He faced Clemson and Central Florida his freshman season and South Carolina last year. This year's opener with a reigning BCS conference champion is a step up.

"It's nice to receive publicity and also we get to start off the big dog and show the world we can play with the biggest teams too and they're just not going to run over us," Ferguson said.

Georgia Tech has a way of running over everybody with the triple-option offense of Paul Johnson. Last season, the Yellow Jackets ranked second nationally in rushing offense (295.4 yards per game). S.C. State's defense allowed just 98.3 yards rushing per game and ranked fifth nationally in Division I-AA in total defense.

The Bulldogs have spent two weeks preparing for the option that they've seen a version of only once before against Bethune Cookman.

"I'm not going to lie, it's been rough at first," Ferguson said of the preparation. "But if everybody plays their positions we should be fine."

It's been doubly hard on Parks, who arrived in Orangeburg, S.C., over the summer to try to get a quick start.

"When I got up here it was moving a whole lot faster than I was used to and I had to get up to speed to it," he said. "I'm so eager to be a part of it. I put forth all my effort in practice and my weights to be in as good a shape as possible for the first game and to make the travelling squad. I've been doing what I had to do to make myself and my family proud."

Part of what drew Parks to S.C. State was Ferguson.

"Since I already knew he was going to be up here I knew I wouldn't feel so out of place," Parks said. "He's always been a good role model to me in high school, so I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I see that he's doing good and how far he's getting so I know that I can do good."

With Ferguson's help over the summer, Parks picked things up fast enough to already secure a place on the depth chart and travelling squad.

"Parks has been a real surprise," said head coach Buddy Pough. "We are convinced that he's going to help us this year."

Ferguson -- who's known Parks most of his life -- wasn't so surprised.

"I saw a lot of promise in him when he came during the summer," he said. "Being one of the D-line captains, I had to teach him the plays because the coaches couldn't be out there. He picked up on it real well. I see a lot of promise in him and when I leave he's going to carry on my legacy."

Ferguson's legacy is growing since he became a starter as a sophomore. The Bulldogs have posted consecutive 10-win seasons since his arrival and he's a key component in their quest to do it again.

"Ronell has already established that he is an outstanding player," Pough said. "He has done a great job for us the last two years at tackle."

On Saturday, it's all about representing Lincolnton in their state homecoming against a Heisman candidate they both knew before he became a star. Ferguson and Parks are determined not to let the excitement of the stage overwhelm them.

"When it all comes down to it we're all just playing football," Parks said. "(Nesbitt's) going to do what he's got to do and we're going to do what we've got to do."