CHARLOTTE, NC –
Week #8 featured one huge upset and several close calls … Here’s a review of what transpired, and a look ahead at Week #9 matchups.
Bowie State 40 (4-4 / 3-3 CIAA / 2-1 North) at Bluefield State 11 (1-7 / 0-6 CIAA / 0-3 North)
In a matchup of the BSU’s, Bowie State made the long trek to Bluefield State on Saturday afternoon and came away with a convincing 40-11 victory. Redshirt freshman Jordan Morse made his first start under center at took full advantage of the opportunity, leading the BSU Bulldogs on offense with 237 total yards. Morse completed 13-of-17 passes for 117 yards and one touchdown and rushed for a game-high 60 yards. Keshane Hinkley was Bowie State’s leading receiver with 78 yards on seven receptions. Mychale Salahuddin along with Sadiq Salawu paced the Bulldogs defense with seven tackles each. Bluefield State’s Isiah Teal led BSU’s Big Blue with 187 passing yards, completing 20-of-43 passes but was intercepted four times and sacked six times. Lucas Moore was Big Blue’s top receiver with 93 reception yards on 10 catches. Justin Campbell and Brett Brantley were Bluefield State’s leading tacklers with seven and six tackles respectively.
FULL GAME RECAP:
Big Blue Bested by Bowie State BOX SCORE
Next Opponent: Bowie State hosts Elizabeth City State (October 28th at 1 PM)
Bluefield State host Virginia Union (October 28th at 1 PM)
Lincoln (PA) 0 (4-4 / 3-3 CIAA / 2-1 North) at #20 Virginia Union 57 (7-1 / 5-1 CIAA / 3-0 North)
No. 20 Virginia Union had no mercy on visiting Lincoln (PA) on Saturday afternoon, crushing the Lions 57-0 to the delight of the VUU Panthers Homecoming crowd. Virginia Union rolled up 481 yards of total offense while holding Lincoln (PA) to 168 yards of total offense. Virginia Union was led offensively by quarterback Christian Reid with a game-high 176 passing yards to go along with a game-high 65 rushing yards. William Davis and Jabrill Norman led the Panthers defense with eight tackles apiece and Isaiah Dickens added seven total tackles in the lopsided victory. Isaiah Freeman, the CIAA’s leading passer was held to just 69 passing yards, completing 8-of-21 passes and was sacked twice. The LUPA Lions leading ground gainer was Amir Gerald with 44 rushing yards while Nazsir Oglesby along with London Thomas contributed 25 rushing yards each in the loss. The CIAA’s leading receiver Melachi Langley was held in check as well by the Virginia Union defense, hauling in four passes for 24 yards. The top defenders for Lincoln (PA) were David Chase and Rodney Stubbs with six and five tackles respectively.
FULL GAME RECAP: Virginia Union Cruises to a 57-0 Homecoming Win Over Lincoln (PA) BOX SCORE
Next Opponent: Lincoln (PA) at Virginia State (October 28th at 2 PM)
Virginia Union at Bluefield State (October 28th at 1 PM)
Shaw 26 (2-6 / 2-4 CIAA / 1-2 South) at Livingstone 27 (3-5 / 3-3 CIAA / 2-1 South)
Livingstone captured a 27-26 come from behind victory over Shaw as time expired sending the Blue Bears Homecoming fanbase into a frenzy. Livingstone’s William Tims was Livingstone’s top offensive producer, leading the Blue Bears with 173 passing yards to go along with 32 rushing yards. Tims’ primary target was Brayden Hawkins with game-highs of seven receptions and 76 reception yards. Shaw’s Sideny Gibbs rushed for a game-high and personal season-best 183 rushing yards (13.1 yards per carry) and scored a pair of touchdowns. Shaw Bears quarterback Silas Cruse completed 10-of-14 passes for 95 yards (two touchdowns) but was sacked four times. Defensively, Jaden Jones recorded a game-high 10 tackles for Shaw while Jaden Echols led the Blue Bears defense with eight total tackles.
FULL GAME RECAP:
Blue Bears Cap Off Homecoming with Thrilling Last-Second Victory BOX SCORE
Next Opponent: Shaw hosts Fayetteville State (October 28th at 1 PM))
Livingstone hosts Saint Augustine’s (October 28th at 6 PM)
Saint Augustine’s 17 (0-8 / 0-6 CIAA / 0-3 South) at Winston-Salem State 24 (3-4 / 3-2 CIAA / 1-1 South)
The Winston-Salem State Rams were celebrating Homecoming on Saturday afternoon but almost had the festivities derailed after edging the winless Saint Augustine’s Falcons 24-17 on the games’ final possession. With the score tied at 7-all at halftime, the Falcons took a 17-7 lead at the 9:04 mark of the third quarter and appeared to be on the verge of an upset. However, WSSU trimmed their deficit to 17-14 heading into the fourth quarter. Fortunately for the Rams, quarterback Dylan Lee found the SAU Falcons endzone for the game winning score with 11 ticks remaining on the Bowman-Gray Stadium scoreboard. Lee finished the game with 259 passing yards, completing 21-of-32 passes and scored two touchdowns. Lee’s negative stats were four sacks and a pair of interceptions. Justin Fleming and Kairon Martin paced the WSSU Rams defense with seven and six tackles respectively. Saint Augustine’s best stats came on the defensive side of the ball as Booker Peake and Jamieson Alston recorded double-digit tackles with 14 and 12 respectively in the loss.
FULL GAME RECAP:
Winston-Salem State Victorious on Homecoming, Defeat St. Augustine’s BOX SCORE
Next Opponent: Saint Augustine’s at Livingstone (October 28th at 6 PM)
Winston-Salem State at Johnson C. Smith (October 28th at 2 PM)
Elizabeth City State 17 (2-6 / 1-5 CIAA / 1-2 North) at #24 Virginia State 16 (7-1 / 5-1 CIAA / 2-1 North)
Elizabeth City State sled the giant on Saturday afternoon, going into Rogers Stadium and shocked previously unbeaten Virginia State 17-16, snapping the Trojans seven-game winning streak. VSU’s Matthew Ward missed an extra point on the Trojans’ final possession of the game at the 1:20 mark of the deciding quarter. Elizabeth City State’s Zechariah Adams-Duckson pounded out a game-high 136 rushing yards on a game-high 32 carries, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. ECSU Vikings quarterback Donoven Davenport also had a good game, throwing for 142 passing yards and recorded one touchdown. Davenport’s primary target was Ian Edwards with a game-high 88 reception yards. Virginia State amassed 328 total yards of total offense and Elizabeth City State racked up 304 yards of total offense. The Vikings defense had two double-figure tacklers in Tracey White (12) and Demorian Smith (10). The VSU Trojans offense was led by quarterback Jordan Davis with 282 passing yards but was sacked four times. Carl Poole was VSU’s leading tackler with 11 (six solo and five assisted).
FULL GAME RECAP: Virginia State Stunned by Elizabeth City State BOX SCORE
Next Opponent: Elizabeth City State at Bowie State (October 28th at 1 PM)
Virginia State hosts Lincoln (PA) (October 28th at 2 PM)
Johnson C. Smith 7 (5-3 / 4-2 CIAA / 1-2 South) at Fayetteville State 14 (6-2 / 6-0 CIAA / 3-0 South)
This was a game of two halves, as the Fayetteville State defense shined in the first 30 minutes of action and Johnson C. Smith’s defense shined over the final 30 minutes of play. In the end, Fayetteville State’s offense did just enough and earned a tough 14-7 Homecoming win to remain unbeaten in the CIAA’s Southern Division. Neither team put up good numbers on offense in this defensive standoff. The Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls accounted for 192 yards of total offense compared to just 114 yards of total offense for the defending CIAA Champions of Fayetteville State. JCSU’s Jamere Cherry finished the game with a game-high 93 passing yards and teammate Brevin Caldwell led all receivers with 90 reception yards. The FSU Broncos offense was led by Caden Davis with a game-high 52 rushing yards. The Fayetteville defensive duo of Shi Gaskin and Elijah Casey led the Broncos with 12 and 10 tackles respectively.
FULL GAME RECAP:
Fayetteville State Holds Off Johnson C. Smith on Homecoming BOX SCORE
Next Opponent: Johnson C. Smith hosts Winston-Salem State (October 28th at 2 PM)
Fayetteville State at Shaw (October 28th at 1 PM)