CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Week four is in the books and saw a lot of high-scoring performances, including Johnson C. Smith, who remains undefeated after a big 42-3 win over Bluefield State. Winston-Salem State, Virginia Union, and Virginia State each notched 28+ points as well en route to victory.  

Winston-Salem State def. Bowie State, 28-14 
After a hot 3-1 start, Winston-Salem State headed to Bowie State to take on the Bulldogs who were coming off their first victory of the season over Livingstone. The Bulldogs got out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, but a 21-point second quarter by the Rams saw them take the lead and not look back. Both teams would add another touchdown, with the Rams coming out on top, 28-14.  

Livingstone def. Lincoln (PA), 15-14 

Livingstone looked to get back in the win column on Saturday against Lincoln (PA), who were searching for their first win of the season. The Lions found the endzone twice in the first half and held a narrow 14-9 lead at the break. The Blue Bears took the lead back after a third-quarter touchdown, and their defense would hunker down, holding the Lions scoreless in the second half, as they improved to 3-2 with the win. 

Virginia Union def. Shaw, 42-7 
Virginia Union and Shaw faced off for the second-straight season and produced a similar result to the previous matchup, as the Panthers took down the Bears, 42-7. VUU’s defense held Shaw scoreless for the entire first half while the offense exploded for an astounding 601 total yards, the second time they’ve eclipsed 600+ yards this season. 

Virginia State def. Fayetteville State, 35-18 
The West End Classic continues to be a back-and-forth affair, as Virginia State claimed victory Fayetteville State in this year’s matchup, 35-18. The Trojans found the endzone in all four quarters while holding the Broncos to under 100 yards rushing. Both teams now sit at 2-2. 

Johnson C. Smith def. Bluefield State, 42-3 
The Golden Bulls continue to turn heads left and right, as they improved to 5-0 after a a big 42-3 win over Bluefield State. JCSU didn’t find the endzone in the first quarter but quickly got rolling with four touchdowns in the second quarter. They added another pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter en route to victory.  

One month into the season, this is where our teams stack up in the rankings: 

1. Johnson C. Smith (5-0, 2-0 CIAA) 
2. Winston-Salem State (4-1, 2-0 CIAA) 
3. Virginia State (2-2, 1-0 CIAA) 
4. Virginia Union (2-2, 1-0 CIAA) 
5. Livingstone (3-2, 1-1 CIAA) 
6. Shaw (3-2, 1-1 CIAA) 
7. Fayetteville State (2-2, 1-1 CIAA) 
8. Elizabeth City State (2-2, 0-1 CIAA) 
9. Bluefield State (1-3, 0-1 CIAA) 
10. Bowie State (1-3, 0-1 CIAA)
11. Lincoln (PA) (0-4, 0-1 CIAA) 

Next week's schedule will see all 11 teams take the field in week four of the 2024 football season.

WEEKLY HONORS
Below are the weekly honors:



NAME: Mark Wright
POSITION: Quarterback
CLASS: Senior
HOMETOWN: Atlanta, GA.

Wright completed 19 of 21 passes for 277 yards and four touchdowns as Virginia Union defeated Shaw University 42-7 on Saturday, September 28, in Richmond, Va.


NAME: Jada Byers
POSITION: Running Back
CLASS: Senior
HOMETOWN: Bridgeton, N.J.

Byers carried the ball 20 times for 173 yards and a touchdown as VUU downed Shaw 42-7 on Saturday, September 28, in Richmond, Va.  Byers now has 55 career rushing touchdowns, 7 short of the school record of 62 held by Andre Braxton.


NAME: Kevin Gayles
POSITION: Wide Receiver
CLASS: R-Sophomore
HOMETOWN: Richmond, VA.

Gayles had a touchdown on every catch he had against Fayetteville State. He finished with three catches for 163 yards and three touchdowns,18-yard, 63-yard and 68-yard scores.


NAME: Justin Royes
POSITION: Offensive Lineman
CLASS: Sophomore
HOMETOWN: Suffolk, VA.

Royes anchored an offensive line which allowed Virginia Union to rack up 582 total offensive yards as the Panthers downed Shaw University 42-7 on Saturday, September 28, in Richmond, Va.


NAME: Malik Head
POSITION: Defensive Lineman
CLASS: Graduate
HOMETOWN: Snellville, GA.

Malik has shown a strong presence on the field. This week against Virginia State, he recorded a total of 7 tackles, including 2 solo tackles and 5 assisted tackles. Malik also made significant contributions with 2 tackles for loss, totaling 8 yards, and 0.5 sacks for 5 yards. His ability to disrupt the opposing team’s offense makes him an invaluable asset to the team. 


NAME: KJ McNeil
POSITION: Linebacker
CLASS: Sophomore
HOMETOWN: Richmond, VA.

KJ led a highly motivated defense that held FSU under 300 yards and only 81 yards on the ground.  He had 8 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception that ignited VSU to tie the game up and subsequently took the lead for good. 


NAME: Dante Bowlding
POSITION: Defensive Back
CLASS: Graduate
HOMETOWN: Fayetteville, N.C.

He recorded seven total tackles, (seven solo), and also recorded two assists, 1.0 sack netting three yards  and an interception for 3 yards, giving the Rams offense good field position. The Rams offense would score a touchdown extending the lead to 21-7 in the 2nd quarter.  


NAME: Jason Zapata
POSITION: Kicker
CLASS: Sophomore
HOMETOWN: Florida City, FL.

Zapata went 3-3 in field goals, proving to be the difference in the team's 15-14 win over Lincoln (PA).


NAME: Marquis Edmond
POSITION: Linebacker
CLASS: R-Freshman
HOMETOWN: Baltimore, MD.

In Marquis' 1st collegiate start, he tied for the lead on the team in tackles with eight, along with 3 passes defended, on a defense that held FSU under 300 yards and only 81 on the ground.