CHARLOTTE, N.C. (September 2, 2025) - The 2025 football season is underway, as 11 of the 12 competed this weekend in non-conference week zero competition. Below are the first players of the week to kick off the 2025 season.
QUARTERBACK OF THE WEEK
NAME: Rahsaan Matthews
POSITION: Quarterback
INSTITUTION: Virginia State
HOMETOWN: Wilmington, DE.
Rahsaan “RJ” Matthews had a superb first start as a collegiate quarterback. He went 21 out of 27 passes for 343 yards with two touchdowns and rushed 10 times for 47 yards. He led a Trojan’s offense that amassed 569 total yards in a dominant 35 to 7 victory.
OFFENSIVE BACK OF THE WEEK
NAME: Curtis Allen
POSITION: Running Back
INSTITUTION: Virginia Union
HOMETOWN: Petersburg, VA.
Curtis Allen rushed for a Classic-record 185 yards on 17 carries as he led Virginia Union to a 45-3 win over Miles College in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic. Allen rushed for 2 touchdowns and averaged 10.9 yards per carry.
WIDE RECEIVER OF THE WEEK
NAME: Brandon Wiley
POSITION: Wide Receiver
INSTITUTION: Bluefield State
HOMETOWN: Bluefield, WV.
Brandon Wiley recorded 167 receiving yards and two touchdowns on just four catches. He scored on receptions of 86 and 71 yards.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
NAME: Tyleek McCoy
POSITION: Offensive Tackle
INSTITUTION: Virginia State
HOMETOWN: Richmond, VA.
Tyleek McCoy had an outstanding performance for the Trojans. He graded out at 96% with three pancake blocks. Tyleek and the rest of the offensive line lead the way as the Trojans amassed 368 yards passing and 201 yards rushing totaling 569 total yards of offense. The Trojans also controlled the clock with 40 minutes in time of possession.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
NAME: Tajon Roach
POSITION: Defensive End
INSTITUTION: Fayetteville State
HOMETOWN: Sumter, S.C.
In Fayetteville State’s season opener against Benedict College, senior defensive lineman Tajon Roach recorded a game-high 11 total tackles, including 7 solo stops and 2.0 tackles for loss. His relentless pursuit and physical presence at the line of scrimmage helped limit the Tigers to just 3.8 yards per carry.
LINEBACKER OF THE WEEK
NAME: Mike Riley
POSITION: Linebacker
INSTITUTION: Bluefield State
DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE WEEK
NAME: Elijah Wilson
POSITION: Cornerback
INSTITUTION: Johnson C. Smith
HOMETOWN: Mooreville, FL.
Wilson, hauled in two interceptions for 10 yards. He also had four tackles in win against Morehouse.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
NAME: Brady Myers
POSITION: Defensive Back
INSTITUTION: Virginia Union
HOMETOWN: Orlando, FL.
Brady Myers was perfect on the day in VUU's 45-3 win over Miles College in the Black College Hall of Fame Classic. Myers hit a 40-yard field goal and then went 6-for-6 in PATs.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
NAME: Tavin Whitehead
POSITION: Offensive Line
INSTITUTION: Virginia State
HOMETOWN: Virginia Beach, VA.
Tavin Whitehead, the redshirt freshman had a dominant first collegiate start on the offensive line. Tavin graded out at 90% while playing both guard and tackle. Tavin was instrumental to an offense that had the ball for 40 minutes, and amassed 569 total yards for the evening.
About the CIAA
Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first, and longest running, African American athletic conference in the U.S. and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. The Basketball Tournament has been honored as a 2019 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, for both 2018 and 2019.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member institutions: Bowie State University, Bluefield State University, Claflin University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.