2022 CIAA Football Standings
2022 CIAA Football Composite Schedule
2022 CIAA Football Statistics
CHARLOTTE, NC - Week 7 has major consequences for the Northern Division of the CIAA Standings as three teams (Bowie State, Virginia State, & Chowan) are within one game of Virginia Union. Saturday that will change as the Bulldogs host the Panthers and the Hawks host the Trojans. In the Southern Division, Shaw and Johnson C. Smith aims to keep pace with Fayetteville State. Let's take a full look at this week's slate of games:
#15 Virginia Union (6-0; 4-0 CIAA) at Bowie State (4-2; 3-1 CIAA), 12 P.M.
This might be the crown jewel game of the CIAA's regular season. The nationally ranked Panthers travel to Maryland to take on the three-time defending CIAA champions Bulldogs. The winner of this matchup could very well be lifting the trophy on November 12th in Salem, VA. This is a match made in heaven for CIAA fans as Virginia Union has the top rushing offense in the conference and Bowie State has the top passing attack. Jada Byers is running away with the nation's rushing title (1,096 yards) and rushing touchdown title (13) but his Harlon Hill Candidacy can make an even bigger statement with a dominant showing against the Bulldogs. Panthers quarterback Jahkari Grant continues to play winning football with six touchdowns through the air in the last two weeks. On the other side of the ball, Bowie State allows just 105 yards rushing and defensive linemen Jordan Ellison and Joshua Pryor have a knack for getting in the backfield, combining for 11.5 tackles for a loss and five sacks. Bulldogs signalcaller Dion Golatt Jr. leads the CIAA with 1,626 yards passing, 13 touchdowns, a 64.4 completion percentage and receiver Keshane Hinckley is second in the league with 29 catches for 377 yards, plus three scores. Virginia Union is vulnerable through the air but the best passing defense is a good pass rush and the Panthers have that in Armonii Burden (22 tackles and five sacks) and Isaac Anderson (10 tackles for a loss and three sacks).
Johnson C. Smith (2-3; 2-2 CIAA) at St. Augustine's (0-6; 0-4 CIAA), 1:00 P.M.
It is Homecoming for the Falcons and Johnson C. Smith will enter Raleigh, NC with the second best scoring offense in the conference (32.4 points per game), which does not bode well for a St. Augustine's squad that allows a league-worst 57 points per game. The Falcons have followed up their Bowie State game, where they scored a season-high 20 points and allowed a season-low 36 points, by getting shutout in consecutive weeks. Meanwhile, the Golden Bulls are surging at the right time and two straight wins have JCSU one game behind Fayetteville State for first place in the Southern Division. The Golden Bulls have proven that they can move the ball through the air (quarterback Tyrell Jackson leads the CIAA with 289.5 passing yards per game) but it is their run game that can have them playing in the postseason. In the past two weeks, JCSU has scored eight touchdowns on the ground with Tyriek Leach scoring four times and Jacob Newman scoring thrice. The Golden Bulls now have a "pick-your-poison" offense and the Falcons' Lee Sales (team-high 40 tackles and five for a loss) and D'Andre Tolson (15 solo tackles) will have their hands full.
Virginia State (4-2; 3-1 CIAA) at Chowan (3-3; 3-1 CIAA), 1:00 P.M.
A loss Saturday could doom one of these teams in the race to the top of the Northern Division. Both teams still have matchups against Virginia Union left and the Hawks also have a date with Bowie State remaining. Last week, the Trojans had their four-game winning streak snapped by the Bulldogs and Chowan held on against Lincoln for a 16-14 win. In its four wins, Virginia State has topped at least 430 yards of offense, led by running back Darius Hagans, who is second in the CIAA with 623 yards rushing. The Trojans will also need quarterback Jordan Davis to play more like he did against Shaw (season-high 257 yards and four total touchdowns) than Bowie State (9-of-26 passing for 100 yards). Chowan is guided by its stout defense, which features Montre Moore, the conference's leading tackler with 63 tackles and Raydarius Freeman, the conference leader in tackles for a loss with 10.5. Chowan's Nijere Peoples and Caleb Pierce best games came four weeks ago when Peoples rushed for a season-high 129 yards and Pierce threw for 237 and ran for 65 more. The Hawks will need to turn back the clock in order to stay in the hunt. The Hawks' offense will need to be better and avoid turnovers after multiple giveaways in all but one contest while Virginia State leads the league in interceptions with 11. Trojan Willie Drew has four interceptions and four pass breakups and Kymon Pope leads the team with 5.5 tackles for a loss with two picks and three deflections.
Shaw (2-4; 2-2 CIAA) at Winston-Salem State (0-5; 0-3 CIAA), 1:30 P.M.
Seven weeks into the season and the Rams get to play in front of their home fans for the first time while Shaw is looking to rebound from two tough losses in the past two weeks. WSSU's 326 yards of total offense last week against Livingstone tied a season-high but a whopping six turnovers (four fumbles, two interceptions) absolutely doomed the Rams in the 20-17 loss. The recipe for WSSU getting its first win of the season is pretty simple. Play as well as they did last week but avoid the back-breaking giveaways. Rams running backs Asa Barnes and JahTwan Strafford each had 74 yards rushing. Barnes also had a rushing and receiving touchdown and receiver RJ Mobley had four catches for 73 yards. Defensively, WSSU held the Blue Bears to just 220 yards, including 13 rushing yards on 21 attempts. Jaylen Gullatte earned his second interception of the season and leading tackler Jasahn Rankin (29 tackles) got his first pick of the year in the game. For Shaw, not having receiver Ah'shaan Belcher in the last two games hurt the Bears. His 330 yards receiving (on just 16 catches in four games) still ranks third in the CIAA. The Bears' strength on defense is its secondary but they may need to rely more on their defensive linemen Brian Patterson (team-high eight tackles for a loss and three sacks) and Saevion Gibbs (4.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks) against a good run game.
Fayetteville State (4-2; 3-1 CIAA) at Livingstone (2-4; 1-3 CIAA) 1:30 P.M.
If Fayetteville State wants to avoid being a four-time CIAA runner-up, it will need to prove that its offense is here to stay. Last week, the Broncos put up season-highs in multiple categories, including a season-high 54 points and 543 yards. FSU's Demari Daniels was perfect in his first start at quarterback, completing five-of-seven passes for 194 yards, three touchdowns, and rushing for a fourth score. Meanwhile, Livingstone's defense is allowing 32 points per game so that could be the recipe to keep FSU's offense on track. However, the Blue Bears are coming off a game in which they forced six turnovers and defeated Winston-Salem State, 20-17. For the season, Livingstone's Will Tims and Jaden Echols each have a team-high 39 tackles and Kevin Larkins Jr. now has four interceptions after two against the Rams. Of course, the Broncos still have a championship-caliber defense, evidenced by allowing under 14 points and 272 yards per game. FSU's Tyren Belcher (eight pass breakups) and Kenneth Merritt (six pass breakups) will be opportunistic against the Blue Bears' Matthew Henry and Lasirton Bryant. The receiving duo have combined for 41 catches, 448 yards, and five touchdowns.
Lincoln (PA) (2-3; 1-2 CIAA) at Elizabeth City State (1-5; 1-3 CIAA), 2 P.M.
One of these schools will earn its second win in conference action. Lincoln (PA) is looking for its first three-win season since 2015 (and they would have three more weeks to improve upon that) while ECSU is looking for a win on their Homecoming. After opening conference play with a win over Winston-Salem State, the Vikings have struggled for the past three weeks. For the Lions, freshman quarterback Isaiah Freeman has been the top playmaker with 836 passing yards, eight passing touchdowns, no interceptions, plus 220 yards and a score on the ground. Getting running back Amir Gerald back will help relieve the pressure off Freeman as Gerald rushed for 126 yards against Fayetteville State and then 82 against Chowan. Dah'mear Triplett is the third piece of the potential three-headed monster, he has a receiving touchdown in the past four games. The Lions' defense has playmakers too and they are one of only four schools in the CIAA to surrender less than 300 yards per game. Kai Gray leads Lincoln (PA) with 43 tackles and seven pass breakups and Eric Best has three interceptions. The Vikings do not have as many offensive playmakers as Lincoln but they do have a stud in Zion Riddick. Riddick has 573 all-purpose yards (311 return yards, 210 receiving, 52 rushing) in six games and he'll need a healthy dose of touches if ECSU wants to beat the Lions. The Vikings' Juanya' Majette (58 tackles, second in the league) and Tracey White Jr. (ninth with 36 total tackles) will be tasked with disrupting Freeman, Gerald, and Triplett.
All CIAA games are available for purchase on the CIAA Sports Network.