2022 CIAA Football Standings
2022 CIAA Football Composite Schedule
2022 CIAA Football Statistics
CHARLOTTE, NC - Both Virginia Union and Fayetteville State can clinch the Northern and Southern Divisions, respectively, Saturday with a win. However, it is not a given as the Panthers battle Chowan for Northern Supremacy and Shaw wrestles with the Broncos. Week 9 also gives us a pair of Southern division clashes that will shape up the rest of the division beyond FSU and Shaw.
Let's take a full look at this week's slate of games:
Chowan (5-3; 5-1 CIAA) at #10 Virginia Union (8-0; 6-0 CIAA), 1:00 P.M.
All eyes are on this matchup as the winner of this matchup could very well be representing the Northern Division in the 2022 CIAA Football Championship in Salem, Va. on November 12. To get to this moment, Chowan has been living on the edge and mostly, coming out unscathed. The Hawks have had five one-possession games in conference action and their record in those games are 4-1. Their only blemish is a 13-10 loss to Fayetteville State after committing five turnovers (The Hawks have not had more than three turnovers in any other game). For Virginia Union, they put itself on the national radar by defeating then No. 2-ranked Valdosta State in the second week of the season and then remaining undefeated. The Panthers have claimed three-point victories over Fayetteville State and Bowie State. Chowan has made it to this point thanks to a defense that allows just under 20 points per game. They rank third in conference in rushing yards allowed at 129 a game and they are third in the conference with 27 sacks. The Hawks also have the top three defenders in tackles for loss in the CIAA with Raydarius Freeman (14), Montre Moore (12.5), and Jamae Blank (12.5) combining for 39 tackles for losses. What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? We will find out Saturday because that trio will be tasked with shutting down the leading rusher in the nation in Virginia Union's Jada Byers. In eight games, Byers has 1,560 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns. Byers has rushed for at least 161 yards in every game in which he has received more than 15 carries. He has multiple touchdowns in seven of eight games, the only exception being when he rushed for "just" 277 yards and one touchdown against Bowie State. He had four touchdowns last week against Lincoln (PA). If it is not Byers prancing in the endzone, it is Curtis Allen barreling in the endzone (nine touchdowns) or Jahkari Grant tossing touchdowns (1,298 yards passing and 14 touchdowns). So again, what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?
Livingstone (2-6; 1-5 CIAA) at St. Augustine's (1-7; 1-5 CIAA), 1 P.M.
One of these programs will earn their second victory in conference play on Saturday. St. Augustine is guided by sophomore signalcaller Chris Perkins, who has proven to be the engine of the Falcons' offense. He has accounted for nine (eight passing, one rushing) of the team's 11 touchdowns and his dual threat ability (150 yards and two touchdowns passing and 87 yards rushing) piloted St. Aug in the upset win over Johnson C. Smith two weeks ago. Wide receiver Deandre Proctor is the model of consistency for the Falcons, recording at least four catches in six of eight games. For St. Aug to achieve this win, the Perkins-Proctor duo will need success against the litany of playmakers throughout the Livingstone defense. Blue Bears defensive lineman Ryan Hatter Jr. and defensive back Kevin Larkins Jr. won conference player of the week honors last week. Hatter Jr. had 10 tackles, 3.5 stops for a loss, and a strip-sack while Larkins Jr. added three more interceptions to his league-leading eight picks despite only playing in six games. Rounding out the three levels of the Blue Bears' defense is linebacker Will Tims, who is fifth in the conference with 61 total tackles.
Virginia State (5-3; 4-2 CIAA) at Lincoln (PA) (2-5; 1-4 CIAA), 1 P.M.
After a tough loss to Chowan two weeks ago, Virginia State rebounded by dispatching Elizabeth City State last Saturday. The Trojans will look to do the same against Lincoln (PA) but the Lions are probably better than their record suggests. Lincoln (PA) lost to Chowan and Elizabeth City State by two points and was competitive against Fayetteville State and Virginia Union. The Lions' quarterback Isaiah Freeman is a strong candidate for CIAA Offensive Rookie of the Year with 1348 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and just one interception this season. Lions receiver Drew Stephens has recorded at least 57 yards receiving in five straight games and has four consecutive games of at least four receptions. Defensively, the Lions have certified gamechangers in Kai Gray and Mike Johnson. Gray is third in the league with 67 total tackles and his three forced fumbles is tied for most in the conference. Johnson has 54 total tackles (fifth in the CIAA) and eight tackles for a loss. The Lions will need those playmakers to make plays against the Trojans, who can score in bunches. Virginia State is second in the conference with 30.3 points per game and third with 416.6 yards per game. The Trojans can beat you in the trenches or through the air. Jordan Davis has three games of at least 250 yards passing and he has 15 total touchdowns (nine passing, six rushing). Darius Hagans is second in the CIAA with 798 yards rushing but Kimo Clarke leads the team in rushing touchdowns (six) and Upton Bailey just ran for 115 yards last week. In other words... the Trojans have options on offense. On defense, Virginia State is led by Zion Johnson's 62 tackles, three quarterback hurries, and two forced fumbles.
Johnson C. Smith (2-5; 2-4 CIAA) at Winston-Salem State (2-5; 2-3 CIAA), 1 P.M.
These two teams are trending in opposite directions as the Golden Bulls have dropped their last two games, including a loss to St. Augustine's while the Rams have won two straight, including posting several season-highs in a win against the Falcons last week. Winston-Salem State has started four quarterbacks this season but freshman Nicholas Jackson has had the most impressive showing by completing 11-of-14 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns against St. Aug. Jackson's arrival was joined by CIAA Rookie of the Week JahTwan Stafford. Stafford rushed for a season-high 185 yards and two touchdowns last week. The Rams should look to continue to lean on those freshmen against the Golden Bulls, who despite a tough recent stretch, is still third in the league with nearly 29 points per game. JCSU has a balanced attack featuring running back Jacob Newman (105 rushing yards and a touchdown) and receiver Brevin Caldwell (seven catches for 73 yards). Defensively, JCSU has Sharrod Simmons, who leads the team with 53 tackles and had 17 last week, and Benari Black, who has 52 tackles and 6.5 stops for a loss. For WSSU, Jaylen Gullatte has two interceptions and seven pass breakups paroling the airspace.
Bowie State (4-4; 3-3 CIAA) at Elizabeth City State (2-6; 2-4 CIAA), 1 P.M.
Bowie State is looking to recover from a pair of heartbreaking losses in the past two weeks. The Bulldogs quarterback Dion Golatt Jr. will most likely finish as the conference's leader in passing yards (2,155) this season. In the last two weeks, Golatt Jr. has thrown for 529 yards but somehow managed to not throw a touchdown in the losses. Backup quarterback Larry Williams, however, has carved out a role as a goal line specialist, rushing for six touchdowns in the last four games. Bowie State could benefit from getting touchdowns through the air and the ground. Defensively, a common theme in the Bulldogs' four losses has been its rushing defense. Bowie State has surrendered over 100 yards in five games this year and has lost four of those five contests. Meanwhile, Elizabeth City State rushed for a season-high 149 yards last week in a loss to Virginia State. Darian King ran for 59 yards and Wynton Ruth (44 yards) and Chase Williams (34) rushed for touchdowns. Bowie State's Jordan Ellison (12 tackles for losses and eight sacks) and Uvel Paul Jr. (7.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks) are studs but the Bulldogs need more from the rest of the defense. For ECSU, it is Juanya' Majette's job to keep Golatt Jr. and Williams under wraps. Majette is second in the CIAA with 68 tackles.
Shaw (3-5; 3-3 CIAA) at Fayetteville State (6-2; 5-1 CIAA), 4 P.M.
This game was circled in the preseason as the decisive moment in the race atop the Southern Division. For a moment, it looked as such when Shaw defeated Bowie State, however, the Bears dropped three straight conference matchups before recovering with a 28-14 win over Livingstone last week. Meanwhile the Broncos enters Saturday needing one win to clinch its spot for a fifth consecutive appearance in the CIAA Football Championship. This contest will come down to who can win in the trenches. FSU probably has the best defensive line in the conference. Defensive ends Devin Cowan and Cameron Merrill are both CIAA Defensive Player of the Year candidates and the duo have combined for 24 tackles for losses, 15 sacks, seven quarterback hurries, and three forced fumbles. In the interior, Anthony Binyard and John Oxce have added 17 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks for a loss together. Shaw has two 2022 Preseason All-CIAA selections on the offensive line in Antavious Zachery and Tyrese Bobbitt. Last week, the Bears' Andre Brandon Jr. rushed for a school-record 306 yards. In addition to Brandon Jr. (479 yards and a 5.2 yards per carry average), Shaw has two more running backs averaging at least five yards per carry. Sidney Gibbs has rushed for 441 yards and averages five yards per carry and Jatoine Fields is recording 5.6 yards per rush. If Shaw pulls out the victory Saturday, it will be because Zachery and Bobbitt and the rest of the offfensive line neutralized that Broncos' defensive front.
All CIAA games are available for purchase on the CIAA Sports Network.