Charlotte, N.C. (October 3, 2025) - The CIAA football season continues this Saturday with a full slate of Week 5 action as teams battle for position in the conference standings. With early-season momentum on the line, several matchups feature critical implications for the postseason race. Here’s a look at this week’s contests.
Make sure to tune into the CIAA Sports Network to catch all of Saturday’s action: https://theciaasn.com/. You can also find the latest updated CIAA football standings here.
Bluefield State (1-3) vs. Shaw (1-3) - 1:00 P.M.
Shaw returns home looking to bounce back after a tough 59–7 loss to Virginia Union last week. The Bears will lean on their defensive front to reset and keep pace in the conference standings. Bluefield State also comes in looking for answers after falling 69–13 to Johnson C. Smith, as the Big Blue search for consistency on both sides of the ball.
This matchup offers Shaw a chance to rebound and gives Bluefield State an opportunity to pull off a statement win. Key players to watch include Shaw’s Cobie Bates, who has caught three or more passes in 3 of 4 games this season as well as defensive back Jaden Perkins, who snagged two interceptions and seven tackles which earned him Defensive Back of the Week honors two weeks ago. For Bluefield State, wide receiver Brandon Wiley will look to continue his early season dominance, currently ranked third in the conference at 65.5 yards per game to go along with three touchdowns.
Shaw sits at 1-1 in conference play and looks to climb above .500 while Bluefield State can leap the Bears and improve to 1-1 with a victory.
Bowie State (1-3) vs. Fayetteville State (2-3) – 1:00 P.M.
Fayetteville State enters Week 5 on a high after a decisive 34–14 victory over Virginia State, where the Broncos combined for over 320 yards offense and saw four different players find the end zone, led by Demari Daniels’ 198 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. With a 2–0 mark in CIAA play, Fayetteville State is establishing itself as a contender once again. Meanwhile, Bowie State sits at 0–1 in the conference after a tough loss to Winston-Salem State and faces a critical moment in its season. Defensive back Samuel Graham ranks top three in both tackles and forced fumbles, contributing to two Defensive Back of the Week honors, and he will look to wreak havoc on the Broncos’ offense this week.
Historically competitive against Fayetteville State (4-4 all-time), the Bulldogs will need a balanced offensive effort and strong defensive play to challenge the Broncos at home. The outcome could shape the postseason outlook for both programs.
Elizabeth City State (0-4) vs. Livingstone (3-1) – 1:00 P.M.
Livingstone looks to continue its hot start after defeating Lincoln (PA) 31–7 last week. The Blue Bears racked up 356 yards of offense while holding their opponent to under 200, moving to 2–0 in CIAA play. Elizabeth City State, still seeking consistency, will aim to turn its season around with a road win. This game carries weight in the conference standings, as Livingstone looks to cement itself among the conference’s early contenders.
Quarterback Elijah Alexander, who accounted for multiple scores last week, will be key for the Blue Bears, while ECSU’s defense must rise to the challenge to slow down Livingstone’s offense. The two squads have faced off seven times in program history with Livingstone holding a slight 4-3 advantage.
Winston-Salem State (3-2) vs. Virginia Union (3-1) - 1:00 P.M.
In one of the marquee matchups of the week, Virginia Union heads to Winston-Salem State in a battle with championship implications. The Panthers are coming off a dominant 59–7 victory over Shaw, continuing its run as one of the league’s most explosive offenses. Their 483 rushing yards and six touchdowns last week are unmatched not only in the conference, but at the national level. Curtis Allen’s 278 yards and two touchdowns helped him grab his second Offensive Back of the Week honor, and his 738 rushing yards on the season are more than double the next best running back in the conference. Winston-Salem State earned a hard-fought 28–21 road win at Bowie State, powered by four touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback Daylin Lee and a relentless defensive effort led by linebacker Jamieson Alston (13 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble).
The Rams are eyeing a 2-1 conference record should they come out on top, meanwhile the reigning champions can remain undefeated in CIAA play with a victory on the road. They hold the series advantage all-time, however the Panthers have won each of the last three showdowns and will look to continue that streak. With both teams riding momentum, this clash could play a pivotal role in shaping the CIAA title race.
Virginia State (2-2) vs. Johnson C. Smith (4-1) - 2:00 P.M.
Johnson C. Smith made headlines last week with a 69–13 rout of Bluefield State, highlighted by quarterback Kelvin Durham’s 297 passing yards and four touchdown passes as well as a balanced rushing attack that kept the Golden Bulls in control from start to finish. His lights out performance helped him move to the top of the conference leaderboard in passing yards, currently with 1,191.
They now look to continue their dominance against a Virginia State squad who are hungry for a win after a tough home loss to Fayetteville State, despite outgaining them offensively. The Trojans sport one of the best position player duos with receiver Malik Hunter, who leads the conference in receiving yards per game with 68.8, and Brandon Rose, who sits fourth in the CIAA in rushing yards per game with 67.8.
Historically, Virginia State has controlled this matchup, having won four the last five, but Johnson C. Smith enters with momentum and the confidence to challenge a perennial power.
Conference Standings
Conference standings are determined by the results of each team’s final seven conference games. For institutions that play eight conference opponents in a given season, only the last seven of those games are included in their official CIAA conference record.
In some cases, a single game may be applied differently between the two teams. For example, if Team A plays eight conference opponents, its first conference game will not count toward Team A’s record. However, if that same contest is one of Team B’s final seven conference games, the result will count toward Team B’s record in the standings.
Week Five Storylines
Media Contact:
Anna M. Butzlaff
Associate Commissioner, Strategic Communications
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
abutzlaff@theciaa.com
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.
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