Virginia Union Secures No. 1 Seed as CIAA® Announces 2026 Football Championship Weekend Field
Virginia Union and Johnson C. Smith to Battle for CIAA Football Championship; Virginia State and Fayetteville State to Meet in Inaugural Friday Night Blitz
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (November 7, 2026) — With the 2026 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®) football regular season officially concluded, the conference has finalized the four-team field and seeding for the 2026 CIAA Football Championship Weekend, scheduled for November 13 and 14 at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.
Virginia Union University secured the No. 1 seed after completing an undefeated 8-0 conference campaign, while Johnson C. Smith University with a 7-1 CIAA record, earned the No. 2 seed. The Panthers and Golden Bulls will meet in the 2026 CIAA Football Championship Game on Saturday, November 14.
Virginia State University earned the No. 3 seed, while Fayetteville State University claimed the No. 4 seed. The Trojans and Broncos will square off in the inaugural Friday Night Blitz on Friday, November 13, as part of the conference's expanded championship weekend format.
With four programs preparing to take the field and championship pride on the line, the stage is set for an exciting weekend of CIAA football in Durham.
2026 CIAA Football Championship Final Seeding
| Seed |
Institution |
| No. 1 |
Virginia Union University |
| No. 2 |
Johnson C. Smith University |
| No. 3 |
Virginia State University |
| No. 4 |
Fayetteville State University |
Virginia Union Completes Undefeated Conference Season
Virginia Union University capped an impressive regular season with a commanding 36-14 victory over Virginia State University on Saturday, November 7.
The Panthers finished the regular season 9-1 overall and 8-0 in CIAA competition, securing the top seed outright.
Quarterback RJ Rosales led the Virginia Union offense with 211 passing yards and three passing touchdowns while adding a rushing touchdown. Running back Ramon Brown contributed 111 rushing yards and a touchdown as the Panthers controlled the matchup.
Virginia Union's defense also delivered a strong performance, limiting Virginia State to 170 yards of total offense.
With the victory, the Panthers enter Championship Weekend as the conference's top seed and will compete for the CIAA Football Championship title.
Johnson C. Smith Secures No. 2 Seed
Johnson C. Smith University concluded its regular season with a 27-14 victory over rival Livingstone College on Saturday, November 7.
The Golden Bulls built a 20-0 lead through three quarters and held off a late Livingstone rally to secure the victory.
Running back Fabian Duncan delivered another strong performance, rushing for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Damien Mazil added 155 passing yards and a touchdown, helping the Golden Bulls close the regular season on a winning note.
Johnson C. Smith's performance secured the No. 2 seed and a place in Saturday's championship game against Virginia Union.
The matchup will feature two of the conference's top programs competing for the 2026 CIAA Football Championship.
Friday Night Blitz Brings a New Dimension to CIAA Championship Weekend
The 2026 CIAA Football Championship Weekend introduces an exciting new opportunity for conference programs and fans with the Friday Night Blitz, featuring the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in a special postseason matchup on Friday, November 13, at Durham County Memorial Stadium.
The addition of the Friday Night Blitz expands the championship experience beyond Saturday's title game, providing another opportunity to showcase the talent, competitiveness and tradition of CIAA football. The matchup also gives two additional programs the chance to compete on the conference's championship stage while bringing more excitement, school pride and energy to Durham.
Virginia State University and Fayetteville State University will make history as the participants in the inaugural Friday Night Blitz. Both programs earned their places among the conference's top four teams following the conclusion of regular-season competition.
With both institutions finishing tied in the applicable conference standings, the CIAA applied its established tiebreaking procedures to determine which program would receive the No. 3 seed and which would receive the No. 4 seed.
Tiebreaking Procedures Determine No. 3 and No. 4 Seeds
In accordance with the CIAA Football Sporting Code, the conference evaluated results against common conference opponents to determine the final two championship seeds.
The five common opponents used in the comparison were Elizabeth City State University, Winston-Salem State University, Livingstone College, Johnson C. Smith University and Virginia Union University.
Both Virginia State and Fayetteville State recorded identical 3-2 records against those opponents, advancing the tiebreaking process to point differential.
The comparison produced the following results:
| Institution |
Points Scored |
Points Allowed |
Point Differential |
| Virginia State University |
183 |
115 |
+68 |
| Fayetteville State University |
108 |
78 |
+30 |
Virginia State finished with a cumulative point differential of +68, compared to Fayetteville State's +30, giving the Trojans a 38-point advantage in the comparison.
As a result, Virginia State earned the No. 3 seed, while Fayetteville State received the No. 4 seed.
The outcome sets the stage for an exciting Friday night matchup between the Trojans and Broncos as both programs prepare to compete in the inaugural Friday Night Blitz.
2026 CIAA Football Championship Weekend
The 2026 CIAA Football Championship Weekend will feature two highly anticipated matchups at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.
Friday, November 13, 2026
Inaugural Friday Night Blitz
No. 3 Virginia State University Trojans vs. No. 4 Fayetteville State University Broncos
Saturday, November 14, 2026
2026 CIAA 56th Football Championship Game
No. 1 Virginia Union University Panthers vs. No. 2 Johnson C. Smith University Golden Bulls
The expanded championship weekend format provides an opportunity to showcase four of the conference's top football programs while celebrating the student-athletes, institutions and traditions that make CIAA football special.
Secure Your Tickets NOW for CIAA Football Championship Weekend!
The stage is set, the matchups are official, and Championship Weekend is almost here! CIAA fans, alumni, students and supporters are encouraged to purchase their tickets NOW for the 2026 CIAA Football Championship Weekend, November 13 and 14, at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.
With Virginia State and Fayetteville State making history in the inaugural Friday Night Blitz and Virginia Union and Johnson C. Smith battling for the CIAA Football Championship title, fans will have two exciting opportunities to experience the tradition, pride and excitement of CIAA football.
Whether you're cheering for the Panthers, Golden Bulls, Trojans or Broncos, now is the time to show your school pride, rally your alumni and make plans to be in Durham!
Don't wait until Championship Weekend. Secure your tickets today and be part of the excitement!
BUY TICKETS NOW: 2026 CIAA Football Championship Official Ticket Box Office
Four Teams. Two Games. One Championship Weekend. WHO GOT NEXT?
Media Contact
Matisse S. Lee
Senior Associate Commissioner, Communications & Marketing, Special Projects / SWA
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
mlee@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 United States and one of the most recognized conferences in NCAA Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. The CIAA Basketball Tournament has been honored as a Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the presidents and chancellors of its 12 member institutions: Bluefield State University, Bowie 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 www.theciaa.com and follow the conference on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.