CIAA Football Weekly Recap: Week 4 Delivers Statement Wins, Overtime Drama and First Victories
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Week 4 of CIAA® football action featured another strong weekend of conference play as Virginia State and Virginia Union remained unbeaten in league action, Shaw survived an overtime thriller, and both Lincoln (Pa.) and Bowie State broke through for their first victories of the season. Johnson C. Smith had a bye this week.
Virginia State 49, Winston-Salem State 19
Virginia State remained unbeaten in CIAA play with a 49-19 victory over Winston-Salem State on Saturday at Rogers Stadium. The Trojans improved to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in conference action, while the Rams moved to 0-5 overall and 0-3 in the CIAA. Six different Virginia State players reached the end zone as the Trojans produced 492 yards of total offense and scored the game's first 28 points.
Rahsaan Matthews Jr. led the way with 277 passing yards and a touchdown while adding 77 rushing yards and two scores. TJ Mordecai rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown, while Kevin Gayles caught four passes for 86 yards and a score. Defensively, Virginia State limited Winston-Salem State to 234 total yards, with Jayshaun Alston recording two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. For the Rams, Jayvion Danzy led the rushing attack with 74 yards.
Up Next: Virginia State faces Lincoln (Pa.) on Saturday, October 3, at 1 p.m. in the Frederick Douglass HBCU Football Classic.
Shaw 28, Livingstone 27 (OT)
Shaw survived a back-and-forth CIAA battle with a 28-27 overtime victory over Livingstone on Saturday at Durham County Memorial Stadium. The Bears improved to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in conference play, while Livingstone saw its two-game winning streak come to an end. Alexander Marsh led Shaw's offense, throwing for two touchdowns without an interception, while Trey Thorpe rushed for 120 yards and a score. Cobie Bates provided a big-play threat with 101 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Livingstone forced overtime after Jason Zapata connected on a 41-yard field goal to tie the game at 20. The Blue Bears struck first in overtime on Maliq Staten's one-yard touchdown run, but Shaw answered with Marsh connecting with Jeffrey McDonald Jr. for a 13-yard touchdown. Rather than kick the extra point, the Bears went for the win, and Fabian Diggs converted the two-point attempt to secure the 28-27 victory. Livingstone finished with 448 yards of total offense, while Quadir McEachin led Shaw defensively with 13 tackles and a sack.
Lincoln (Pa.) 20, Bluefield State 7
Lincoln earned its first victory of the season with a 20-7 win over Bluefield State on Saturday at LU Athletics Stadium. The Lions improved to 1-3 overall and 1-1 in CIAA play after scoring on their opening possession and shutting out Bluefield State throughout the second half.
Kyrie Tyson led the Lions with eight receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown, while Jayden Triplett completed 10-of-13 passes for 166 yards and a score and added a team-high 50 rushing yards. Lorenzo Robinson opened the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown run before Triplett connected with Tyson for a 62-yard touchdown. Charles Thompson led Lincoln defensively with 11 tackles, including three tackles for loss, and Dexter Baptistin sealed the victory with a four-yard fourth-quarter touchdown.
Up Next: Lincoln faces Virginia State on Saturday, October 3, in the Frederick Douglass HBCU Football Classic.
Virginia Union 14, Fayetteville State 0
Virginia Union remained unbeaten in CIAA play with a 14-0 road victory over Fayetteville State. The Panthers improved to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in conference action while recording their second consecutive shutout, marking the first time Virginia Union has posted back-to-back shutouts since 2022.
RJ Rosales completed 11-of-18 passes for 166 yards and opened the scoring with a one-yard touchdown run. Travon Tensley added a three-yard touchdown in the third quarter and finished with 70 rushing yards. Virginia Union's defense held Fayetteville State to just 93 total yards, including 25 passing yards, while recording six sacks. Ahmad Ross led the Panthers with 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack, while Christian Aiken recorded eight tackles and three sacks.
Up Next: Virginia Union returns home to host Elizabeth City State on Saturday, October 3, at 1 p.m. at Hovey Field.
Bowie State 34, Elizabeth City State 23
Bowie State earned its first victory of the season with a 34-23 road win over Elizabeth City State, giving head coach Dawson Odums his first victory at the helm of the Bulldogs. Bowie State improved to 1-3 overall behind a rushing attack that produced 254 yards. Maximus Jones led the way with 148 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.
With Elizabeth City State holding a 23-21 advantage, John Thompson changed the game with a 48-yard punt return touchdown to put Bowie State ahead. The Bulldogs shut out the Vikings in the fourth quarter, with Jones adding a 29-yard touchdown run to secure the victory. Defensively, Bowie State held Elizabeth City State to 228 total yards and recorded five sacks. For the Vikings, John Earley finished with 12 tackles, while Josef Manley threw for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
Up Next: Bowie State hosts Shaw on Saturday, October 3, at 1 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium in the Bulldogs' first home game of the season.
Johnson C. Smith — Bye
Johnson C. Smith had a bye during Week 4 and will return to action following the open week.
CIAA Football Weekly Honors
The CIAA has announced its Football Weekly Honors following Week 4 of the 2026 season. The weekly honors are voted on by the CIAA Sports Information Directors Association (SIDA).
Quarterback of the Week: Alexander Marsh, Shaw
Offensive Back of the Week: Maximus Jones, Bowie State
Receiver of the Week: Kyrie Tyson, Lincoln (Pa.)
Offensive Lineman of the Week: Tyleek McCoy, Virginia State
Defensive Lineman of the Week: Dalan Johnson, Bowie State
Linebacker of the Week: Quadir McEachin, Shaw
Defensive Back of the Week: Chancellor Smith, Winston-Salem State
Special Teams Player of the Week: Jason Zapata, Livingstone
Rookie of the Week: Kristopher Young, Shaw
Road to the 2026 CIAA Football Championship
The conference race continues to take shape with Virginia State and Virginia Union both moving to 3-0 in CIAA play, while Johnson C. Smith returns from its bye as the season moves deeper into conference competition. Shaw improved to 2-1 in league play with its overtime victory, adding another important result to the developing conference race.
The October 3 schedule brings another important weekend of CIAA football, highlighted by Virginia State and Lincoln (Pa.) meeting in the Frederick Douglass HBCU Football Classic, Virginia Union hosting Elizabeth City State, and Bowie State welcoming Shaw for its first home game of the season.
Fans are encouraged to continue supporting their teams throughout the regular season and follow the race to championship weekend. Visit TheCIAA.com for championship and ticket information.
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 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.