ELIZABETH CITY – In a high-stakes showdown at Roebuck Stadium, the Elizabeth City State Vikings clashed with the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls in a game that kept fans on the edge of their seats. The Saturday afternoon matchup, which was part of the homecoming celebrations, showcased both the indomitable spirit of the Vikings and the unyielding determination of the Golden Bulls.

First Half: Vikings Surge Ahead

The Vikings got off to a roaring start when Carson Hancock kicked a 34-yard field goal, setting the tone for a hard-fought contest. The Vikings' formidable "Code Blue" defense made several crucial stops, allowing junior quarterback Donoven Davenport to capitalize with a remarkable 37-yard touchdown run. Hancock's successful field goal attempt added to the momentum, giving the Vikings a commanding 10-0 lead.

As the first quarter unfolded, the Vikings maintained their grip on the game. Hancock continued to impress, nailing a 26-yard field goal. Demorian Smith led the defensive charge, racking up a team-high six tackles. A blocked Vikings field goal attempt led to a Johnson C. Smith score, but with only 10 seconds remaining in the half, Davenport connected with Ian Edwards for an 18-yard touchdown pass. The Vikings entered halftime with a comfortable 20-7 lead.

Second Half: Golden Bulls Stage a Comeback

The second half saw a remarkable turnaround as the Golden Bulls mounted an impressive comeback, outscoring the Vikings 21-0. The Vikings' lead slowly slipped away, and their hopes of securing a homecoming victory began to fade. In the end, it was the Golden Bulls who emerged victorious with a final score of 21-20, spoiling the Vikings' homecoming festivities.

Key Takeaways

• The game showcased the tenacity of both teams, with the Golden Bulls displaying incredible resilience in the second half to secure the win.
• Robert Adams played a pivotal role for the Golden Bulls, completing 11 of 19 passes for 125 yards.
• Ja'Qun Wilkins was a defensive force for the Golden Bulls, blocking a kick, returning a missed field goal for a touchdown, and recording an interception.

What's Next

The Vikings football team will return to Roebuck Stadium on October 7th for their annual pink game in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, where they will face off against Virginia Union with a kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. On the other hand, the Golden Bulls will hit the road for their third consecutive away game as they take on the Shaw University Bears on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Durham County Stadium.

The gridiron at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium is set to ignite as the No. 17 Duke Blue Devils gear up to host the No. 11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a high-stakes showdown under the Saturday night lights. Kickoff for this epic battle is slated for 7:30 p.m., and fans across the nation can catch all the action live on ABC.

This year's eagerly anticipated contest marks the eighth gridiron meeting between Duke and Notre Dame, with the Fighting Irish holding a 5-2 series lead. Duke's first triumph over the Fighting Irish dates back to December 2, 1961, when they secured a resounding 37-13 victory on their home turf. As for recent history, Notre Dame enters the fray on the heels of two consecutive victories, including a convincing 27-13 win during their last encounter on September 12, 2020.

Duke's recent triumph over Connecticut added to the excitement, marking their fourth consecutive in-season win—a feat not seen since 1970. The Blue Devils also made history by kickstarting the season with four consecutive 20-plus point victories. In the wake of their impressive performances, Duke has risen to No. 17 in the Associated Press poll and No. 16 in the USA Today Coaches' polls. This ranking signifies the team's highest national standing since October 25, 1994, when they held the No. 16 spot.

When it comes to winning the turnover battle, Duke has demonstrated prowess under the guidance of head coach Mike Elko. In their last game against Connecticut, they outperformed their opponents 2-0 in turnovers, including a memorable fumble recovery and scoop-and-score by defensive tackle DeWayne Carter during the third quarter. Coach Elko's tenure has seen Duke emerge victorious in the turnover battle in 12 out of 17 games, amassing an impressive 115 points off those turnovers, featuring 15 touchdowns, three field goals, and one two-point conversion.

Coach Mike Elko's tenure has been nothing short of extraordinary, boasting a remarkable 13-4 record, translating to an impressive .765 winning percentage, through his first 17 games at the helm of the Blue Devils. Notably, this milestone is the best 17-game start for a head coach in Duke's storied history. Furthermore, Coach Elko's record at this juncture surpasses that of all current ACC coaches when they began their respective tenures at their current institutions.

Campbell Set to Take on No. 15 NC Central

The Campbell Camels (2-2, 1-2 CAA) are gearing up for an exciting face-off against the 15th-ranked North Carolina Central Eagles (3-1, 0-0 MEAC) this Saturday, September 30. The game will kick off at 4:00 p.m. at the iconic O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, and will be broadcast on ESPN+.

The Camels enter this matchup with one of the most potent offenses in the FCS. They are currently ranked 10th in scoring, averaging 37.2 points per game. Additionally, they rank 13th in total offense nationally, averaging 440.0 yards per game. Quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams has been exceptional, boasting the FCS's third-best completion percentage at 75.0%. He has completed 96-of-127 passes, averaging 282.5 passing yards per game, with six touchdowns and only one interception. Williams has also been a threat on the ground, contributing four rushing touchdowns.

The North Carolina Central University Eagles, ranked 15th, enter this matchup with a formidable defense. They have excelled in third-down conversion defense, ranking 18th in the nation in FCS, with a conversion rate of just 29.2%. NCCU also leads the MEAC in scoring defense, allowing an average of 32.3 points per game. The Eagles have several standout performers on the defensive side, including Jayden Flaker, who leads the team with 24 total tackles, 4.5 stops for loss, and 3.5 sacks. The defense has been adept at generating turnovers and creating opportunities for their team.

Elizabeth City State Hosts Johnson C. Smith on Homecoming

Johnson C, Smith, off to a fast 3-1 start, will travel to take on the Vikings of Elizabeth City State at Roebuck Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Vikings come into the game at 1-3 after a close loss to Shaw last Sunday. The Golden Bulls have been outscoring their opponents 29-13 through the first four weeks of the season. A balanced backfield, led by Tim Newman, Jr., Jacob Newman, and Shydem McCullough have averaged 187 rushing yards per game coming into this week’s game. Benari Black and Jack Smith lead a linebacker corps that have given opposing offenses fits so far. ECSU head coach Marcus Hilliard, himself a Vikings alumnus, will look to his sophomore signal caller to try and find a weakness in the JCSU defense. Dual-threat quarterback Chase Williams leads the Vikings in passing yards and rushing touchdowns. Demorian Smith and Teonne Porter lead an ECSU defense that is giving up less than twenty points per game so far this season.

ELIZABETH CITY – The Elizabeth City State Vikings held off Winston-Salem State, 20-17, on Saturday afternoon at Roebuck Stadium. Tesean Jones’s perfect 7-7 passing day helped push the home team out to a ten-point lead while the Vikings defense held off a last-minute Rams rally.

Winston-Salem State owned the first half of the game, putting up ten points on offense and forcing three punts, an interception, and a turnover on downs. Asa Barnes opened up the scoring for the Rams, finishing off a ten-play, sixty-three-yard opening drive with a two-yard run. After picking off a pass deep in Vikings territory, Winston-Salem State was unable to find the end zone, instead settling for a sixteen-yard Jobanni Esparza field goal. Those four points proved to be critical by the end of the afternoon.

The second half belonged to the hometown Vikings. Elizabeth City State put together a methodical drive, moving the chains seventy yards over eight plays, with Cameron Saunders hitting paydirt from a fifteen-yard pass from Tesean Jones. When Jones hit Zion Riddick for a seventy-five-yard touchdown two drives later, the Vikings had the lead for the first time on the afternoon. A fifty-yard fumble recovery for a score by Raevon Freeman made it a ten-point game with under four minutes left on the clock.

The Rams tried to get back in the game late, and JahTwan Strafford’s nine-yard touchdown made it a three-point game, but the Vikings were able to run out enough clock and snuff out any last hope WSSU had for the comeback.

Next Week

Elizabeth City State (1-2) travels to Raleigh to take on Shaw while Winston-Salem State (0-3) is back in northeastern North Carolina for the second week in a row to face a Chowan squad that’s coming off a last second win over Johnson C. Smith.