SALEM, VA – In a thrilling showdown for the CIAA Championship, Virginia Union took down Fayetteville State, 21-10, at Salem Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 

The first quarter set the tone for the game, with Virginia Union taking an early lead. Jada Byers led the charge with a 1-yard rushing touchdown, putting Virginia Union ahead 7-0. The extra point by Brady Myers was successful. Virginia Union continued to dominate in the second quarter, with Christian Reid adding another touchdown, extending the lead to 14-0 after Myers' successful extra point. However, Fayetteville State quickly responded with a spectacular 91-yard kickoff return by Barry Elliott, bringing the score to 14-7 after Jacob Meneses's extra point.

Fayetteville State clawed its way back into the game in the third quarter. Jacob Meneses kicked a field goal, closing the gap to 14-10. However, Virginia Union's Jada Byers showcased his skills again with a 16-yard rushing touchdown, and Myers' extra point extended their lead to 21-10, the final margin for the day.

Key Statistics:

For the Panthers, Jada Byers rushed for an impressive 135 yards and scored two touchdowns. Christian Reid threw for 64 yards and rushed for a touchdown. Reginald Vick led in receiving with 42 yards. The Virginia Union defense, led by Armonii Burden and Jabrill Norman, made crucial plays, including sacks and tackles for loss. Barry Elliott's 91-yard kickoff return gave Fayetteville State a jolt before the half. Julian Milligan contributed 28 rushing yards with Kameron King leading the Broncos in receiving with 74 yards. The Fayetteville State defense, spearheaded by Shi Gaskin and Kobe Oldfield, held Virginia Union to 6-15 on third down.

Final Thoughts:

With this victory, 2023 CIAA Coach of the Year Dr. Alvin Parker earned his first championship title, the school’s first since 2001. The Panthers and Fayetteville State await Sunday’s Division II selection show to see their playoff fate.

FAYETTEVILLE – In an exciting showdown on Saturday afternoon at Jeralds Stadium, the Fayetteville State Broncos triumphed over the Livingstone Blue Bears with a final score of 19-14. The Broncos, now boasting a 5-2 record for the season and an unblemished 5-0 mark in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) play, faced off against a resilient Blue Bears squad that moved to 2-5 for the year and 2-4 in CIAA action.

The Broncos displayed their offensive prowess in a critical moment during the game, engineering a five-play, 71-yard drive that concluded with a thrilling 41-yard rushing touchdown with just 4:09 left in the match. Bryce Council led the Broncos' ground assault with an impressive 73 yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry, while Demari Daniels contributed 60 yards and one touchdown, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. Caden Davis also made a significant impact, adding 57 yards with a remarkable 11.4 yards per carry. Treveran Goode shone in the receiving department, securing four catches for 74 yards and one touchdown.

The Broncos' defense, led by Dylan Morris, demonstrated their prowess by recording three tackles and an interception. Elijah Casey and Tyren Belcher made their presence felt with six solo tackles each, with Casey also notching 2 assisted tackles. Despite a spirited performance from Livingstone, Fayetteville State's defense held firm, conceding only 265 total yards throughout the game.

How It Unfolded

Facing an early 14-0 deficit against Livingstone, Fayetteville State made a remarkable comeback in the third quarter, narrowing the margin to 14-9. The Broncos continued to apply pressure, reducing Livingstone's lead to 14-12. The game reached its crescendo when Fayetteville State orchestrated a 41-yard touchdown run at the 4:09 mark in the fourth quarter, seizing a 19-14 lead that they managed to preserve throughout the remainder of the game.

Up Next

Both teams are at home in CIAA action next week as Fayetteville State hosts Johnson C. Smith for homecoming while Livingstone returns to Salisbury to host Shaw.\

The North Carolina Central Eagles and the North Carolina A&T Aggies are set to face off in a highly anticipated college football game tomorrow, Saturday, September 9, 2023 at 7:00 PM EST. The game will take place at Truist Stadium and will be broadcast on FloSports.

NC Central enters this game after a remarkable 10-2 season that saw them win the MEAC title, secure the HBCU national championship, and win the 2022 Celebration Bowl. They are ranked #18 in the nation and possess a strong lineup, including quarterback Davius Richard, the 2022 MEAC offensive player of the year. The Eagles have had a strong start to the season, with a rousing opening week victory against former CIAA for Winston-Salem State.

On the other hand, the North Carolina A&T Aggies dropped their first game against the UAB Blazers, an FBS squad from the American Athletic Conference. In the loss, the Aggies’ running attack was strong, with Kenji Christian, Wesley Graves, and Brickhandler averaging 5.6 yards per carry and 147 yards against a Group of Five conference team. Charlotte transfer BJ Turner made a game-high 14 tackles, marking his first career double-figure tackling game.

This showdown marks the 94th encounter between the Eagles and the Aggies. With the Aggies leading the series 53-35-5, it's a rivalry etched in football lore. In recent history, NC A&T has secured victories in 22 of the last 31 matchups, while NC Central has claimed eight of the most recent 16 contests.

The stage is set for an electrifying clash between two historic rivals. With a rich history, strong rosters, and passionate fan bases, this game promises to be a highlight of the season.

Other Big Games

Appalachian State at North Carolina: North Carolina and Appalachian State are facing off for the second straight season on Saturday at 5:15 on ACC Network. The Tar Heels was a 63-61 opening week barnburner in Boone last season and are looking to start their season 2-0 after an impressive win against South Carolina last week. A three-game series (two in Chapel Hill and one in Boone) comes to an end with Saturday's sold-out game. In addition to a sold-out crowd, App State's 34-31 triumph in 2019 included Kenan Stadium, and North Carolina’s 63-61 victory in Boone last year featured a record 40,168 spectators in Kidd Brewer Stadium. The final seconds of each of those games determined the winner. App State defeated FCS opponent Gardner-Webb 45-24 in their season opener. Joey Aguilar, who took over for injured quarterback Ryan Burger late in the first half, completed 11 of 13 passes for 174 yards and four touchdowns. On his first App State snap, he threw a touchdown pass. With the win over South Carolina, Mack Brown became the first head coach to win 100 games at two FBS schools. Kaimon Rucker was named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week after his impressive performance against South Carolina leading a North Carolina defense that held South Carolina to -2 yards rushing.

Elon at Gardner-Webb: Gardner-Webb will play host to in-state foe Elon this Saturday at Spangler Stadium and broadcast on ESPN+. Elon currently holds the series advantage with a record of 22-11, with Gardner-Webb winning the first 11 games from 1970 through 1982. Since 2001, the two teams have split their past six matches 3-3. In the previous season, Gardner-Webb had a 24-20 lead against the Phoenix on the road, but Elon defeated the Runnin' Bulldogs 30-24 by holding Gardner-Webb without a goal in the second half. Gardner-Webb enters this week's match looking for its first win of the season after falling to FBS Appalachian State 45–24. Three catches for a career-high 67 yards, three touchdowns overall, and two running touchdowns were all recorded by Jayden Brown. After losing to ACC opponent Wake Forest 37-17, Elon also enters this game at 0-1. At halftime, the Phoenix was down 24-0, but by the start of the fourth quarter, the deficit had shrunk to 30-14. Caleb Curtain added one sack and returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown. Elon led the CAA with 34 total sacks last season when it sacked the Demon Deacons four times on Thursday.

Lenoir-Rhyne at Fayetteville State: The Lenoir-Rhyne Bears will face off against the Fayetteville State Broncos in a college football game on Saturday, September 9, 2023 at 6 p.m. at the Luther Nick Jeralds Stadium in Fayetteville, N.C. This will be the first meeting between the two teams in the 104-year history of LR football. The Bears are hoping to move to 2-0 on the young season with a win over Fayetteville St. This would be their second time under Mike Jacobs and only their fifth 2-0 start this century. In week one, Lenoir-Rhyne dominated St. Augustine’s with a 45-7 victory. The defense held the Falcons to just three first downs and 52 total yards, while special teams scored two touchdowns.

Fayetteville St. was a controversial selection to the 2022 NCAA Division II Playoffs but were bested by Delta St. in the opening round. They opened their season with a loss to UNC Pembroke, accounting for just 258 total yards of offense and turning the ball over twice. Defensively, they held Pembroke to just 42 yards rushing but were gashed in the passing game. Kentrell Caldwell and Cameron Merrell were named to the preseason watch list for the HBCU football player of the year award and anchor one of the best defensive units in the region. FSU was predicted to finish first in the preseason CIAA coaches poll.

INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA announced the Division II football
playoff field Sunday evening and two North Carolina schools, Wingate and
Fayetteville State, were among the seven schools in Super Region 2. Wingate,
representing the South Atlantic Conference, is in the playoffs for the fourth
time in the last five years. Fayetteville State boosted its playoff resume by
winning the CIAA championship this past Saturday.

Benedict is the top seed in the region, followed by Delta
State, West Florida, and Virginia Union. Benedict gets an opening round bye,
with Delta State, West Florida, and Virginia Union hosting games. Wingate, Fayetteville
State, and Limestone round out the region. Delta State hosts Fayetteville State
while Wingate will travel to Virginia Union.

Twelve first-round games will be conducted on the campus of
one of the competing institutions. In addition, one team per super regional has
earned a first-round bye. The first-round winners will all advance to the
second round with games on the campus of one of the competing institutions.
Second-round winners will meet in the quarterfinals at various campus sites.
Quarterfinal winners will advance to play in the semifinals on the campus of
one of the competing institutions. Seven teams selected per super regional make
up the field of 28 teams.

The first-round dates, sites, and pairings are:

The following institutions earned first-round byes in each
super regional and will host a second-round game on November 26, 2022.

All contests shall start at 1 p.m. local time. Other times
may be established if approved by the committee.

FAYETTEVILLE – For the ninth straight season, the Wingate
University Bulldogs have started the season 2-0. Wingate held Fayetteville
State off the scoreboard for the first 59 minutes, rolling to a 21-3 victory in
NCAA Division II football action. Wingate moves to 2-0 overall, while the
Broncos fall to 1-1 on the season.

Photo Credit: Kenzie Hoffman (Wingate Communications)

Key Stats

Wingate had 253 yards of offense, with 69 passing yards and
184 rushing yards; Fayetteville State had just 57 yards on 56 plays, with 36
rush yards and 21 passing yards.

Wingate converted six-of-15 third downs; the Broncos were
two-for-15.

Wingate fumbled four times, losing three of the fumbles.
Fayetteville State threw the lone interception

Wingate had 18 first downs, compared to Fayetteville State's
eight

Key Players

Alex Wilson had 18 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown. Shaw
Crocker threw for 69 yards and a pair of TDs. Myles Dillon had three catches
for 24 yards and a touchdown. Ryder Martin also hauled in a TD catch. Ra'Quan
Simmons had two receptions for 31 yards. Kalen Clark added 58 rushing yards on
17 carries. O'Brien Barnett added 17 yards on four rushing attempts.

Kiki Alcime had four tackles including a pair of tackles for
loss. Davon Gilmore also had four stops with a TFL. Jaheim Mullen contributed
four tackles. DJ Horne, Carlos Estronza, and Antoine Shaw each had a sack. Tre
Morrison had an interception and two pass breakups. Ethan Evans averaged 47.3
yards on six punts, with three going over 50 yards. He also made all three PATs
and had a pair of touchbacks.

Avery McCall led all Fayetteville State rushers with 38
yards in the contest. Nique Martin hauled in two catches for 11 yards. Anthon
Binyard led the Fayetteville State defensive effort, totaling three tackles and
one recovered fumble. Cedric Thomas added one recovered fumble and Khalid
Martin had 10 tackles and one recovered fumble in the loss.

Next Week

Both teams open their conference slate next week as Wingate
(2-0) plays on the road for the third straight week to open the season, taking
on Tusculum in SAC play, while Fayetteville State (1-1) will travel to Lincoln
PA in a CIAA tilt.