Venue & Game Details
Kickoff Time: 2:00 PM ET
Venue: Irwin Belk Complex, Charlotte, North Carolina (Capacity ~4,500, turf surface)
Broadcast: CIAA Sports Network / ESPN+
Special Note: Johnson C. Smith Homecoming Game
Weather Forecast (Charlotte, NC)
Temperature: ~78°F (26°C) at kickoff, cooling into the upper 60s by the 4th quarter
Conditions: Mostly sunny, light winds (5–8 mph)
Precipitation:
Impact: Excellent football weather; no disruptions expected
Injury Report (Projected)
(Note: CIAA programs rarely release official injury reports; this is based on recent availability trends)
Bluefield State Big Blue:
QB healthy, but has thrown 5 INTs in first three games.
WR1 questionable (hamstring).
DL depth thin after Week 2 injury.
Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls:
QB healthy, threw 2 TDs in win vs Elizabeth City State.
RB1 probable (ankle).
Secondary missing one starter (questionable).
Key Player Matchups
JCSU QB vs. Bluefield State Secondary
The Golden Bulls have averaged 28.5 PPG in their three wins. Bluefield’s defense has allowed 40+ in two of three games.
Bluefield QB vs. JCSU Front Seven
The Big Blue have struggled with turnovers and protection. JCSU’s defense forced 3 turnovers vs Valdosta State earlier this season.
Special Teams
JCSU kicker has been reliable, while Bluefield has struggled with coverage breakdowns.
Recent Team Form
Johnson C. Smith (3–1, 0–1 CIAA):
W vs Morehouse (45–9)
W vs Valdosta State (28–16)
W @ Elizabeth City State (21–17)
L @ Virginia Union (28–10)
Strength: Balanced offense, opportunistic defense.
Weakness: Struggled against top-tier CIAA defenses.
Bluefield State (0–3, 0–1 CIAA):
L @ Tusculum (49–23)
W vs Concord (38–31)
L @ Wingate (72–7)
Strength: Passing game shows flashes of explosiveness.
Weakness: Defense allowing 50.0 PPG in losses.
Conference vs. Conference
Both teams are CIAA members.
Johnson C. Smith: Off to its best start in years, looking to rebound from its first loss and defend homecoming.
Bluefield State: Still adjusting to CIAA play, seeking its first conference win of 2025.
Series History
All-time series: Johnson C. Smith leads.
Recent meetings:
2024: JCSU 42, Bluefield State 14
2023: JCSU 30, Bluefield State 13
Trend: JCSU has won both recent meetings by multiple scores.
Betting Trends:
JCSU is 3–1 ATS this season (modeled).
Bluefield State is 1–2 ATS this season.
JCSU games have gone Under in 2 of 4.
Bluefield State games have gone Over in 2 of 3 due to defensive struggles.
Historical Betting Results (Modeled)
2024: JCSU -10.5 (covered, won 42–14)
2023: JCSU -7.5 (covered, won 30–13)
Game Odds
Bluefield State Big Blue 56
Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls – 14
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 26, 2025
