Head-to-head CIAA footall is in full swing this weekend as we prepare for an exciting week 3 ahead as teams aim to reach the conference championship on November 16. Let’s see which teams will face off in hopes of taking down their conference counterpart.
Lincoln (PA) @ Shaw (1:00 P.M.)
Coming off a rough 37-20 loss to Catawba, Shaw returns home for the third time this season to play host to a Lincoln (PA) team who’s coming off a second-consecutive loss and will play in their third-consecutive road game. The two teams have faced off five times since 2008 with the Bears holding a 4-1 advantage since. When the two teams last faced off in 2021, Shaw took down Lincoln with ease, 41-6.
Winston-Salem State @ Virginia State (1:00 P.M.)
After a gritty home-opening victory in overtime over Ohio Dominican, Winston-Salem State will look to grab their third win of the season against a Virginia State team who is coming off an early week 2 bye. It’s been almost seven years to the day since the two squads went head-to-head, with Virginia State coming out on top in the last meeting. The game is set to be played at Virginia State and will be streamed live on HBCU Go.
Fayetteville State @ Elizabeth City State (2:00 P.M.)
Fayetteville State suffered a crushing 34-0 loss to Valdosta State last weekend but will look to bounce back against Elizabeth City State who have found success early in the season, particularly on defense as they’re coming off a 20-0 shutout victory over Erskine. The “Down East Classic” is set to be an exciting matchup as the history between the two teams is deep, with the series record sitting at 16-16-1 dating back to 1979, and the winner of this game gaining an upper hand on the series. When the two teams last took the field in 2021, Fayetteville State put up a 47-6 rout over the Vikings.
Livingstone @ Bowie State (4:00 P.M.)
The Blue Bears took care of business with a nail-biting 23-21 victory over Allen (S.C.) last weekend and will hit the road to take on Bowie State, who have yet to find the win column this season. While Bowie State has the Blue Bears’ number in the series matchup, Livingstone made a dent in that last season with a 31-18 victory over the Bull Dogs and will look to make it two in a row this weekend.
Virginia Union @ Johnson C. Smith (6:00 P.M.)
The lone undefeated team in the CIAA, Johnson C. Smith, will look to continue its scorching start to the season after a 52-6 victory over Lincoln (PA), but will face a tall task as they welcome the reigning conference champions to town, Virginia Union, are 1-1 after a tough loss to Hampton last weekend. The Panthers hold a heavy 10-2 advantage in the series history, but the Golden Bulls are a team on fire and will prove to be a formidable opponent.