From the CIAA:
2021 CIAA Football Standings
2021 CIAA Football Composite Schedule
2021 Statistics
CHARLOTTE – Week three of the 2021 football season features nine league teams in action for the final stanza of non-conference games as three others elect to have a bye week wiith the cross-division conference schedule on the horizon. It’s another solid slate of challenges in out of conference play for CIAA teams this week, featuring a mix of Division I and Division II opponents as well as some intriguing matchups against HBCU competition.
Let’s look at how teams across the conference fared in week three:
Shaw 52, Central State 0
After nearly upsetting an FCS opponent last week, Shaw bounced back in a major way with a 52-0 rout of Central State. The Bears ran for nearly 300 yards and four touchdowns on the day, including a 150 yards on 14 carries and a score from running back Sidney Gibbs. Fresh off a CIAA Rookie of the Week performance last week, SU quarterback Christian Peters had another efficient game with 13 completions on 17 attempts for 136 yards and two touchdowns that included 70 yards and a score to receiver Ah’shann Belcher. The story of the day was Shaw’s defense which gave up just 203 yards of total offense, including just 48 yards rushing, and pitched a shutout while also producing six tackles for loss, three sacks, and two interceptions. Senior linebacker Devon Hunt led the way for the Bears with a team-high six tackles, including five solo stops.
FULL GAME RECAP: Bears Blank Marauders 52-0 in Home Opener BOX SCORE: Central State at Shaw
Next Opponent: SU at Lincoln (PA), September 25 at 1:00 PM
Chowan 49, Erskine 19
Chowan continues their hot start to the season with a 49-19 blowout of Erskine College to move to 3-0. The Chowan offense put up over 500 yards of total offense and ran off 35 unanswered points over two quarters after Erskine pulled to within two just before the half. Hawks quarterback Bryce Witt had a huge day with 405 yards on 22 completions and seven touchdowns, including four scores to Imeek Watkins. Watkins caught five passes for 64 yards and teammate Laurence King had a team-high nine catches for 162 yards and a score. On defense, CU produced seven sacks, including 2.5 from All-CIAA performer Rafiq Abdul-Wahid, and got game-high 10 tackles from Montre Moore.
FULL GAME RECAP: Defense Stays Strong, Hawks Light Up Erskine 49-19 BOX SCORE: Erskine at Chowan
Next Opponent: CU at Saint Augustine’s, September 25 at 1:00 PM
#24 Bowie State 27, New Haven 13
Despite another slow start on offense, nationally-ranked Bowie State picked up their second straight win with a 27-13 road victory over New Haven. The Bulldog defense was stout all game as they gave up just 193 total yards, including an impressive 16 yards on the ground, and delivered the team’s first two touchdowns of the game with a pair fumble recoveries for scores. Up 14-7 early in the fourth quarter, BSU quarterback Ja’rome Johnson, who threw for 176 yards on 12 completions, finally got the offense rolling with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Rainey-Nix and followed up later with a two-yard scoring run to put the game out of reach with 1:28 to play. A trio of BSU defenders, All-Americans Joshua Pryor and Demetri Morsell along with Simeon Gatling, each produced a team-leading six tackles with Pryor also registering a sack and two tackles for loss. BSU defensive lineman Kendell Robinson was also active on the day with two tackles and a sack to go along with an interception and a nine-yard fumble recovery for a score.
FULL GAME RECAP: Defense Leads No. 24 Bowie State Over New Haven, 27-13 BOX SCORE: Bowie State at New Haven
Next Opponent: BSU at Livingstone, September 25 at 4:00 PM
Allen 34, Livingstone 32
Livingstone dropped their third straight game in devastating fashion, falling 34-32 on the road to Allen. Ahead 32-26 with no time left in the game, the Blue Bear defense gave up a 55-yard hail mary that turned into a two-yard lateral between David Wright and teammate Shermar Nelson for the game-tying score. The Yellow Jackets then followed up with a successful two-point conversion run to secure the win. Despite a tough loss, Livingstone quarterback Lazar Anderson completed 21 of 36 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with receiver Lasirto Bryant five times for 153 yards and a score. Terrance McPherson and Jaden Echols led the LC defense with six tackles while Brandon Duncan registered two and a half tackles for loss, including a sack, and forced two fumbles.
FULL GAME RECAP: N/A BOX SCORE: Livingstone at Allen
Next Opponent: Livingstone vs Bowie State, September 25 at 4:00 PM
Bluefield State 20, Johnson C. Smith 12
Johnson C. Smith suffered their second straight close loss to open the season, falling 20-12 at home to Bluefield State. Down 20-12 after three quarters, the Golden Bulls had four possessions in the final period to try and tie the game but failed to produce any points. Running backs Wader Hemingway (102 yards) and Davion Nelson (98 yards) led the way on offense, combining for all but one of JCSU’s 201 rushing yards while both each ran for a score. Jaleel Johnson had a team-high eight tackles, including six solos, while teammate Tywann Jackson totaled four stops that included a game-high two and a half tackles for loss as the Golden Bulls gave up just 65 yards on the ground as a defense.
FULL GAME RECAP: Bluefield State holds off JCSU 20-12 BOX SCORE: Bluefield State at Johnson C. Smith
Next Opponent: JCSU vs Virginia Union, September 25 at 1:00 PM
North Carolina Central 20, Winston-Salem State 13
Winston-Salem State nearly pulled off the upset over FCS-DI North Carolina Central but came up just short against their former CIAA rival, falling 20-13 on the road. The Rams took a 13-6 lead into the fourth quarter but gave up 14 unanswered points to the Eagles. With 1:35 to play, WSSU had an opportunity to tie the game on their final possession but turned the ball over on downs after just four plays, allowing NCCU to run out the clock. Quarterback Cameron Lewis was a one-man offense for the Rams, completing 18 of 31 passes for 190 yards with a touchdown and finished with 52 of the team’s 64 total yards rushing. WSSU linebacker Ta’Shaun Taylor registered 10 total tackles, which includes a game-high eight solo stops, while teammate Deiontae Jones tallied nine tackles on the game.
FULL GAME RECAP: N/A BOX SCORE: Winston-Salem State at North Carolina Central
Next Opponent: WSSU vs Elizabeth City State, September 25 at 2:30 PM
Virginia Union 49, Virginia-Lynchburg 7
Virginia Union registered their first win of the season with a 49-7 rout of Virgina University at Lynchburg. The Panthers relied heavily on a rushing attack that produced over 300 yards and five touchdowns, led by 201 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Jada Byers while also getting 61 yards and another two scores from Kore Prentice-Cole. Domantay Rhem led a VUU defense that gave up just 87 yards passing with nine total tackles while Xavier Hines registered a game-high three and a half tackles for loss and six total stops.
FULL GAME RECAP:N/A BOX SCORE: Virginia Lynchburg at Virginia Union
Next Opponent: VUU at Johnson C. Smith, September 25 at 1:00 PM
Gardner-Webb 56, Lincoln (PA) 0
Lincoln (PA) dropped their third straight game with a 56-0 loss to FCS-DI Gardner-Webb.The Lions were held scoreless for the second time in three games and produced just 75 yards of total offense. However, LU did get a solid performance from running back Elijah Snell, who finished with a team-high 55 yards rushing and 12 yards receiving. Linebacker Devon Cathcart led the Lions defense with a game-high 11 total tackles while Kamaal McMillan registered six stops, including a team-high one and a half tackles for loss.
FULL GAME RECAP: N/A BOX SCORE: Lincoln at Gardner-Webb
Next Opponent: LUPA vs Shaw, September 25 at 1:00 PM
Norfolk State 63, Elizabeth City State 26
Elizabeth City State remains winless on the season after falling 63-26 to FCS-DI Norfolk State on the road. The Vikings struggled to find any sort of running game but put up big numbers through the air thanks to 339 passing yards from quarterback Kevin Caldwell. Caldwell also tossed four touchdowns to four different receivers that included a 71-yarder to Brandon Joyner, who had a team-high 107 yards on four catches. ECSU receiver Cameron Saunders also chipped in with a game-high nine catches for 94 yards and a score. Defensively, Taeyonn Reynolds led ECSU with a game-high 10 tackles with six solos and Raevon Freeman registered two sacks and six total tackles while forcing two fumbles.
FULL GAME RECAP: N/A BOX SCORE: Elizabeth City State at Norfolk State
Next Opponent: ECSU at Winston-Salem State, September 25 at 2:30 PM
IDLE
Fayetteville State – Next Opponent: vs Virginia State, September 25 at 7:00 PM
Saint Augustine’s – Next Opponent: vs Chowan, September 25 at 1:00 PM
Virginia State – Next Opponent: at Fayetteville State, September 25 at 7:00 PM
