Fayetteville State has spent much of the past decade in the CIAA championship conversation, and most expect the Broncos to be right back in the mix again this fall.
After nearly making the CIAA title game a year ago, Fayetteville State has restocked for another run with its customary stingy defense and added an accomplished transfer quarterback. If the Broncos can survive a grueling September schedule, a berth in the CIAA’s revamped championship weekend lineup could be theirs for the taking.
Fayetteville State Football At A Glance
2025 Record: 6-4
2025 CIAA Record: 6-1 (T-2nd)
2026 Season Opener: Shaw at Fayetteville State | Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026
Head Coach: Richard Hayes Jr. (2016-present)
Record at School: 59-33 (11th year here)
Offensive Coordinator: Tim Reynolds Jr. (1st year here)
Defensive Coordinator: Kienus Boulware (1st year here)
Predicted Finish in the CIAA: 3rd out of 11 teams
Preseason All-Conference:
- WR Marcus Fleming
- OL Malachi Jones
- DL Joseph Woodard
- DL Christopher Gordon
- LB Jatavien Taylor
- DB Terrell Ford
- DB Amari Best
- P Abdoulazim Bayor
Five Things to Know About Fayetteville State Football in 2026
Winning has become the expectation under coach Richard Hayes Jr.
Fayetteville State won the CIAA South division each year from 2017-2023 (the league didn’t play in 2020 due to COVID), earning six consecutive title-game berths as a reward. While FSU finished seventh in the league in 2024, Hayes’ 2025 group bounced back to finish 6-1 in CIAA play, narrowly missing out on yet appearance in the CIAA championship.
New DC Kienus Boulware brings championship experience
The former UNC linebacker (1993-94) has had coaching stops at Livingstone, North Carolina Central, Shaw, Winston-Salem State, Alabama A&M and Allen before coming to Fayetteville State earlier this year. Boulware was DC at WSSU from 2019-2013 and took over as head coach from 2014-18, playing a key role in four CIAA championship runs with the Rams (2011, 2012, 2015, 2016).
Hayes believes this defense could be special
Fayetteville State led the CIAA in sacks (35), rushing yards allowed (90.8 ypg), interceptions (13) and fumbles recovered (12) a year ago. The Broncos finished second in points allowed (18.7 ppg) and third in total yards allowed (316.3 ypg). CIAA preseason all-conference balloting reveals another big defensive season could be afoot, with five Fayetteville State stoppers on the list.
“We brought Coach Boulware in to make sure the overall scheme is better, but we’re going to be better this year on defense,” Hayes said. “It has potential. The 2019 and 2021 teams were really good on defense, all throughout the defense. But Coach Boulware, knowing the way he is and the way he recruits, I’m really, really excited about what I’m going to see on defense at Fayetteville State this year.”
A proven transfer quarterback arrives in Fayetteville
Joe Owens Jr. and Demari Daniels tag-teamed the QB position the past couple of seasons. Both are now gone, and while coach Hayes has not officially announced a starter for 2026, Allen transfer Jamir Dismukes would appear the odds-on favorite.
Dismukes threw for 2,487 yards and 21 touchdowns a year ago, against only five interceptions. Dismukes was the SIAC’s newcomer of the year in 2024. If Dismukes can elevate the offense, Fayetteville State could have the balance to complement one of the conference’s top defenses.
September will define the Broncos’ season
Fayetteville State jumps right into conference play with a home game against Shaw in Week 0 in late August. But that is just the appetizer. In consecutive Saturdays in September, the Broncos will face UNC Pembroke, D2 power Valdosta State, reigning CIAA champ Johnson C. Smith and 2025 CIAA runner-up Virginia Union. We’ll know exactly what Fayetteville State is made of before October.
“We wrote that schedule down six months ago on the board,” Hayes said during CIAA media day in mid-July. “It’s still on the board in our office, in the coach’s office, in our meeting room. We knew going into this past recruiting season that we had a tough schedule. We had to recruit for that schedule, and I think we’ve done that.”
Players to Watch
Jamir Dismukes, QB, R-Sr.
Instantly elevates Fayetteville State’s offense, accounting for 4,300+ passing yards, 40 passing touchdowns and a completion percentage of 66% the past two seasons at Allen.
Marcus Fleming, WR, Jr.
Reunites with quarterback Jamir Dismukes after catching 46 passes for 686 yards and four touchdowns at Allen in 2025.
Joseph Woodard, DL, Grad
Has played in 19 games the past three seasons with the Broncos, accounting for 5.5 tackles-for-loss and 4.5 sacks a year ago.
Amari Best, DB, R-Soph.
Returning CIAA All-Rookie Team performer picked off three passes, broke up seven others and made 41 tackles in 2025.
Games That Could Define The Season
1. UNC Pembroke at Fayetteville State | Sept. 5
An early season test against a regional rival that also has D2 playoff and conference championship aspirations. Huge resume builder for the winner.
2. Fayetteville State at Johnson C. Smith | Sept. 19
A narrow loss to the Golden Bulls near the end of last season kept the Broncos out of the CIAA title game. This year’s meeting comes early in the conference calendar and could quickly establish the league pecking order.
3. Virginia Union at Fayetteville State | Sept. 26
FSU gets the CIAA heavyweights back-to-back before the end of September. The Panthers beat Fayetteville State in the 2024 CIAA title game and have been picked to win the league again this year by coaches/SIDs.
4. CIAA Championship Weekend | Nov. 13-14
The conference will play two games in Durham on the final weekend of the regular season, the usual championship contest between the top two teams and a third-place game that could bolster playoff resumes for two additional schools. Expect Fayetteville State to be in the mix somewhere when this weekend arrives.
The Final Word
Fayetteville State hasn’t been sneaking up on anyone in the CIAA for nearly a decade. Richard Hayes Jr. has built one of the state’s most consistent D2 programs, and while the Broncos were picked to finish third in the preseason poll, coaches may be sleeping on FSU a little bit.
The defense has become the program’s trademark and appears well-stocked once again. If transfer quarterback Jamir Dismukes helps unlock a more explosive offense – and the pieces around him develop quickly – Fayetteville State could have one of its most complete teams in years.
The CIAA’s new championship weekend format means four teams will be playing at Durham County Memorial Stadium on Nov. 13-14. We’d be surprised if Fayetteville State wasn’t one of those four teams. How well everything comes together will determine whether the Broncos will be playing in the Friday night undercard or the Saturday afternoon main attraction.
🔗 More Fayetteville State, CIAA and D2 Football Coverage
- 2026 Fayetteville State football schedule
- CIAA football standings
- North Carolina D2 football schedules
- CIAA media day coverage
