Livingstone football exceeding expectations during special 2024 season

Livingstone College has some of the richest and lengthiest history of the many HBCU football programs in our state.

But it’s been awhile since the Blue Bears have had any sustained success on the gridiron.

The Bears had a run of four-straight winning seasons under coach Rudy Abrams from 1995-98, tying for the top spot in the CIAA standings the final two years.

But since Abrams departed for the North Carolina Central job after the ’98 season. Livingstone has had just one winning campaign — a 5-3 mark in 2015 under coach Daryl Williams. Other than that, there has been one 5-5 season, four winless years and five one-win campaigns.

But things appear to be turning around on the blue turf in Salisbury.

Coach Sean Gilbert, a former first-round NFL draft pick, went 1-8 in his first full season at the helm in 2021. The Bears went 4-6 in both 2022 and 2023, and now own a 5-2 mark heading into an all-important game this Saturday against Winston-Salem State.

Johnson C. Smith has gotten a lot of press the past few years as it moves from the CIAA cellar toward higher rent districts in the conference. Livingstone has been trying to write a similar story, albeit without as much fanfare.

Livingstone is coming off one of its biggest wins in a decade this past weekend. The Blue Bears picked off four passes en route to a 24-19 victory over long-time CIAA stalwart Fayetteville State. It was the school’s first win over the Broncos since 2015.

This Saturday, Livingstone will play another team looking to regain past glory, Winston-Salem State, also 5-2. The game kicks off at Alumni Memorial Stadium at 4 p.m.

Winston-Salem State is 10-2 in the last 12 meetings with the Blue Bears, but Livingstone has claimed the last two. Jason Zapata hit two field goals in the final 4:29 last October to lift Livingstone to a 23-21 triumph.

This year’s match-up could come down to the wire again. Both schools have similar profiles, though WSSU has been a little more prolific on offense.

Livingstone’s Jayden Reeder and Kevin Larkins both have three interceptions on the season, tying for the CIAA lead. Both have returned picks for touchdowns. Davian Watkins ranks third in the conference in tackles-for-loss (12.5) and second in sacks (5.5).

Winston-Salem State has one of the most athletic defensive players in the conference in Justin Fleming, who is fifth in tackles (53) and also has three interceptions and one pick-six.

Offensively, Livingstone has been wobbly at times but is powered mostly by its rushing attack. Mohamed Nyanamukenga has the second most rushing yards of any CIAA back (575), averaging a few yards shy of 100 per game. He has scored seven touchdowns. The passing game, though, has struggled at times and ranks near the bottom of the league.

Winston-Salem State is more multi-dimensional and that could be the difference all other things being equal. Daylin Lee pilots the Rams and has thrown for 1,231 yards (fourth in the CIAA) and nine touchdowns. Trevan Hester balances the attack with 638 rushing yards and four scores on the ground.

Kicking isn’t always a guarantee in D2 football, but both Livingstone and WSSU have dependable toes. Zapata has 10 field goals, most in the CIAA. Winston-Salem State’s Gilberto Lorenzana has made seven field goals, including a game-winner.

There is a lot at stake in Saturday’s game, the last of the day in the CIAA. The winner stays alive in the race for the championship game in Salem, Va. The loser likely falls out of contention.

Johnson C. Smith (6-0, 3-0) and Virginia Union (4-2, 3-0) sit in the driver’s seat in the new division-less CIAA. But Livingstone and Winston-Salem State are right behind the front-runners at 3-1 in the CIAA loop — who could have figured that when CIAA coaches picked Livingstone to finish ninth in the league. Virginia State has a 2-1 conference mark.

Livingstone will have a bye week after Saturday’s game, then will finish the season against Shaw (away) and Johnson C. Smith (home). Winston-Salem State also will get its shot at Johnson C. Smith at home Oct. 26, then will host Fayetteville State in its finale Nov. 9.

Regardless of how things finish for Livingstone, the Bears have already matched their best win total since 2015. They’ll finish with at least a .500 mark and need just one more victory to have a winning season.

It’s certainly a welcome sign for a program that hasn’t had much to celebrate on the gridiron over the past few decades.