It was a different journey, but the winding road of the 2026 CIAA football season arrived at the same end point as last year – Johnson C. Smith facing Virginia Union for the title. The Golden Bulls and Panthers will meet to decide the 56th CIAA football championship this Saturday at 3 p.m. at Durham County Memorial Stadium.
JCSU (8-2, 7-1 CIAA) comes into the contest as the conference’s defending champion, having bested Virginia Union 45-21 last November in Durham. VUU (9-1, 8-0) holds the mantle of 2026 CIAA regular season champ, sailing through the league schedule unbeaten and mostly unscathed.
The two teams did not meet in the regular season. Defense could be the order of the day in Saturday’s showdown. Both teams feature a top-five scoring defense nationally. Virginia Union surrenders the fewest yards per game of any D2 team, while Johnson C. Smith ranks 12th on that list.
Yet, both teams are solid on offense as well. JCSU has the top running back in the conference in Fabian Duncan, while both teams score 30+ points per contest.
Here is everything to know about one of the most anticipated CIAA championship games in recent years, which in addition to a trophy guarantees the winner a spot in the upcoming NCAA D2 playoff bracket.
🔄 Last Updated: November 12, 2026 2:21 pm
🏟️ 2026 CIAA Championship Game Information
Matchup: Johnson C. Smith (8-2, 7-1 CIAA) vs. Virginia Union (9-1, 8-0)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Durham County Memorial Stadium (Durham, NC)
TV Network: CIAA Sports Network
Head Coaches: Maurice Flowers (JCSU), Dr. Alvin Parker (Virginia Union)
Seeding: Virginia Union is the regular season champion and No. 1 seed. Johnson C. Smith is No. 2 seed
🏆 Road to the 2026 CIAA Championship Game
Johnson C. Smith 2026 Results (8-2, 7-1 CIAA)
Benedict 32, Johnson C. Smith 10
Johnson C. Smith 27, Albany State 7 (Black Hall of Fame Classic, Canton, OH)
Johnson C. Smith 31, Winston-Salem State 6
Johnson C. Smith 20, Fayetteville State 14
Johnson C. Smith 51, Bluefield State 0
Johnson C. Smith 49, Shaw 6
Johnson C. Smith 40, Lincoln University (PA) 6
Bowie State 16, Johnson C. Smith 13
Johnson C. Smith 39, Virginia State 33 (OT)
Johnson C. Smith 27, Livingstone 14
Virginia Union 2026 Results (9-1, 8-0 CIAA)
Lenoir-Rhyne 45, Virginia Union 3
Virginia Union 49, Livingstone 20
Virginia Union 34, Chowan 19
Virginia Union 42, Bluefield State 0
Virginia Union 14, Fayetteville State 0
Virginia Union 20, Elizabeth City State 7
Virginia Union 48, Bowie State 7
Virginia Union 49, Shaw 6
Virginia Union 62, Lincoln University (PA) 0
Virginia Union 36, Virginia State 14
Tough season openers
Both teams took it on the chin in Week 0 back in August.
The Golden Bulls moved the ball at times against Benedict, piling up 229 rushing yards. But two turnovers, 11 penalties and poor third-down execution stalled several drives. It turns out Benedict was a great team as well, finishing its regular season 9-1 and advancing to the SIAC title game.
Virginia Union fell behind 31-0 in the first half against Lenoir-Rhyne and never really made it competitive in its opener. A year after boasting a Harlon Hill Award winner at running back, the Panthers managed just 26 yards on the ground against the Bears and 10 total first downs.
“I’m very disappointed with the outcome of today’s game,”VUU coach Dr. Alvin Parker said afterward. “As the head coach, it’s my responsibility to have our team prepared, and today we didn’t look like the well-buttoned-up football team that I expect us to be. We have a lot to clean up, and that starts with me … We’ll own this, learn from it, and get back to work.”
Both VUU and JCSU did just that and now both are in the CIAA title game as a reward.
Defense drives Golden Bulls
Johnson C. Smith bounced back immediately, beating Albany State 27-7 in a special HBCU classic in Canton, OH on Labor Day Sunday. The Bulls then began the CIAA gauntlet, winning their first five league contests and never giving up more than 14 points.
After a stumble against Bowie State – still the Bulls only surrendered 16 points – Johnson C. Smith won a pivotal overtime game at home against Virginia State. A second-straight victory against Livingstone in the Commemorative Classic propelled the JCSU out of any tiebreaker scenarios and into the championship game.
Nine in a row for VUU
While Virginia Union didn’t look much like itself in the season opener, it settled into a more familiar pattern in the weeks that followed – running roughshod over the rest of the CIAA.
VUU shut out two opponents, held three others to a single touchdown and rolled to perfect 8-0 record in conference play. Only Fayetteville State and Elizabeth City State managed to stay within striking distance. Each still lost by two TDs.
First meeting of the season on deck
The CIAA has 11 football members and does not play a full round-robin schedule. As fate would have it, schedule-makers did not put Johnson C. Smith and Virginia Union on the regular season slate against each other in 2026.
The teams played twice last season, with VUU winning the season matchup and Johnson C. Smith getting the best of the Panthers in the 2025 CIAA title game.
What’s at stake?
For Johnson C. Smith
- The school’s third-ever CIAA championship in football
- JCSU’s first back-to-back set of CIAA titles in football
- The CIAA’s autobid into the upcoming NCAA Division II playoffs
- A second consecutive season with at least nine total wins
For Virginia Union
- Avenging last season’s CIAA championship loss to JCSU
- Completing a perfect run through the CIAA’s 2026 schedule
- The school’s third CIAA championship in four seasons and 13th overall as a program
- The CIAA’s autobid into the D2 playoffs
- A 10th win for the 2026 season
📊 Johnson C. Smith vs. Virginia Union Stat Comparisons
JCSU Team Highlights
- Points For: 30.7 points per game
- Points Against: 13.4 points per game
- Rushing Offense: 220.3 yards per game
- Passing Offense: 200.7 yards per game
- Rushing Defense: 111.2 yards per game
- Passing Defense: 158.6 yards per game
- Total Offense: 421.0 yards per game
- Total Defense: 269.8 yards per game
JCSU Individual Leaders
- Passing: Damien Mazil – 115-of-196, 1,846 yards, 17 TDs, 3 INTs
- Rushing: Fabian Duncan – 274 carries, 1,564 yards, 13 TDs
- Receiving: Brian Lane – 39 catches, 626 yards, 8 TDs
- Tackles: Vincent Hill – 79 tackles (38 solo)
- Interceptions: Jamaris Stevens, Marque Vereen – 3 INTs each
- Scoring: Fabian Duncan – 90 points (15 TDs)
VUU Team Highlights
- Points For: 35.7 points per game
- Points Against: 11.8 points per game
- Rushing Offense: 209.9 yards per game
- Passing Offense: 179.5 yards per game
- Rushing Defense: 104.1 yards per game
- Passing Defense: 120.0 yards per game
- Total Offense: 389.4 yards per game
- Total Defense: 220.0 yards per game
VUU Individual Leaders
- Passing: RJ Rosales – 108-of-158, 1,563 yards, 17 TDs, 1 INT
- Rushing: Ramon Brown – 140 carries, 816 yards, 8 TDs
- Receiving: Montrell Wright – 36 catches, 713 yards, 6 TDs
- Tackles: Ahmad Ross – 85 tackles (49 solo)
- Interceptions: Quincy Jefferson – 2 INTs
- Scoring: Gage Miller – 61 points (5 FGs, 46-of-48 PATs)
JCSU By The Numbers
- JCSU’s Fabian Duncan is the leading rusher in North Carolina for all levels, and his 1,564 yards ranks first in the CIAA and fourth nationally in D2 football.
- Johnson C. Smith has nearly doubled the rushing production of its opponents, 2,203 to 1,112. The Golden Bulls have scored 20 rushing TDs and allowed just nine.
- While Fabian Duncan has been a workhorse back with 274 carries, Kamarro Edmonds provides a potent second punch. Edmonds finished the regular season with 502 rushing yards (5.8 yards per carry) and four touchdowns.
- JCSU has been especially stout on defense in the first quarter, allowing just 13 points over 10 games. The offense seems to get untracked in the second period, recording 121 points – the most by far of any other quarter.
- Devedrick Wilson has blocked three kicks. He also has forced a fumble and logged 42 total tackles with 5.0 tackles-for-loss.
- JCSU has lost 11 fumbles this season, while recovering only three. The Bulls have a turnover margin of minus-3 thanks to nine interceptions.
- The Johnson C. Smith defense has posted 26 sacks. Maybe more impressive is that the JCSU offensive line has allowed just five sacks all season.
- JCSU sack leaders: Darion Johnson (5.0), Anthony Binyard (4.5), D’Andre Martin (4.5).
- JCSU has enjoyed the luxury of dependable field-goal kicking. The Bulls have hit 13 field goals, with Alexis Rosario-Beltran 12-of-15. Opponents have only tried 10 field goals, making five.
VUU By The Numbers
- Virginia Union has the third-stingiest scoring defense in D2 football, allowing only 11.2 points per game. Only Findlay (9.8) and defending champion Ferris State (9.9) have been better
- VUU has the best total defense in the nation, allowing just 224.1 yards per contest. The next closest team is Ferris State, which allows 237.6.
- Ahmad Ross ranks second in the CIAA in total tackles (85) and third in solo stops (49).
- Elijah Candia is tied for fifth in the CIAA in tackles-for-loss with 11.0. Teammate Christian Aiken has earned 9.5 TFLs. Aiken’s nine sacks trails only Fayetteville State’s Osirus Rhodes (10.0) in the CIAA.
- Aiken is VUU’s second-leading tackler with 59. He also has blocked two kicks, forced a fumble and logged six quarterback hurries.
- Starting quarter RJ Rosales doesn’t put the ball in harm’s way, throwing just one interception.
- Virginia Union is 48-of-106 in third-down conversions (45.28) and 13-of-15 on fourth-down plays (86.7 percent).
- As a team, VUU has amassed 40 sacks for 222 negative yards.
- Zyaire Tart has returned a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown this season on plays covering 79 and 82 yards respectively.
📚 Recent History: Johnson C. Smith vs. Virginia Union
- Last meeting: Johnson C. Smith 45, Virginia Union 21 (2025 CIAA championship)
- VUU has won 11 of the past 15 meetings dating back to 2005.
- The teams played twice last season, with Virginia Union winning the regular season matchup 28-10 in Richmond on Sept. 10.
🔗 More North Carolina College Football Coverage
- Johnson C. Smith Football Schedule
- CIAA Football Standings
- 2026 week-by-week schedule
- North Carolina college football scores
