Johnson C. Smith University continued its pursuit of a perfect season on Saturday, edging Shaw 21-14 in a tightly contested CIAA matchup at Irwin Belk Stadium.
The win keeps the Golden Bulls at the top of the CIAA standings and solidifies their place as the No. 1 team in the NC Football News Fabulous 15 statewide rankings. At 7-0, JCSU is the only undefeated college football team left in North Carolina.
Johnson C. Smith quarterback Darius Ocean threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with Blake McCullough, Avante George, and Brevin Caldwell for key scoring plays. The Golden Bulls managed just 325 total yards but found ways to make timely offensive drives and key defensive stops when it mattered most.
Shaw got on the board first when Ah’shaan Belcher caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Christian Peters midway through the first quarter. Shaw’s defense played well early, holding JCSU in check until Ocean hit McCullough with a 23-yard touchdown pass as the first quarter expired, tying the game at 7-7.
After a scoreless second quarter, Johnson C. Smith took control in the third. Ocean orchestrated an 11-play, 72-yard drive, capped off by an 8-yard touchdown pass to Avante George to give the Golden Bulls a 14-7 lead. Early in the fourth quarter, JCSU marched 74 yards in 10 plays, finishing with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Ocean to Caldwell, extending the lead to 21-7.
Shaw responded with a quick three-play, 31-yard drive, highlighted by a 1-yard touchdown run from Travon Tensley, closing the gap to 21-14 with just over two minutes remaining. The Bears got the ball back after a defensive stop and had one final chance to tie the game, advancing into JCSU territory with less than a minute left. But the Bears came up short on fourth down, sealing the win for the Golden Bulls.
Despite outgaining Johnson C. Smith 355-325 in total offense and controlling the ground game with a 138-60 advantage, Shaw couldn’t capitalize on key opportunities late. Peters led the Bears with 217 passing yards and one touchdown, while Tensley added 96 rushing yards and a score.
Top Players:
Johnson C. Smith:
- Darius Ocean: 265 passing yards, 3 TDs
- Brevin Caldwell: 182 receiving yards, 1 TD
- Blake McCullough: 23-yard TD reception
- Avante George: 8-yard TD reception
Shaw:
- Christian Peters: 217 passing yards, 1 TD
- Ah’shaan Belcher: 7 receptions, 81 yards, 1 TD
- Travon Tensley: 96 rushing yards, 1 TD
- Quewon Hilliard: 11 tackles
Scoring Summary:
1st Quarter:
- 08:47 SHAW – Ah’sha Belcher 8-yard pass from Christi Peters (Benjami Turner kick) | 13 plays, 69 yards, 6:13 | Shaw 7-0
- 00:00 JCSU – Blake McCullough 23-yard pass from Darius Ocean (Jacob Meneses kick) | 5 plays, 59 yards, 2:23 | Tied 7-7
3rd Quarter:
- 09:55 JCSU – Avante George 8-yard pass from Darius Ocean (Jacob Meneses kick) | 11 plays, 72 yards, 4:59 | JCSU 14-7
4th Quarter:
- 04:20 JCSU – Brevin Caldwell 12-yard pass from Darius Ocean (Jacob Meneses kick) | 10 plays, 74 yards, 4:24 | JCSU 21-7
- 02:18 SHAW – Travon Tensley 1-yard run (Benjami Turner kick) | 3 plays, 31 yards, 1:54 | JCSU 21-14
Up Next:
Johnson C. Smith (7-0, 4-0 CIAA) will look to remain unbeaten against a six-win Winston-Salem squad. Shaw (4-4, 2-3 CIAA) will travel to face the Fayetteville State Broncos, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m.
This story was compiled and composed with the assistance of ChatGPT. All content at NC Football News is thoroughly reviewed and edited by real humans to ensure accuracy and quality. Thanks to JCSU and Shaw athletics for their tireless work to promote their schools and football programs.
