Winston-Salem State football is no stranger to CIAA success.
The Rams have captured five CIAA championships since 2011 — but none since the 2016 team went 9-3 and rolled through league without a loss.
WSSU had solid moments a year ago (4-6) and aims to ascend back into contention in the CIAA this autumn. The school released its 2024 schedule this week, and the Rams must get through an eight-game CIAA gauntlet to make the league title game. WSSU will play 10 games in all, including five at Bowman Gray Stadium for the first time since 2019.
The season kicks off against a CIAA rival from the distant past: Winston-Salem State will visit North Carolina A&T on Saturday, Sept. 7. The schools have played 46 times since the 1950s. Winston-Salem State won the last meeting in 2010 on the Aggies’ home turf by a 21-14 count.
The home opener will be Saturday, Sept. 14 against Ohio Dominican. The two schools met for the first time a year ago.
It’s all conference games from there.
“We start the season off against two really good programs, but we are a veteran group, so I expect us to do well,” head coach Robert Massey said in a press release. “However, preparation is the key, and we plan to get us to our end goal which is winning a CIAA championship, and we begin that with spring ball and keep going from there.”
WSSU draws Virginia State, Bowie State and Virginia Union in CIAA divisional crossover games. The Rams will host Bowie on Sept. 28 and travel for the other two. Virginia Union is the reigning CIAA champion, beating Fayetteville State in the title game last November.
Divisional play starts Oct. 12, with WSSU entertaining Shaw. Johnson C. Smith (Oct. 26) and Fayetteville State (Nov. 9) also are set to visit Bowman Gray. The Rams will travel to both Livingstone (Oct. 19) and St. Augustine’s (Nov. 2).
Winston-Salem State’s “Our Forever Red” homecoming game will be against Fayetteville State. This year’s CIAA championship game will be on Nov. 16 in Salem, Va.
Winston-Salem State will announce season ticket packages and plans later this spring. The Rams’ spring game will be April 13 at Carver High School in Winston-Salem.
Winston-Salem State 2024 Schedule
- Sept. 7 – at North Carolina A&T
- Sept. 14 – OHIO DOMINICAN
- Sept. 21 – at Virginia State*
- Sept. 28 – BOWIE STATE*
- Oct. 5 – at Virginia Union*
- Oct. 12 – SHAW*
- Oct. 19 – at Livingstone*
- Oct. 26 – JOHNSON C. SMITH*
- Nov. 2 – at St. Augustine’s*
- Nov. 9 – FAYETTEVILLE STATE* (homecoming)
* denotes CIAA game
