Fayetteville State Football (2-1 overall, 1-0 CIAA) will travel to Petersburg, Va. (Ettrick) on Saturday, September 28 for a 2 pm kickoff against the Trojans of Virginia State University (1-2, 0-1 CIAA) in Rogers Stadium.
 
SERIES HISTORY:
The Fayetteville State (FSU) versus Virginia State (VSU) football rivalry has seen numerous encounters over the years, with VSU often dominating the early match-ups. The series began in 1924 with VSU winning 8-0 in Petersburg, VA. FSU's first win came in 1976 with a 10-2 victory in Fayetteville, NC. The rivalry has been marked by several significant games, including a 50-0 win for VSU in 1927 and a narrow 15-14 victory for FSU in 1998. The most recent game in 2021 saw FSU winning 28-14 in Fayetteville, NC. Overall, the series has been competitive, with both teams experiencing periods of dominance. The Trojans have held an eight-game win-stream from 1986 through 1997. FSU has won back-to-back games three times between 2001 and 2011.
 

1924

L

0-8

Petersburg, VA

10/16/93

L

6-41

Petersburg, VA

9/30/06

W

30-3

Petersburg, VA

1927

L

0-50

Fayetteville, NC

10/15/94

L

7-27

Fayetteville, NC

9/27/08

W

23-13

Petersburg, VA

1957

L

0-38

Petersburg, VA

10/14/95

L

0-48

Petersburg, VA

9/26/09

L

20-25

Fayetteville, NC

11/8/58

L

0-30

Fayetteville, NC

10/12/96

L

7-30

Fayetteville, NC

10/9/10

W

21-14

Petersburg, VA

10/19/68

L

6-38

Petersburg, VA

10/11/97

L

29-51

Petersburg, VA

10/8/11

W

49-21

Fayetteville, NC

10/18/69

T

8-8

Fayetteville, NC

10/17/98

W

15-14

Fayetteville, NC

9/7/13

L

28-29

Fayetteville, NC

10/2/76

W

10-2

Fayetteville, NC

10/16/99

L

7-50

Petersburg, VA

9/27/14

L

14-35

Petersburg, VA

9/21/85

T

7-7

Petersburg, VA

10/14/00

L

27-29

Fayetteville, NC

9/26/15

W

33-20

Petersburg, VA

9/20/86

L

7-50

Fayetteville, NC

10/13/01

W

27-14

Petersburg, VA

11/11/17

L

19-42

Salem, VA

10/19/91

L

14-31

Petersburg, VA

10/19/02

W

20-10

Fayetteville, NC (HC)

9/25/21

W

28-14

Fayetteville, NC

10/17/92

W

35-15

Fayetteville, NC (HC)

9/18/04

L

3-19

Petersburg, VA

LAST MATCHUP
Fayetteville State avenged their 2017 CIAA Championship loss to Virginia State with a 28-14 victory at Luther "Nick" Jeralds Stadium. The Broncos, now 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the CIAA, dominated with 340 yards of total offense compared to the Trojans' 131. Quarterback Khari Lane threw for 194 yards and a touchdown, while Tyeous Sharpe had six receptions for 76 yards and a score. Virginia State, now 0-3 overall, initially led with a 37-yard run by Demetrius Strickland, but Fayetteville State responded with a fumble recovery touchdown and a strong offensive performance to secure the win.
 
THE COACHES:
Dr. Henry Frazier III, named the 26th Head Football Coach for Virginia State University in 2022, led the Trojans to a 14-6 record over two seasons, including an 8-2 record in 2023. Born in Washington, D.C., Frazier excelled as a four-sport athlete in high school and played quarterback at Bowie State University, guiding the team to an NCAA playoff and a CIAA Championship. His coaching career includes significant achievements at Bowie State, Prairie View A&M, and North Carolina Central University, where he turned around struggling programs and earned numerous coaching honors. Frazier holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and has served in various educational and athletic administrative roles. He is also a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and has been inducted into multiple sports halls of fame. Frazier and his wife, Keisha, have a blended family with eight children.
 
Richard Hayes, Jr. joined Fayetteville State University as the head football coach in 2015, bringing over 20 years of coaching experience. Under his leadership, the FSU Broncos achieved significant success, including six consecutive CIAA Football Championship berths by 2023. Hayes was the first FSU coach to reach the championship game in his second season. Despite a 17-7 loss to Bowie State University in the 2021 Championship, the Broncos secured a perfect 7-0 conference record. Hayes' tenure saw numerous players earn CIAA post-season honors, and he was named CIAA Coach of the Year in 2018. Prior to FSU, Hayes served as the defensive coordinator at Winston-Salem State University, where his defensive schemes earned national recognition. He began his coaching career at North Carolina A&T State University, his alma mater, where he also played as a standout defensive back. Hayes and his wife, Thomasina, have three children.
 
LAST WEEKEND:
In a closely contested HBCU GO televised broadcast, Virginia State led until the final six seconds when Winston-Salem State University secured a 15-14 victory with a three-yard field goal. The game saw multiple turnovers and blocked punts, with VSU's Tylique Ray scoring two rushing touchdowns. Despite a strong defensive effort, including 15 tackles by Cameron Davis, VSU couldn't hold off WSSU's final drive, which culminated in the game-winning field goal.
 
Fayetteville State secured a 31-7 victory over Elizabeth City State at the Down East Viking Football Classic, showcasing a dominant defensive performance. The Broncos' defense held the Vikings to just 154 total yards, improving their record to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in CIAA play. Quarterback Joe Owens, Jr. led the aerial attack with 116 yards and two touchdowns, while Julian Milligan rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown. Key defensive players included Kolby Merritt and Jamari Slade, who made significant impacts with tackles and sacks. Casey, a junior linebacker from Douglasville, GA, was named the CIAA Linebacker of the Week after recording 9 tackles (3 solo and 6 assisted) in FSU's victory over Elizabeth City State (ECSU). His performance was further highlighted by a forced fumble and a tackle for loss, contributing to a 1-yard loss for the opposing team. The Broncos capitalized on turnovers, converting them into 14 points, and excelled in third-down conversions and red zone defense. Head Coach Richard Hayes, Jr. praised both teams' efforts, highlighting the Broncos' offensive improvement in the second half.
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
For Virginia State, key players include Jimmyll Williams, who leads the rushing attack with 297 net yards on 62 attempts, averaging 4.8 yards per carry and scoring 3 touchdowns. Romelo Williams contributes both in rushing, with 76 net yards and 1 touchdown and in passing, with 471 yards and 2 touchdowns, maintaining a 63.33% completion rate. Tylique Ray adds 66 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns, along with 72 receiving yards. Malik Hunter stands out in receiving with 173 yards on 11 catches, averaging 15.73 yards per catch. Kevin Gayles has 102 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns, while Tayshaun Porter adds 80 receiving yards.
 
The Trojans' key defensive players include Cameron Davis, who leads with 25 total tackles, including 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. KJ McNeil follows with 20 total tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss. Carl Poole Jr. contributes 17 total tackles and an interception.
 
For Fayetteville State, key players include running back Julian Milligan, who leads the rushing attack with 134 net yards and an average of 44.67 yards per game. Quarterback Demari Daniels is another standout, contributing both on the ground with 106 net rushing yards and two touchdowns, and through the air with 304 passing yards and one touchdown. Alternating starting quarterback Joe Owens also plays a crucial role in the passing game, with 248 yards and two touchdowns. Bryce Council adds 99 net rushing yards and one touchdown as a running back. In the receiving corps, David Baros shines with 249 yards and one touchdown, averaging 83 yards per game, while Emanuel Ortega-Garcia has 92 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Key defensive players include Shi Gaskin, who currently leads Division II in forced fumbles (three), ranks 7th in tackles for a loss, and 15^th in sacks. Jamari Slade leads the team with 22 total tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Elijah Casey follows with 18 total tackles and 2 tackles for loss. Shi Gaskin stands out with 16 total tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. Solo Barnes contributes 15 total tackles and a fumble recovery. Caleb Legrand also has 15 total tackles, along with 0.5 tackles for loss and an interception. Kolby Merritt adds 12 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and an interception returned for 33 yards. Shawn Robinson has 12 total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Theniias Moss records 11 total tackles and an interception.
 
IN THE CIAA:
Bowie State @ Winston-Salem State (1:00 P.M.) 
Home games have been scarce for Winston-Salem State early on but it hasn't affected their play, as they improved to 3-1 after a nail-biting road win over Virginia State. They'll play host to Bowie State who grabbed their first win of the season last week over Livingstone. The series between the two teams has been rather streaky, as Bowie State has taken the last three (including Bowie State's most recent victory in 2019), but Winston-Salem State took the previous four.  

Livingstone @ Lincoln (PA) (1:00 P.M.) 
Coming off week three losses, Livingstone and Lincoln (PA) will go head-to-head for a week four matchup. Livingstone has shown some promise early on coming in at 2-2, while the Lions are in search of their first win and will do so on their home turf for the first time this season. The Blue Bears are 4-0 in the program series, having most recently defeated the Lions in 2019. 

Shaw @ Virginia Union (1:00 P.M.) 
Two teams headed in opposite directions will face off this Saturday as Shaw (3-1), who's coming off a blowout victory over Lincoln (PA) will head to Virginia Union (1-2), who have dropped their last two games. The reigning champion Panthers have won three of the last four matchups against Shaw and will look to continue that pattern against a Shaw team that has eclipsed 28+ points in three of their four games this season. 

Fayetteville State @ Virginia State (2:00 P.M.) 
Fayetteville State improved to 2-1 last week with a big win over ECSU and will hit the road to take on Virginia State who have lost two consecutive nail biters, having lost by a combined six points in the last two games. The history of this matchup runs deep, dating back decades- Since 1986, the two teams have battled 25 times, with Virginia State holding a 16-9 advantage. They last took the field back in 2021, which saw the Broncos come out on top, 28-14. 

Johnson C. Smith vs. Bluefield State (6:00 P.M.) 
Johnson C. Smith comes in as the lone undefeated team in the CIAA, and they'll look to improve to 5-0 as they head to Bluefield State, who are coming off a big non-conference loss to Emory & Henry. The two teams have a short history, only having played each other for three seasons. The Big Blue won the first two, but the Golden Bulls won last season, 30-13.