CIAA Championship Game History

The CIAA made history in 1970 when it became the first HBCU league to hold a formal championship game to claim its football title. Here are five quick facts about the CIAA Championship Football Game, as well as a total championship game history.

Here are five facts about the CIAA Championship Game.

1. Most Frequent Champions: Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) appears most frequently as champions, winning numerous titles including those in 1977, 1978, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 2000, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2016. (WSSU also won the 1999 CIAA championship, but there was no championship game.
2. Recurring Venues: The championship games have been held at various venues over the years, with Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC, and Durham County Stadium in Durham, NC, being frequent hosts. Recently, Salem Stadium in Salem, VA, has been the venue from 2016 to 2023.
3. Consistent Runners-Up: Fayetteville State University has been the runner-up multiple times in recent years, including 2009, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023.
4. Dominance of Virginia Teams: Virginia-based teams, such as Virginia Union, Virginia State, and Hampton have consistently performed well, winning multiple championships over the decades. Virginia Union won titles in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 2001, and 2023.
5. Notable Championship Games: The highest-scoring championship game in the data set was in 1978 when Winston-Salem State defeated Shaw with a score of 72-0. Another notable game was in 2007, when Shaw won against Virginia Union in double overtime, 31-24.