Virginia Union put itself back in the mix for the CIAA championship game and amongst the best in D2 HBCU football with a dominant 42-7 victory over Shaw University at Hovey Field. After a disappointing 21-16 loss to Johnson C. Smith last week in a tight CIAA matchup, the Panthers bounced back in impressive fashion, reaffirming their place among the top HBCU contenders.
The Panthers wasted no time, racing to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Quarterback Mark Wright set the tone with a 52-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Key Jr., and Jada Byers added a 53-yard scoring run, showcasing his explosiveness as he finished with 173 rushing yards. Virginia Union’s offense was firing on all cylinders, racking up 582 total yards, including 305 on the ground, while averaging 6.6 yards per carry.
Shaw University struggled to find answers, managing just 268 yards of offense. Christian Peters’ 2-yard touchdown pass to Traquan Johnson in the third quarter was Shaw’s only score of the game as it struggled against Virginia Union’s relentless defense. The Bears’ rushing attack, which managed only 143 yards, couldn’t match the physicality of the Panthers.
Virginia Union’s balanced offensive and defensive performance put last week’s setback behind them and placed the team back in the championship conversation. The Panthers, now 2-2, will look to build on this momentum as they prepare to face 4-1 Winston-Salem State next week in another crucial CIAA showdown. Meanwhile, Shaw will need to regroup quickly to stay competitive in the conference race.