WINSTON-SALEM, NC — Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is preparing for a major HBCU showdown against Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) at Bowman Gray Stadium, with the winner set to control their own destiny in the CIAA championship race. This pivotal matchup will showcase two contenders, as WSSU enters with a 6-2 overall record and 4-1 in CIAA play, while JCSU remains undefeated at 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the conference. The stakes are high, and the winner will be in the driver’s seat for the CIAA championship, making this one of the most anticipated HBCU games of the season at the Division II level.
WSSU Athletic Director Etienne Thomas stressed the importance of this game for the Rams — both competitively and from a presentation standpoint.
“This is more than just another game—it’s about controlling our fate in the CIAA championship race.” She added, “We need to protect the legacy, and our fans can see the progress we’ve made this season.”
Thomas also emphasized how crucial this game is for HBCU football exposure on a national platform.
“The TV angle is the visitor side, so that’s so critical. When they put in camera placement, we know that the Rams will pack the stands where we like to sit on our home side next to the band, next the student section, making sure we’re standing behind our team,” Thomas continued. “We also want to make sure we fill that entire bowl, so is great if we see some sprinkles of blue here and there, but we need to see red and white all throughout this entire horseshoe.”
WSSU is pushing for a massive turnout at Bowman Gray Stadium, which has a capacity of 17,000. The goal is to surpass the 7,458 fans who attended the 2023 season opener, as the Rams aim to show off their home-field advantage in one of the season’s most important HBCU matchups.
“We are needing at least 10,000 people in the stands,” said April Reid, Associate Athletics Director for Operations and Equipment.
For perspective, the last time WSSU recorded five digits in attendance at the historic stadium was its Nov. 2, 2019 homecoming game against Shaw University.
WSSU head coach Robert Massey knows the importance of the game.
“There’s pressure, but that pressure is what drives us to compete and win,” Massey said. “We expect to see more red than gold and blue, and that support will make all the difference.”
WSSU has dominated the series over the last half century, losing just three games to Johnson C. Smith since Bill Hayes took over the program in 1976. JCSU hasn’t beaten WSSU at Bowman Gray Stadium since 1975. Offensive lineman Keith Quick wasn’t around back then, but he is aware of the success and determined to write the next chapter between the two HBCUs separated by just over an hour on I-85.
“Historically speaking, we’ve been a great team, especially against that team. So we want to continue to build that legacy and keep history on our side,” Quick said. “So it’s not really a big deal. Like every game is somebody else’s Super Bowl against us. So we just want to go ahead and keep winning.”