Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) knew this one could get tricky. Head coach Maurice Flowers warned earlier in the week that a road trip to Elizabeth City State, sandwiched between marquee HBCU games, had all the makings of a trap. His Golden Bulls flirted with danger but leaned on their playmakers late, escaping with a 21-17 win on Saturday to remain ranked and unbeaten.
| Statistics | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flowers Saw It Coming
In his weekly presser, Maurice Flowers admitted, “In the spring, we had this game circled as a game that some would call a trap game. We’re going to be coming off of a game against Morehouse that was in Boston. Where a lot of hoopla surrounded that game in the first Essence Classic on national television. And then you come home for the Eddie McGirt Classic, your home opener. So to get those two big games and now you have to go to Elizabeth City. That’s going to be a challenge for us also.”
He added that ECSU’s home opener posed danger despite their early-season struggles: “They lost last week against Hampton. But it’s a game that they were leading at halftime 20 to 10 and ended up losing 27-20. So they’re going to have plenty of confidence and it’s their home opener. We know we’re going into a hostile environment and we’re going to have to have our A-game, but we cannot have a letdown.”
Game Flow
Johnson C. Smith struck first as running back Bobby Smith powered in from nine yards out to give the Golden Bulls an early lead.
The highlight of the first half came in the second quarter when Antonio Crim broke free for a 56-yard touchdown run, helping JCSU take a 14-10 advantage into the locker room.
Elizabeth City State responded in the third quarter. Traquan Johnson capped a determined drive with a short rushing score, giving the Vikings a 17-14 lead and sending their home crowd into a frenzy.
But the Golden Bulls had the last word. Early in the fourth, quarterback Kelvin Durham connected with Reginald Daniel for a 62-yard strike, flipping the game back in JCSU’s favor. The defense handled the rest, shutting ECSU down over the final 15 minutes.
By the Numbers
- Kelvin Durham (JCSU): 18-of-24, 199 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
- Bobby Smith (JCSU): 16 carries, 65 yards, 1 TD
- Antonio Crim (JCSU): 4 carries, 54 yards, 1 TD; 3 catches, 68 yards
- Reginald Daniel (JCSU): 1 catch, 62 yards, 1 TD
- Traquan Johnson (ECSU): 17 carries, 54 yards, 1 TD
- Christopher Perkins (ECSU): 15-of-31, 109 yards
JCSU outgained ECSU 358 to 208 in total offense, with the defense forcing critical stops down the stretch.
A Gritty Road Win
For Maurice Flowers, the performance matched his preseason message about maturity. “We’re really going to lean on our maturity and our experience as a ballclub to not have a letdown,” he said midweek. The Golden Bulls did just that, overcoming mistakes and big plays to grind out a win on the road. Their only game on natural grass all season.
The victory pushes JCSU to 3-0 and keeps them in the conversation as one of the most dangerous programs in HBCU football. For Flowers and the Golden Bulls, this was exactly the kind of trap they were determined not to fall into — and they passed the test.
Looking Ahead
The stakes only get higher. On Sept. 20, JCSU will travel to Richmond to face Virginia Union, the only other ranked HBCU program in Division II. The Panthers and Golden Bulls will square off in a matchup with early-season CIAA title implications.
HBCU Gameday will be on the road in Richmond filming Season 3 of the Brick x Brick docuseries, which will continue to capture JCSU’s journey as one of the hottest stories in Black college football.