Virginia Union over Johnson C. Smith in CIAA, How??
At the end of the 2025 season after Johnson C. Smith defeated Virginia Union 45-21 in the league championship game, it was clear that the Golden Bulls were the better team.
Then how is it that VUU was voted by CIAA head coaches and sports information directors to finish ahead of JCSU in last week’s Preseason Predicted order of Finish?
That’s especially hard to figure after VUU had just two players on the 2026 preseason all-CIAA team and JCSU had six.
No doubt, Virginia Union head coach Dr. Alvin Parker’s recent dominance in the league, winning two of the last three titles, had something to do with it. Also, Parker returns a seasoned quarterback in two-year starter A. J. Rosales. But the Panthers are minus the over 2,300 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns of Harlan Hill Trophy winner Curtis Allen and four other 2025 all-CIAA selections.
Among Head Coach Maurice Flowers’ six preseason all-CIAA selectees for JCSU were three first teamers from a year ago – running back Bobby Smith (1,042 rushing yards, 9 TDs, wide receiver Brian Lane (45 receptions, 676 yards, 5 TDs) and Lineman of the Year Jamari Mason (6-1, 310), one of three Golden Bulls named preseason first team all-CIAA offensive linemen. Robert Early and Marcus Andrews are the others.
Additionally, JCSU has another all-conference first team returnee on defense in senior linebacker Vince Hill (6-1, 130), whose 85 tackles were second most in the league and makes him the leading returning tackler in the league. Hill could easily have been the 2025 defensive player of the year if not for Kenyon Garner of Livingstone leading all of Div. II in sacks and tackles. JCSU grad safety Tynan Tucker is also a preseason first teamer.
Even without knowing who will replace JCSU’s 2025 CIAA Offensive Player of the Year, departed grad QB Kelvin Durham, the Golden Bulls appear loaded.
Perhaps the biggest bonus for Flowers and the Golden Bulls is the addition of former Allen running back Fabian “The Punisher” Duncan, the SIAC’s 2025 player of the year. Duncan (5-10, 210) a native of Charlotte, N. C. (home of JCSU), returns home after an outstanding 2025 season for the Yellow Jackets that saw him post school records and lead the SIAC with 1,301 rushing yards with six games of 100 yards or more rushing and 15 rushing touchdowns!
Maybe the CIAA voters couldn’t pick Duncan for the all-conference team being that he hasn’t played in the league. But had he been eligible, he along with Virginia State quarterback Rahsaaan Matthews Jr. (2,224 passing yards, 16 TDs, 7 interceptions, 354 rushing yards, 3 TDs) would likely have been top choices for preseason offensive player of the year, had the league made those choices.
Matthews is the key player, and the only one for VSU picked to the preseason all-conference team. That will only serve as motivation for Matthews and head coach Dr. Henry Frazier whose Trojans were picked fourth.
The Broncos of Fayetteville State were picked third. Head coach Richard Hayes had four all-conference selections, including wide receiver Marcus Fleming. The biggest news however is the addition of former Allen quarterback, redshirt senior Jamir Dismukes who led the SIAC a year ago with a 72.4% completion percentage, 2,744 passing yards and 21 TDs with just five interceptions. He also rushed for six touchdowns.
Hayes says he’s never had a QB like Dismukes in his 11 seasons leading the Broncos. He’s gone 51-13 in CIAA games without such a trigger man, only finishing below .550 once. Let that marinate for a second1
Many eyes will be on new coaches Tory Woodbury at Winston-Salem State and Dawson Odums at Bowie State to see if they can turnaround once dominant CIAA teams. WSSU's Rams are picked fifth after finishing 4-6 overall, and 2-6 tied for seventh with four others last year. BSU is eighth.
Head coach Adrian Jones and his Elizabeth City State Vikings were picked seventh, behind Sean Gilbert's Blue Bears of Livinstone. It's a designation Jones does not agree with. The Vikes tied for fourth a year ago at 4-3 in conference play.
Bluefield State, Shaw and Lincoln (Pa.) were selected 9th - 11th.