Virginia Union Panthers Dominate Elizabeth City State Vikings in 35-0 Shutout Win

The Virginia Union Panthers continued their dominant run in CIAA competition with a resounding 35-0 shutout win over the Elizabeth City State Vikings. The victory improved their record to 3-0 in the conference, putting them in a tie for first place with Johnson C. Smith.

The key to the Panthers’ success in this game was their stellar defense, which completely shut down the Vikings in the second half. Virginia Union limited Elizabeth City State to a mere 22 yards on 20 plays after halftime, including a staggering -3 yards on eight plays in the third quarter. They also blocked both of ECSU’s field goal attempts and forced turnovers on the other two Viking offensive drives.

Star running back Jada Byers had a standout performance, bouncing back from a subpar game the week before to rush for 160 yards on 22 carries and score two touchdowns. Byers now sits just 264 yards away from breaking the school record for career rushing yards.

With only four weeks left in the season, Virginia Union’s path to a second consecutive CIAA championship game appearance looks promising. Despite three road games ahead, the Panthers will face teams with a combined record of 2-13, giving them a clear opportunity to make history by becoming the first team since 2018 to win back-to-back CIAA titles. Fans are now eagerly anticipating whether Coach Alvin Parker and the Panthers can secure a spot in the D-II playoffs for the third consecutive year.