Duncan’s Overtime Run Seals 39-33 JCSU Victory Over Virginia State

Johnson C. Smith University defeated Virginia State 39-33 in overtime on Saturday at Alumni Memorial Stadium in Salisbury, North Carolina. The victory comes just one week after the Golden Bulls suffered a surprising loss to Bowie State, a defeat that threatened their path to defending the CIAA conference title. With a second consecutive conference loss effectively eliminating them from contention, JCSU entered the game with its season on the line.

The Golden Bulls controlled the first half, building a 26-13 lead by the intermission during Senior Day celebrations. However, Virginia State responded aggressively in the second half. The Trojans scored touchdowns on their first two drives of the third quarter, erasing the JCSU lead and tying the game at 26-26. JCSU regained the lead briefly after a 64-yard touchdown pass from Damien Mazil to Reggie Brigman, but Virginia State tied the score again with a touchdown pass with under five minutes remaining.

The game swung back and forth in the final minutes. After a series of turnovers, Virginia State attempted a 23-yard field goal with 1:25 left on the clock to take the lead. The Golden Bulls’ special teams blocked the kick, forcing the contest into overtime. In the first overtime possession, the JCSU defense stopped Virginia State. On the ensuing drive, Fabian Duncan ran 19 yards for a touchdown, securing the final margin of victory.

Duncan, a former North Meck High School player, was the offensive engine for the Golden Bulls. He rushed for 216 of the team’s 218 total rushing yards on 43 attempts and scored two touchdowns on the ground. The JCSU offense finished with 474 total yards. The defense kept Virginia State off the scoreboard in the critical moments, despite the Trojans generating 614 total yards of offense, including 476 passing yards.

Head coach Maurice Flowers credited the team’s resilience after the previous week’s setback. “(Last week’s loss) was a tough pill to swallow, but it helped us,” Flowers said. “When you know all of your goals are still in front of you, there’s a lot to play for.” He noted that many teams would have struggled under the pressure Virginia State applied on both sides of the ball.

The win improves Virginia State’s record to 7-1 overall, marking its first loss of the season. JCSU moves into second place in the CIAA standings. The Golden Bulls will face rival Livingstone College in the Commemorative Classic on Nov. 7 at 2:00 p.m. at Alumni Memorial Stadium in Salisbury. A victory in that matchup will send JCSU to the conference championship game.