Salem, Va. (Nov. 16, 2024)- The Virginia State football team closed out their season with a 17-13 loss to Virginia Union in the CIAA Championship game.
Neither team did anything with their first drive. On the Trojans second drive would see them get huge plays from Jimmyll Williams and Romelo Williams to get all the way down to the redzone. Eventually the Panthers defense would stiffen up and force a field goal, but the Trojans would try a fake and not be able to convert. On VUU ensuing drive they would march down the field and score the first touchdown of the game with a minute left in the first quarter.
VSU would answer with a 12-play drive that was 62-yards. While the Trojans once again made it to the redzone, but were forced to settle for a field goal by Joshua Campbell. Then on VUU next drive two huge pass plays set them up close to the redzone before Kenny Faison intercepted the ensuing pass at the one-yard line. Virginia State would have to punt the ball away after getting to their own 37 yard line. Virginia Union would use the final 4:50 of the half to add a field goal to make it a 10-3 game at halftime.
Virginia Union would get the ball first and the VSU defense forced a punt. However, neither team could manage to find the endzone on their next drive. On the Trojans second drive of the quarter R. Williams would start nickeling and diming down the field before finding Tylique Ray in the endzone for a seven-yard touchdown pass. The PAT was good to tie the score at 10. The Trojan defense would force a punt that was downed at the 10-yard line. However, Virginia State also had to punt and set up the Panthers on the VSU-37. After two runs a 23-yard passing touchdown put the Panthers up 17-10. The next Virginia State drive would end with a field goal and that would be the last score of the game.
