RICHMOND, VA –(Nov. 8, 2025) – In a hard-fought defensive matchup to close out the regular season, the Virginia State University football team came up short against rival Virginia Union, falling 14–3 Saturday afternoon at Hovey Field.
The Trojans (6–4, 4–3 CIAA) outgained the Panthers (9–1, 7–0 CIAA) in total offense, 245 to 227, and held VUU scoreless in the second half. However, two second-quarter touchdowns by Union's Curtis Allen proved to be the difference.
After a scoreless opening period, the Panthers struck first midway through the second quarter as Allen capped an 80-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run. He added a second score on Union's next possession, punching it in from two yards out to give the Panthers a 14–0 halftime lead.
The Trojans controlled possession in the second half—holding the ball for over 33 minutes in the game—and finally broke through late in the third quarter. Freshman kicker Joshua Campbell connected on a 25-yard field goal to make it 14–3, capping a 15-play, 74-yard drive that lasted more than eight minutes.
VSU's defense held strong throughout the contest, limiting Union to just 46 passing yards and forcing eight Panther punts. Mehkhi Johnson led the Trojans with a game-high 13 tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack. Matthew Scarlett and Kofi Acheampong each added sacks as part of a unit that totaled three on the day.
Offensively, quarterback Rahsaan Matthews Jr. threw for 145 yards on 17 completions and added 21 rushing yards. Jaylen Pretlow led the ground game with 43 rushing yards and a team-high 51 receiving yards, while Brandon Rose contributed 50 total yards of offense. Vy'Sean Royster was efficient in the kicking game, averaging over 41 yards per punt with two inside the 20-yard line.
