WINSTON-SALEM – Johnson C. Smith continued its recent control of the rivalry Saturday, defeating Winston-Salem State 31-6 at Bowman-Gray Stadium.

The Golden Bulls scored in each of the final three quarters and pulled away with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to earn their fourth straight win over the Rams.

The victory also marked another turn in a series that had been controlled by Winston-Salem State for more than a decade. WSSU had won each meeting from 2010 through 2022, with the exception of 2020, when the teams did not play. Johnson C. Smith has now won the last four meetings.

The Golden Bulls improved to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play. Winston-Salem State fell to 0-3 and 0-1.

Neither team found the end zone during a scoreless first quarter, but Johnson C. Smith controlled much of the action on the ground. The Golden Bulls finished with 257 rushing yards on 41 attempts, averaging 6.3 yards per carry.

Fabian Duncan led the way with 164 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. Kamarro Edmonds added 72 yards on 10 attempts, giving Johnson C. Smith a consistent running game throughout the afternoon.

The Golden Bulls finally broke through early in the second quarter.

After driving 55 yards on 14 plays, Johnson C. Smith settled for a 15-yard field goal from Alexis Rosario-Beltran with 13:49 remaining in the half. The kick gave the Golden Bulls a 3-0 lead.

Winston-Salem State struggled to generate offense and was unable to answer.

The Rams had one of their better opportunities later in the second quarter when Johnson C. Smith's Fabian Duncan fumbled at the Winston-Salem State 18-yard line. Sofiyan Oumarou recovered for the Rams, but WSSU managed only three plays before punting.

Johnson C. Smith took advantage of another opportunity on its next possession.

Starting at the Winston-Salem State 47-yard line, the Golden Bulls moved into scoring position behind Duncan's running. A 31-yard touchdown pass from Damien Mazil to Brian Lane with 3:44 left in the second quarter extended the lead to 10-0.

Lane finished with two receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns. His second catch produced the biggest play of the afternoon.

Winston-Salem State entered halftime trailing 10-0, and the Rams continued to have trouble moving the ball after the break.

WSSU managed only 191 total yards for the game, including 103 rushing yards and 88 passing yards. The Rams completed 12 of 24 passes and threw one interception.

Johnson C. Smith added to its lead in the third quarter.

After a Winston-Salem State drive ended with an interception by Jamaris Stevens, the Golden Bulls needed only two plays to reach the end zone. Duncan broke loose for a 14-yard touchdown run with 4:11 remaining in the quarter, putting Johnson C. Smith ahead 17-0.

Stevens made one of the key defensive plays of the game when he intercepted Winston-Salem State quarterback Deiondre Goldston and returned the ball 57 yards to the Rams' 33-yard line.

The Golden Bulls could not turn that possession into points, but their defense continued to limit Winston-Salem State's opportunities.

Johnson C. Smith entered the fourth quarter with a 17-0 advantage and quickly made it a four-score game.

With 11:59 remaining, Mazil connected with Lane for a 70-yard touchdown. The play took just one snap and pushed the Golden Bulls' lead to 24-0.

Mazil completed 12 of 27 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception. Johnson C. Smith finished with 468 yards of total offense, compared with 191 for Winston-Salem State.

The Rams finally broke through on their next possession.

Winston-Salem State put together its longest scoring drive of the game, moving 89 yards on 14 plays. Jayvion Danzy finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 4:30 remaining.

Danzy was the Rams' leading rusher, carrying 16 times for 63 yards and the touchdown. Winston-Salem State's offense, however, could not produce another score after cutting the deficit to 24-6.

Johnson C. Smith answered with another long scoring drive.

The Golden Bulls took over at the Winston-Salem State 50-yard line following the onside kickoff and moved 50 yards in six plays. Parker McQuarrie completed a 17-yard pass to Reggie Brigman to help set up the final score.

Christian Rutledge then finished the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run with 2:45 remaining. Rosario-Beltran added the extra point to make it 31-6.

Johnson C. Smith finished with 24 first downs and averaged 6.7 yards per play. The Golden Bulls also held a significant advantage in rushing production, gaining 257 yards compared with 103 for Winston-Salem State.

The Rams did hold a slight advantage in time of possession, 31:54 to 28:06, but Johnson C. Smith made more of its offensive opportunities. The Golden Bulls converted six of 12 third downs and scored three touchdowns and one field goal in five trips to the red zone.

For Winston-Salem State, the loss extends a difficult start to the season. The Rams are now 0-3 after opening the CIAA season against Johnson C. Smith, while the Golden Bulls move further into conference play with momentum and another win in one of the state's longstanding HBCU rivalries.

More importantly for Johnson C. Smith, Saturday's result extends a streak that has changed the recent direction of the series.

Winston-Salem State had owned the rivalry throughout the 2010s and into the early 2020s, winning every meeting from 2010 through 2022 except for the canceled 2020 matchup. Johnson C. Smith has now answered with four consecutive victories.

The latest one was never particularly close after halftime. The Golden Bulls used their running game, two touchdown connections between Mazil and Lane, and a defense that created turnovers to build a 31-0 lead before Winston-Salem State finally got on the scoreboard.

Johnson C. Smith now has another win to add to its recent run in the series, while Winston-Salem State will look to regroup at 0-3.

WINSTON-SALEM – For more than two quarters Saturday night, Winston-Salem State's defense kept giving the Rams a chance.

Eventually, Rayvon Durant and Mars Hill broke through.

Durant rushed for a career-high 201 yards and two touchdowns, while the Lions' defense held Winston-Salem State to just 83 yards of offense in a 17-0 victory at Bowman Gray Stadium.

Mars Hill improved to 1-0 with its first shutout since 2012. Winston-Salem State dropped to 0-2 after being blanked in its home opener before a crowd of 8,700.

The final margin did not reflect how long the game remained in doubt.

Neither team scored in the first half, although Mars Hill controlled much of the football and twice moved deep enough into WSSU territory to attempt field goals. Matthias Newsome missed attempts from 21 and 30 yards in the second quarter, leaving the game scoreless at halftime.

Mars Hill's inability to turn drives into points helped keep WSSU within reach despite a sizable difference in offensive production.

The breakthrough finally came with 6:25 remaining in the third quarter.

Facing third-and-1 from the Mars Hill 48, Durant burst through the Rams' defense and went 52 yards for the game's first touchdown. The three-play scoring drive covered 61 yards in only 53 seconds and gave the Lions a 7-0 advantage.

Winston-Salem State responded with one of its best possessions of the night.

The Rams converted a third-and-25 when Deiondre Goldston found Sean Walker Jr. for 26 yards, then moved to the Mars Hill 28 after an 18-yard completion to Jamison Funderburk. But Caden Hilemon intercepted Goldston in the end zone, ending the threat and preserving the Lions' seven-point lead.

It was a fitting result for a Mars Hill defense that controlled the game.

WSSU finished with only 17 rushing yards on 24 attempts and 66 yards through the air. The Rams averaged 1.8 yards per play, converted only two of 11 third downs and never reached the red zone.

Mars Hill recorded three sacks and nine tackles for loss. Jamarion Farrior led the Lions with eight tackles, while Isaac Weaver, Aden Allsbrook and Russell Barnett recorded four apiece. Hilemon supplied the game's only turnover with his third-quarter interception.

Mars Hill's offense wasn't explosive outside of Durant, but the Lions steadily wore down the WSSU defense.

They ran 72 offensive plays and held the ball for more than 35 minutes, finishing with 366 yards. Of those, 289 came on the ground as Mars Hill averaged 5.8 yards on 50 rushing attempts.

Durant accounted for most of that production. The senior carried 28 times for 201 yards, averaging 7.2 yards per attempt. Nate Crosby Jr. added 51 yards on 12 carries, while quarterback Lukas Kachilo completed 12 of 22 passes for 77 yards without an interception.

Still leading only 7-0 midway through the fourth quarter, Mars Hill put together the kind of possession that had defined the night. The Lions marched 55 yards in nine plays while taking 5:29 off the clock before Newsome connected on a 22-yard field goal with 5:02 remaining.

WSSU went backward on its ensuing possession, and Mars Hill took over at the Rams' 35 following a 28-yard punt return.

Durant finished the job.

After runs by Crosby on the first two plays, Durant ripped off 32 yards to the WSSU 1 before scoring on the next snap. His second touchdown made it 17-0 with 2:34 remaining and effectively ended any hope of a Rams comeback.

Winston-Salem State's Jamison Funderburk led the Rams with 36 rushing yards and added 19 receiving yards. Walker caught four passes for 37 yards. Defensively, Camden Martin and Maurice Odom each finished with 11 tackles.

Both teams now turn toward conference play against another North Carolina opponent.

Mars Hill opens its home schedule and South Atlantic Conference slate Saturday against Catawba. Winston-Salem State remains at Bowman Gray Stadium to open CIAA play against Johnson C. Smith.

WINSTON-SALEM – Johnson C. Smith University continued its historic season Saturday afternoon, defeating Winston-Salem State 24-15 in front of 8,460 fans at Bowman Gray Stadium. The Golden Bulls improved to 8-0 on the season while maintaining their top-20 national ranking in NCAA Division II.

Quarterback Darius Ocean led a balanced JCSU offense, completing 23 of 38 passes for 262 yards and a touchdown. His primary target, Brevi Caldwell, hauled in 11 receptions for 127 yards, consistently moving the chains throughout the contest.

The Golden Bulls established control early, with running back Kamarr Edmonds finding the end zone on a 6-yard run late in the first quarter. Edmonds finished with an impressive 102 yards on just 11 carries, averaging 9.3 yards per attempt. His versatility was on display when he caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Ocean in the third quarter, extending JCSU’s lead to 17-0.

Winston-Salem State’s offense struggled to find rhythm against JCSU’s swarming defense. The Rams were limited to just 39 rushing yards on 23 attempts, while quarterback Daylin Lee completed only 10 of 25 passes for 116 yards. Despite the offensive challenges, WSSU’s defense kept them in the game, led by Jupe Alston’s 11 tackles.

The game’s momentum briefly shifted in the third quarter when WSSU’s Narique Smith intercepted Ocean and returned it 37 yards for a pick-six, cutting the lead to 17-7. However, JCSU responded with a methodical drive in the fourth quarter, capped by Quavaris Crouch’s 2-yard touchdown run to push the lead back to 24-7.

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The Rams mounted a late comeback attempt, with Lee finding Kaleb Washington for a touchdown with 1:57 remaining in the game. However, JCSU’s defense held firm to secure the victory.

Johnson C. Smith’s defense was anchored by Jack Smith and Benari Black, who each recorded seven tackles. The Golden Bulls controlled the time of possession battle, holding the ball for over 37 minutes while converting 6 of 16 third-down attempts.

A notable difference in the game came in the punting department. While WSSU’s Devin Versteegen averaged an impressive 50.2 yards on 10 punts, including seven kicks of 50+ yards, JCSU’s Jacob Meneses helped control field position by placing three of his five punts inside the 20-yard line.

The victory marks another milestone in JCSU’s remarkable season, as they entered the game ranked 19th in the AFCA Division II Poll and 21st in the D2football.com Poll. The Golden Bulls’ balanced attack generated 412 total yards (262 passing, 150 rushing) while their defense limited WSSU to just 155 total yards.

WSSU’s offense managed only six first downs throughout the game, struggling particularly in the first half when they were held scoreless. The Rams’ top rusher, Trevon Hester, was limited to 16 yards on 12 carries against JCSU’s stout defensive front.

For Johnson C. Smith, the victory keeps their perfect season intact as they continue their march through CIAA competition. Their defense has been particularly impressive, showing versatility in both stopping the run and defending the pass, with three different players recording pass breakups against WSSU.

Winston-Salem State falls to 6-3 on the season, despite another strong defensive showing. The Rams’ defense, led by Alston and Justin Fleming’s 10 tackles, forced one turnover and recorded multiple tackles for loss, but the offense couldn’t capitalize on these opportunities.

Up Next

Both teams have in-state CIAA rival Fayetteville State on the schedule next with Johnson C. Smith hosting the Broncos next Saturday for Senior Day while Winston-Salem State takes a week off before hosting Fayetteville State for Homecoming to close the season.