North Carolina A&T and Winston-Salem State renew rivalry in an Instant Classic
HBCU Football, like everywhere else in the collegiate football landscape, is chock-full of storied and colorful rivalries. There may not be a more intense or visceral black college football tradition inside the tar heel state than the one involving two of North Carolina's most venerable institutions.
The football rivalry between Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) and North Carolina A&T State University (NC A&T) is one of the oldest and most storied in all of HBCU football. This rivalry dates back over 90 years, with the first recorded game being played in 1924.
The game took a hiatus for a while, with the Aggies scheduling more non-HBCU foes with their move to the Big South Conference, and later the CAA (Coastal Athletic Association). Winston-Salem State has a good deal of football excellence to lean on itself, with a record of excellence on the NCAA Division II level in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
Saturday Blitz takes a closer look at the renewal of gridiron hostilities between these two schools in what proved to be one of the more exciting games of the first half of the 2024 HBCU football season.
Has North Carolina A&T found their Offensive Identity?
The jury is still out. There were real concerns for North Carolina A&T Head Coach Vincent Brown coming into this season for his offensive unit. There are some extremely promising signs for growth though.
The Aggies had 408 yards of total offense for the game, with the caveat being that Winston-Salem is an NCAA Division II program. Wesley Graves had a monster game, rushing 26 times for 106 yards and a touchdown.
Kevin White's growth curve at quarterback continues as a sophomore, passing for 174 yards with one TD and one Interception.
The overall production of this unit will need to get better if A&T wants to make noise in one of the most competitive leagues in FCS football in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA)
Is Winston a legitimate contender for CIAA title aspirations and beyond?
In a thought? YES. The Rams came off of a dominating week zero win on the road in West Virginia against in-conference foe Bluefield State and came within an eyelash of pulling off the upset against an FCS squad, again, on the road.
The offensive stats are a bit deceptive, with Winston-Salem's defense proving to be extremely opportunistic. The Rams also started to find a bit of an offensive groove late in the game, which almost paid dividends in overtime.
Winston got two rushing touchdowns, and QB Daylin Lee clears his 2nd game in a row with no turnovers.
The offensive performance during key stretches of this game bodes well for their future as they progress through the CIAA conference schedule.
#CAAFB Week 2️⃣ Recap
— CAA Football (@CAAFootball) September 8, 2024
Wesley Graves found a gap for a 16-yard touchdown run in overtime after Andrew Brown kicked a game-tying 31-yard field goal with one second left in regulation as @NCATFootball battled past Winston-Salem State, 27-20 in OT pic.twitter.com/9gZqfi9SNi
What's Next for the Aggies and Rams?
The schedule definitely doesn't get easier for either program, with Winston-Salem having their first home tilt of the season against Division II Out-of-conference foe Ohio Dominican, a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC).
The North Carolina A&T State University Aggies will start their CAA slate on September 14th when they host perennial Coastal Athletic Conference and FCS power Delaware.
Be sure to follow our continuing coverage of the NCAA HBCU FCS and Division II football scene here on FanSided's Saturday Blitz platform!
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