ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Elizabeth City State University football returns to the road this weekend as the Vikings travel north to face Lincoln University (Pa.) in a CIAA matchup on Saturday, October 25. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at LU Stadium in Lincoln University, Pennsylvania.

Last Time Out – ECSU at Virginia State
The Vikings (1-6, 1-4 CIAA) look to build on a strong showing in last week's narrow 24–20 loss at Virginia State, where ECSU outscored the Trojans 20–7 over the final two quarters. After falling behind 17–0, the Vikings found their rhythm offensively as quarterback Christopher Perkins led a pair of long scoring drives before halftime and again in the third period.

Perkins threw for 149 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with Ka'Trez Bracey on a four-yard strike late in the second quarter and Traquan Johnson for a 22-yard score to close the third. He also added 81 rushing yards, pacing the Viking ground game. Running back E.J. Gatling chipped in a five-yard touchdown run to cap a short drive early in the third quarter.

Defensively, ECSU tightened up after the first quarter, holding the Trojans scoreless over the final 26 minutes of play. The Vikings' rally fell just short, however, as Virginia State's early 14-point burst proved to be the difference.

Scouting the Opponent – Lincoln University (Pa.)
The Lions enter Saturday's matchup still searching for their first win of the 2025 campaign, sitting at 0-7 overall and 0-5 in CIAA play. Lincoln has faced a challenging slate that has included several road trips and high-powered opponents.

Lincoln 2025 Results

• Aug. 30 – at Grand Valley State – L, 9–45
• Sept. 6 – at Duquesne – L, 14–55
• Sept. 13 – at Winston-Salem State – L, 14–51
• Sept. 20 – vs. Shaw – L, 21–36
• Sept. 27 – at Livingstone – L, 7–31
• Oct. 11 – at Bluefield State – L, 27–30
• Oct. 18 – at Virginia Union – L, 21–66

The Lions have shown flashes of competitiveness—most notably a narrow 30–27 loss at Bluefield State—but have struggled to maintain consistency on both sides of the ball. Lincoln will look to use its homecoming matchup against ECSU as an opportunity to reset and capture its first victory of the season.

Up Next for ECSU
Following Saturday's matchup at Lincoln, the Vikings will hit the road for the third straight week as they travel to Bowie, Maryland, to face Bowie State University. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 1 at Bulldog Stadium. It will mark ECSU's final road contest before closing the regular season at home against Bluefield State for Homecoming and Senior Day.