ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Elizabeth City State University football returns to Roebuck Stadium this weekend for its 2025 home opener, squaring off against the undefeated Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls in an early-season CIAA showdown. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m on Saturday, September 13th.

Last time out for ECSU
The Vikings (0-2) are seeking their first win of the season after battling in two close road contests. Last week at Hampton, quarterback Christopher Perkins had quite the individual performance, throwing for 188 yards and a touchdown while adding 70 yards and two scores on the ground. Running back Traquan Johnson chipped in 80 rushing yards, while catching three passes for 41 yards. Johnson's performance against Hampton earned him the CIAA Offensive Back of the Week award. Perkins hit Tight End Joe Griffin on 25-yard touchdown strike for one of the Vikings TD's. Defensively, ECSU was anchored by Jaevon Branch (12 tackles) and TreShaun Harris (11 tackles), as the Vikings held Hampton to just 59 passing yards and forced long drives throughout the night.

Scouting the Lions
Johnson C. Smith (2-0) enters with momentum after back-to-back victories. Quarterback Kelvin Durham has sparked the Golden Bulls' offense, throwing for 227 yards and rushing for three touchdowns in last week's 28-16 win over #11 Valdosta State. Bobby Smith added 93 yards on the ground, while Deandre Proctor posted six catches for 99 yards. Defensively, JCSU limited Valdosta to 4-of-14 on third downs and forced two turnovers.

Series History
Elizabeth City State and Johnson C. Smith have met six times since 2009, with the series deadlocked at 3–3. The Golden Bulls have claimed the last two meetings, including a narrow 21-20 win in Elizabeth City in 2023. The Vikings' last victory came in 2017, a 20-17 home win at Roebuck Stadium.

ECSU owns a 2–1 record at home in the series, highlighted by a dominant 45-27 victory in 2010. The programs first met in 2009, when the Vikings opened the rivalry with a 51-10 win in Charlotte. Overall, the six matchups have produced an average score of nearly 30 points per game for ECSU, with the largest margin of victory being that 41-point debut win in 2009.
 
CIAA Opener
Saturday's matchup renews a competitive CIAA rivalry. ECSU looks to use its home crowd energy to capture a pivotal early-season win, while JCSU aims to keep its unbeaten start alive.

Up Next for ECSU
The Vikings will travel down to Rocky Mount for the Annual Down East Classic, facing off against Fayetteville State at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 20^th.