ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Elizabeth City State gave No. 23 Johnson C. Smith all it could handle on Saturday afternoon at Roebuck Stadium, but a late Golden Bull's fourth-quarter touchdown proved costly as the Vikings fell 21-17 in their CIAA opener.

Elizabeth City State opened the game with confidence against the unbeaten Golden Bulls, who were fresh off a 28-16 win over No.11 Valdosta State last week. The Vikings had no problem moving the ball deep into the opponents territory on its first possession. Behind steady runs from Traquan Johnson and short completions by Christopher Perkins, the Vikings marched inside the red zone and capitalized when Benjamin Turner drilled a 30-yard field goal to put ECSU ahead 3-0 midway through the quarter.

The Vikings' defense forced an early punt and showed toughness up front, but Johnson C. Smith responded with back-to-back scoring drives to jump to a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter.

That's when the Vikings answered with the biggest play of the half. After the ECSU defense held the Golden Bulls on downs at the 17-yard line, quarterback Christopher Perkins hit Ka'Trez Bracey on a slant that turned into a 91-yard sprint to the end zone — the Vikings' longest play from scrimmage this season. Turner's extra point pulled ECSU within 14-10 at the 8:40 mark.

The Vikings defense continued to dig in, forcing two punts and closing the half with a big stop as Sterling Chavis intercepted a Johnson C. Smith pass deep in ECSU territory. Behind that defensive stand and Bracey's explosive score, the Vikings carried momentum into the locker room despite trailing 14-10 at halftime.

The Vikings came out of halftime with energy, putting together another drive of one intermediate gain after another. Starting deep in their own territory, Shamar Sutton sparked the offense with a 10-yard run and a 12-yard reception, while Troy Smith and Ka'Trez Bracey kept the chains moving through the air. Perkins connected with Bracey on a 29-yard strike down to the 2-yard line, and moments later, Traquan Johnson powered in from a yard out to give ECSU its first lead of the game, 17-14, midway through the quarter.

Defensively, ECSU bent but didn't break. Johnson C. Smith drove into the red zone late in the quarter, but the Vikings forced a short gain on third down and limited the Golden Bulls to a stalled drive as time wound down. Behind a balanced offensive attack and a stout defensive response, Elizabeth City State entered the fourth quarter on top, 17-14.

The Vikings opened the final quarter clinging to a 17-14 lead and dodged an early scare when Johnson C. Smith missed a 29-yard field goal attempt. ECSU's offense showed flashes, with Traquan Johnson and Ameil Braswell grinding out key gains, but a drive stalled near midfield.

With just under four minutes to play, the Golden Bulls broke through on a 62-yard touchdown strike to reclaim the lead, 21-17. Elizabeth City State had one final chance to rally, but the drive ended on downs near midfield. JCSU then ran out the clock to seal the narrow win.

Despite the loss, ECSU's defense turned in a gutsy performance — forcing a missed field goal and creating multiple stops in the red zone — while the offense produced explosive moments, highlighted by Bracey's 91-yard touchdown and Johnson's go-ahead score in the third.

Inside the Numbers

• Passing duel: JCSU's Kelvin Durham finished with a higher completion rate (75%) than ECSU's Christopher Perkins (50%), but Perkins still kept pace in yardage (191 to 198) and avoided turnovers.
• Bracey's breakout: ECSU wideout Ka'Trez Bracey was the game's most dangerous player in the open field. He recorded 120 yards and a 91-yard touchdown on just two catches — the longest play from scrimmage by either team.
• Rushing contrast: JCSU powered its way to 160 rushing yards, paced by Bobby Smith's 66 yards and Antonio Crim's 56-yard touchdown. ECSU wasn't far behind with 107 rushing yards, led by Traquan Johnson (62 yards, 1 TD), but the Vikings averaged just 3.5 yards per carry compared to JCSU's 4.6.
• Under fire: Perkins was sacked three times and lost 12 yards scrambling, while Durham went down only once. That pressure helped limit ECSU's drives despite a nearly even yardage total.
• Play count edge: JCSU snapped the ball 59 times compared to ECSU's 48, showing an edge in ball control and sustaining drives.

 
Up Next for the Vikings
Elizabeth City State heads to Rocky Mount next weekend for the Down East Viking Football Classic, where they'll square off against Fayetteville State. The Broncos enter the matchup 0–3 after early-season losses to Benedict, UNC Pembroke, and North Carolina Central. Kickoff is set for 1 pm on Saturday afternoon at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex.