Elizabeth City State University Athletics

ELIZABETH CITY, NC - The Elizabeth City State Vikings (0-1) opened the 2026 season on a down note when the team took a 17-14 loss to the Fort Valley State Wildcats (1-0), Saturday afternoon. The Vikings looked good throughout the game, but the team had a tough fourth quarter to end the game with the loss.
 
The loss came despite a solid overall effort by the Vikings. The team finished the game with 279 yards of total offense and a pair of touchdowns. Offensively, redshirt-junior quarterback Navian Hilliard led the way for the team, completing 13-of-24 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings utilized a balanced rushing attack with senior Amir Pittman-Williams leading the way with 43 yards on 12 carries. Redshirt-junior wide receiver Troy Smith led the Vikings' receiving corps with three receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown.
 
On the defensive end, the Vikings put on a terrific performance. The team recovered a pair of fumbles and held the Wildcats to just 4.1 yards per play. Freshman linebacker John Earley led the way for the Vikings with eight total tackles (six solo) in the game. Redshirt-sophomore Caleb Gervais-Lynch added six tackles (three solo) with two tackles for a loss, including 1.5 sacks.
 
With the loss, the Vikings fall to 0-1 to open the season. The team will return to action next Saturday when the team heads to Durham, North Carolina to take on the NCAA Division I North Carolina Central Eagles.
 
For more information on Vikings football, contact the Elizabeth City State University Office of Athletics Media Relations or log on to www.ECSUVikings.com.