PHOTO | CURTIS WILSON

Johnson C. Smith's 2021 football schedule includes six home dates, including the Nov. 6 season finale against rival Livingstone in the Commemorative Classic.

Travel won’t be much of a concern for Johnson C. Smith football in the fall.

The Golden Bulls, who haven’t played or practiced since November 2019 when they finished 4-6, have six home dates on their nine-game schedule, which was released last week. JCSU opens the season with three straight games at Eddie McGirt Field and close with a pair at the same location. Game times will be released later.
The first three opponents – Allen on Sept. 11, Bluefield (W.Va.) State (Sept. 18) and Virginia Union on Sept. 25 – were a combined 14-16 in 2019, the last season any of those programs played.

Bluefield State (4-7)  has a new head coach in Tony Coaxum, a former Denver Broncos assistant coach. Virginia Union, a member of the CIAA like the JCSU, were 7-3 and were second to Bowie State in the North Division.

A five-game stretch in the middle of the schedule that includes the CIAA’s top teams is more daunting. In addition to the home game against Virginia Union, there’s an Oct. 2 trip to Bowie State (11-1), winners of the last two league championships, followed by a home date against Winston-Salem State (4-6) and road games at Fayetteville State (8-3) and Shaw (6-4). The Golden Bulls haven’t beaten WSSU since 1996 – a 0-18 stretch.

JCSU returns to Charlotte for a pair of South Division games to close the campaign: homecoming against St. Augustine’s (2-8 in 2019) in a CIAA South game on Oct. 30 and the Commemorative Classic Nov. 6 against Livingstone (4-6) in the renewal of the oldest rivalry in Black college football. It’ll also be the first Commemorative Classic for new Blue Bears coach Sean Gilbert, a former Carolina Panthers defensive tackle.

Johnson C. Smith 2021 football schedule:

September
11–Allen

18–Bluefield State

25–Virginia Union

October
2–at Bowie State

9–Winston-Salem State

16–at Fayetteville State

23–at Shaw

30–St. Augustine’s (Homecoming)

November
6–Livingstone (Commemorative Classic)

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