(Source: HBCU Sports)
South Carolina State will go into the 2026 season as the defending HBCU national champions thanks to their Celebration Bowl win, and early in the season, they will be visited by a CIAA team.
Virginia State released their 2026 football schedule on social media Monday, highlighted by a trip to Orangeburg, South Carolina Saturday Sept. 12. This will be the first meeting between the two teams.
The Trojans finished 2025 6-4 overall, 4-3 in CIAA play, good enough for 4th place in the league.
The VSU offense was led by redshirt freshman quarterback Rahsaan Matthews Jr., who completed nearly 61 percent of his passes for 2,361 yards and 20 touchdowns. Matthews also ran for 439 yards on 103 carries and scored three touchdowns on the ground.
The Trojans ranked fourth in the CIAA in points scored (27.5) and points allowed (24.2) in 2025.
South Carolina State, in their second year under head coach Chennis Berry’s leadership, defeated SWAC champion Prairie View A&M 40-38 in a four-overtime thriller to win the program’s second Celebration Bowl in five seasons.
Berry has yet to lose a MEAC game, going 10-0 in conference play in his first two seasons and sports a 19-6 overall record.