Virginia Union secured a 30-20 victory over rival Virginia State on Saturday. The win secures the CIAA North division for the Panthers and sets them up for a CIAA Championship showdown with the reigning champion Fayetteville State Broncos.

Right from the start, Virginia Union showcased their offensive prowess, marching down the field on their first drive to score the opening touchdown of the game with a 29-yard catch and run. Jada Byers was an indispensable part of the first drive score, eluding tacklers and putting the team in a position to score.

Virginia State attempted to respond and got in the red zone but was stopped by the stifling Panthers defense and missed the field goal. Virginia State's defense got the ball right back for them as Willie Drew intercepted his sixth pass of the season at Union's 41-yard line.

Virginia State Jordan Davis tried to capitalize on the opportunity, as he found Malik Hunter and Tylique Ray for 13- and 16-yard catches on the drive. But, the drive ended after the Trojans went for it on fourth down and Davis threw an interception.

The second quarter saw both teams' defenses tighten up, resulting in multiple punts as neither team managed to cross the 50-yard line. However, on the Panthers' third drive of the quarter, they struck again with Christian Reid found Said Sidibe for a 62-yard touchdown pass, pushing their lead to 14-0.

Virginia State responded with a big play of their own on the following drive, as Davis found Roy Jackson III for a 68-yard reception, bringing the Trojans to the two-yard line. Davis then ran it in for a touchdown, narrowing the gap to 14-7.

The Trojans' defense stepped up, forcing the Panthers to punt the ball and gave the Trojans offense the ball with just 4:37 left on the clock. They scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass to Hunter. However, the PAT attempt was blocked and returned by the Panthers' Raylyn Manley. The score was 16-13 after the play.

Virginia Union ended the game With only a minute and 21 seconds remaining in the half, the Panthers orchestrated a methodical drive, culminating in a touchdown moments before halftime, extending their lead to 23-13.

With just 24 seconds left on the clock, the Trojans made a valiant effort to score, but were unable to get into field goal range. At halftime the score was

The third quarter saw the Panthers intercept a pass on the Trojans' first drive, capitalizing on the turnover with their only score of the half, increasing their lead to 30-13. However, the Trojans fought back, needing only 54 seconds to reduce the deficit to 10 with a 43-yard catch and run by Jackson III. The score was now a manageable 30-20.

As the game moved into the fourth quarter, the Trojans embarked on a 17-play drive that brought them within striking distance at the seven-yard line. However, the Panthers' defense tightened up, pushing the Trojans back to the 22-yard line, where a field goal attempt went wide left. Virginia State was given another opportunity to get back in the game with the score still 30-20. However, Virginia Union's defense stepped up again and forced the Trojans to settle for a field goal that they missed again.

Despite the loss, Virginia State still has a chance to be selected as the CIAA representative in the Florida Beach Bowl, having surpassed the required six-win threshold. Meanwhile, Virginia Union is gearing up for their upcoming duel with Fayetteville State, with hopes of securing a Division II playoff berth.