RALEIGH, N.C. – The Shaw University football team will look to build off its dramatic victory over Johnson C. Smith when it hosts Winston-Salem State University on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Durham County Memorial Stadium. The game will kick off from the Willie Bradshaw Field at 1 p.m. and will also serve as the University's Homecoming and Senior Day. There will be activities on campus all week and an expanded tailgating area in the stadium parking lot prior to the start.
The Bears moved to 1-7 overall as first-year head football coach Adrian Jones captured his first collegiate career win over JCSU last weekend. Shaw erased an 8-3 deficit in the fourth quarter with a game winning touchdown from sophomore running back Uriah Bethea (Upper Marlboro, MD) and a completed two-point conversion from junior tight end De'Shawn Marshall (Lawrenceville, GA).
There will be multiple ways to follow this week's game. Shaw fans can tune in to LA Batchelor on the nationally-broadcast internet radio show "The Batchelor Pad" from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for countdown to kickoff. Live stats will be available on www.shawbears.com and fans can follow live tweets on Twitter @ShawBears.
THE SERIES
The Bears and Rams will meet on the gridiron for the 24th time in school history. In the last six times these two teams have met, WSSU has won four. Last year's win at WSSU snapped a four-game losing skid for the Bears.
HOMECOMING FACTS
Shaw is 3-3 in its last six Homecoming games. The Bears dropped a 31-24 decision to Saint Augustine's last season. In 2015, the Bears won its only contest of the year at the Rams homecoming, 32-25 in overtime.
OPPONENT PREVIEW: WINSTON-SALEM STATE
Winston-Salem State is the only team undefeated in the CIAA with an overall record of 5-0. WSSU is also undefeated in the Southern Division with a 3-0 mark along with Fayetteville State. The Rams started the division season with a 15-14 win at Johnson C. Smith, a 45-10 victory over Saint Augustine's and a commanding 40-21 win over Livingstone last Saturday.
WSSU has relied on the passing game for its early season success. Quarterback's Rod Tinsley and AJ Nocciolo have combined for 1141 total yards and 10 touchdowns on 135-of-259 pass completions.
Kienus Boulware is in his third season as the WSSU head coach. Boulware added former Shaw University head coach Robert Massey to the staff as the cornerbacks coach in the spring.
THEIR LAST HOMECOMING
The Bears will recognize eight seniors on Saturday for Senior Day before kickoff at 1 p.m. These seniors include linebacker Keelan Jones (Kansas City, MO), offensive lineman Kendall Evans (Temple Hills, MD), defensive lineman Dwight Campbell (Durham, NC), defensive lineman Dominique Hannibal (Chesapeake, VA), defensive back Bruce Parker, Jr. (New York, NY), quarterback Carlos Quintero (Bronx, NY), offensive lineman Trevekio Roberts, offensive lineman Elijah Williams (Nashville, TN) and defensive lineman Venson Jones, Jr. (Newport News, VA)
NEXT UP
Shaw will conclude the 2016 season with a road contest at cross-town rival Saint Augustine's University on Nov. 5 at 1 p.m.
For more information on Shaw football and its 11 varsity sports, visit shawbears.com.
