Raleigh NC, - 663 days – That's how long it's been since the Shaw University football team played its last game in the 2019 Raleigh Classic. The wait is finally over as the Bears will travel to Wingate University Thursday evening to open the 2021 season. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. inside Irwin Belk Stadium.
Updates will be available on all Shaw Bears social media platforms as well as live stats on wingatebulldogs.com and live video at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/wingate/
The Bears will face the Bulldogs for the third time in program history with Wingate owning a 2-0 record overall in the series. The most recent matchup saw Shaw on the wrong end of a 56-7 defeat in year one of the Adrian Jones era in 2016.
Shaw returns to the gridiron predicted to finish sixth overall in the CIAA and second in the southern division after posting a 6-4 record overall in 2019 winning their last four contest. The four-game winning streak and final record were both Shaw's highest win totals and longest streak since the 2013 season. The Bears are led by fifth year head coach Adrian Jones.
A total of five standouts garnered Preseason All-Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Conference selections. The group includes three players on defense and two on offense. Joining the list are defensive backs and seniors Jaleel Scroggins and Kevin Sherman along with junior defensive lineman Dast Sturkie. On the offensive unit are sophomore running back Sidney Gibbs and junior offensive lineman Tyrese Bobbitt.
Wingate enters the contest ranked 24th in AFCA's preseason poll coming off an abbreviated 2021 spring season where the Bulldogs finished 2-2. Before that, Wingate finished 10-2 in 2019 advancing to the NCAA playoffs. Head coach Joe Reich enters his 21st season at the helm of the Bulldog program.
