Staff report
SALISBURY — Shaw is Livingstone’s homecoming opponent for Saturday, and it appears the Blue Bears have chosen wisely.
Stonecoming the Blue Bears call the occasion. Kickoff on the blue turf at Alumni Memorial Stadium will be at 2 p.m.
Statistically speaking, LC (4-4, 2-3) has the advantage mostly because Shaw has had the CIAA’s shakiest offense. Livingstone isn’t a scoring machine but it averages about a touchdown more per game than Shaw while allowing a touchdown less.
Livingstone is favored by only four points by the Massey Ratings and has a 63 percent win probability.
Shaw is given such surprisingly favorable odds probably because of the history of the series. Shaw has won 11 of its last 15 meetings with the Blue Bears. Shaw beat Livingstone 24-17 last season.
It should be noted that Shaw (2-6, 2-4) did defeat Winston-Salem State — a team that beat Livingstone — but other than that, it’s been a forgettable season for Shaw. Shaw’s only other win came against Lincoln and everyone is beating Lincoln like a drum.
Shaw has suffered through a couple of outrageous, discouraging defeats — 52-o to JC Smith and 59-7 to Virginia Union, but those are really good teams. Virginia Union and Fayetteville State are still undefeated in the CIAA. JC Smith has only one league loss, and that was to Virginia Union.
Livingstone achieved a taking-care-of-business win last week against Virginia-Lynchburg, a team it was supposed to beat. That non-conference victory kept alive Blue Bear hopes for a winning season or at least a break-even season. The final game for Livingstone — the traditional battle with JC Smith — looks like it will be tough to win this year. The Golden Bulls are racking up crazy offensive numbers.
