Staff report
CHARLOTTE — Livingstone’s football team may have played its best game of the season, but JC Smith is a team on a mission, chasing history, and beat the Blue Bears 26-21 on Saturday in the latest edition of the Commemorative Classic.
Playing at home at McGirt Field, the Golden Bulls (9-1, 6-1) secured a program record for wins and a place in the CIAA championship game. They’ll play Virginia State for a second time. Virginia State is the only team that has beaten the Golden Bulls this season. JC Smith’s most recent CIAA title was in 1969.
Livingstone finished 5-5, 3-4.
Redshirt freshman running back Bobby Smith was the standout for JC Smith, rushing for 164 yards on 37 workhorse carries.
Elijah Alexander threw two long TD passes for the Blue Bears. Davyn Reid had 156 receiving yards and both TDs.
Livingstone took a 21-20 lead late in the third quarter on a pick-six by E’shawn Carter and Jason Zapata’s PAT.
Livingstone denied JC Smith a spot in the championship game last season with an upset in Salisbury, but the Golden Bulls wouldn’t let it happen again.
Kelvin Durham threw a 24-yard TD pass to Deandre Proctor with five minutes left for the winning score.
