CIAA announces tiebreaker scenarios for football championship
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) football season concludes this weekend, with three teams in contention for the 2024 CIAA football championship set for November 16 in Salem,NC. Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) (8-1, 5-1 CIAA), Virginia Union University (VUU) (7-2, 6-0 CIAA), and Virginia State University (VSU) (6-3, 5-1 CIAA) all have a shot at the title.
The Virginia Union Panthers are the defining CIAA champions and are looking to repeat. Meanwhile, JCSU is chasing the ultimate prize in what could be the perfect ending to a historic season. VSU, however, is lurking, hoping to upset VUU's bid for a second straight title and make its own mark on the season.
VUU secured its spot in the championship with a remarkable 91-0 win over Bluefield State in Week 9. Their loss to JCSU counts as an out-of-conference game, leaving VUU as the only undefeated CIAA team.
For Johnson C. Smith, their undefeated season hopes were ended by Fayetteville State last weekend means the Golden Bulls must win their final game to guarantee a championship berth.
The Golden Bulls of JCSU will face Livingstone College this Saturday, while the Panthers of VUU travel to play the Trojans of VSU in a key matchup that could shape the championship race. Here are the potential scenarios heading into Week 10.
If VUU loses and JCSU wins, VSU, VUU, and JCSU would be co-champions of the regular season at 6-1 in conference play, creating a three-way tie for the championship spot. The first tiebreaker, conference winning percentage, would leave all teams tied. The second tiebreaker, head-to-head results, can't be used since the three teams did not all play each other in conference games.
The third tiebreaker is point differential against common opponents. Since VSU, VUU, and JCSU all played Bluefield State, VUU's +91-point differential would earn them the top spot in the championship game. With VSU and JCSU tied at +39, the tiebreakers reset between those two. In head-to-head play, JCSU would advance as the No. 2 seed. The championship game would feature No. 1 VUU (6-1) vs. No. 2 JCSU (6-1).
If VUU wins and JCSU loses, VUU would finish the regular season at 7-0, earning the No. 1 seed. JCSU, VSU, and Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) would be tied at 5-2, but JCSU would advance based on its head-to-head results against both VSU and WSSU.
The championship game would be No. 1 VUU (7-0) vs. No. 2 JCSU (5-2). If both VUU and JCSU win, VUU would finish the regular season at 7-0, earning the No. 1 seed. JCSU would secure the No. 2 seed with a 6-1 record.
The championship game would be No. 1 VUU (7-0) vs. No. 2 JCSU (6-1). Note that JCSU's victory over VUU on September 21 was considered a conference game only for JCSU. If both VUU and JCSU lose, VSU and VUU would advance to the championship with 6-1 records. VSU would be the No. 1 seed based on its head-to-head win over VUU. The championship game would be No. 1 VSU (6-1) vs. No. 2 VUU (6-1).
