# 2023 Virginia Union Panthers football team

The 2023 Virginia Union Panthers football team represented Virginia Union University as a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) during the 2023 NCAA Division II football season. Led by 5th-year head coach Alvin Parker, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 10–2 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play; winning the CIAA championship.
Virginia Union lost to Kutztown in the first round of the playoffs for back-to-back first round losses and the programs' twelfth consecutive loss in the playoffs with no playoff wins.

## Offseason

Positions key :
| C | Center | CB | Cornerback | DB | Defensive back | DE | Defensive end |
| DL | Defensive lineman | DT | Defensive tackle | FB | Fullback | FS | Free safety |
| G | Guard | K | Kicker | KR | Kickoff returner | LB | Linebacker |
| LS | Long snapper | MLB | Middle linebacker | OT | Offensive tackle | OL | Offensive lineman |
| OLB | Outside linebacker | NT | Nose tackle | P | Punter | PR | Punt returner |
| QB | Quarterback | RS | Return specialist | RB | Running back | S | Safety |
| SS | Strong safety | TE | Tight end | WR | Wide receiver |
* 1 2 May sometimes be referred to as an edge rusher (EDGE)
* ↑ Also known as offensive guard (OG)
* ↑ Also known as placekicker (PK)
* ↑ Also known as inside linebacker (ILB)

### Transfer portal
#### Outgoing transfers

Four Virginia Union Panthers players left via the NCAA transfer portal during or after the 2022 season.
Virginia Union outgoing transfers :
| Name | No. | Pos. | Height/Weight | Year | Hometown | College transferred to |
| John Jiles | #0 | WR | 6'3, 190 | Junior | Wake Forest, NC | West Florida |
| Alvin Howard | #4 | WR | 6'0, 175 | Junior | Key West, FL | Concord |
| Dev'on Grant | #28 | LB | 6'1, 210 | Junior | Wake Forest, NC | Elizabeth City State |
| Dwayne Chandler | #89 | TE | 6'5, 225 | Freshman | Manassas, VA | Old Dominion |

#### Incoming transfers

Over the off-season, Virginia Union added seventeen players via the transfer portal.
Virginia Union Incoming Transfers :
| Name | No. | Pos. | Height/Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous school |
| Nehemiah Scott | #1 | S | 6'1, 175 | Sophomore | Richmond, VA | Emory and Henry |
| J'Bore' Gibbs | #4 | QB | 6'3, 225 | Graduate | Chicago, IL | Idaho |
| Navarro Price | #12 | QB | 6'1, 195 | Junior | Hampton, VA | Elizabeth City State |
| Kory Fleming | #15 | TE | 6'3, 230 | Graduate | Clarksburg, MD | Morehouse |
| Nahsir Morgan Sr. | #16 | WR | 6'5, 190 | Junior | Atlantic City, NJ | Delaware Valley |
| David Freeman | #21 | RB | 5'10, 195 | Senior | Baltimore, MD | Hartnell College |
| Elijah Rice | #23 | WR | 5'9, 185 | Senior | Williamsburg, VA | Emory and Henry |
| Xzavier Barnes | #25 | CB | 6'0, 185 | Sophomore | Kilmarnock, VA | Virginia–Wise |
| Decari Randle | #33 | LB | 6'1, 230 | Junior | Chicago, IL | Iowa Central CC |
| Kyle Kidewell | #37 | S | 6'3, 195 | Sophomore | Bowie, MD | Atlanta Tech |
| Jabrill Norman | #44 | LB | 6'2, 220 | Junior | Salisbury, NC | Mars Hill |
| Jerry Newmy | #46 | FB | 6'0, 245 | Freshman | Chester, VA | Chowan |
| Jahmel Flowers | #48 | DE | 6'5, 215 | Junior | Atlanta, GA | Arkansas–Monticello |
| Josue Hernandez | #50 | K/P | 6'1, 180 | Junior | Middlesex, NJ | Keystone |
| Dillon Porter | #70 | OL | 6'5, 285 | Sophomore | Pulaski, VA | Virginia–Lynchburg |
| Tajhir Tate | #99 | DL | 6'1, 300 | Graduate | Elizabeth, NJ | Wagner |
| Corie Addo | | WR | 5'10, 195 | Sophomore | Richmond, VA | Norfolk State |

### Recruiting class

Virginia Union signed 26 players in the class of 2023.
US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| Jonathan Derricott QB | Richmond, VA | Varina High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Tayvon Tyler QB | Newport News, VA | Woodside High School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | Feb 15, 2023 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Jayden Earley CB | Hampton, VA | Phoebus High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | Jan 28, 2023 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Roberto Alvarez Jr. RB | Temple Hills, MD | St. Thomas More School | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Aarenamon Johnson CB | Richmond, VA | Glen Allen High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | Mar 24, 2023 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Damon Etheridge S | Chesapeake, VA | Oscar F. Smith High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Jayden White CB | Emporia, VA | Southampton High School | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Damari Mason S | Richmond, VA | Hermitage High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Feb 27, 2023 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Brandan Cammarasana LB | Chester, VA | Thomas Dale High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | Jan 1, 2023 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Nathaniel Knox S | Norfolk, VA | Matthew Fontaine Maury High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Alexandre Lafontant LS | Orlando, FL | Cypress Creek High School | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Adrian Crespin OL | Woodbridge, VA | Freedom High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 285 lb (129 kg) | Feb 1, 2023 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Diamondz Wells LB | Norfolk, VA | Booker T. Washington High School | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | Feb 1, 2023 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Mathias Nielson OL | Gentofte, Denmark | Gentofte Skole | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 295 lb (134 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Isaiah Butcher OL | Glen Allen, VA | Glen Allen High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 310 lb (140 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Justin Royes OL | Suffolk, VA | Lakeland High School | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 310 lb (140 kg) | Feb 7, 2023 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Isaiah Whitehurst OL | Norfolk, VA | Matthew Fontaine Maury High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 270 lb (120 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Trai'von Callis OL | Brunswick, VA | Brunswick High School | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 330 lb (150 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Shawn Battle II OL | Franklin, VA | Franklin High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 315 lb (143 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Isaiah Wallace WR | Newport News, VA | Warwick High School | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Juelz Cooper TE | Courtland, VA | Southampton High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 230 lb (100 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Samuel Arrey DL | Lanham, MD | DuVal High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 290 lb (130 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Kamari Federick DL | Pompano Beach, FL | Blanche Ely High School | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 280 lb (130 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Jordan Kamara DL | Baltimore, MD | Seneca Valley High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 230 lb (100 kg) | Jan 14, 2023 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Lyvarius Gilbert WR | Lynchburg, VA | E. C. Glass High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Sean Macon CB | Richmond, VA | Henrico High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | Feb 2, 2023 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: ||||||
| ‡ Refers to 40 yard dash Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2023 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved January 18, 2024. ||||||

### CIAA media day

The 2023 CIAA Media day were held at 9:30 a.m. on July 20, 2023. Each team had their head coach available to talk to the media at the event.
Predicted Order of finish :
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Fayetteville State |
| 2 | Bowie State |
| 3 | Virginia Union |
| 4 | Shaw |
| 5 | Virginia State |
| 6 | Johnson C. Smith |
| 7 | Winston-Salem State |
| 8 | Elizabeth City State |
| 9 | Bluefield State |
| 10 | Lincoln (PA) |
| 11 | Livinstone |
| 12 | St. Augustine's |
Predicted Order of finish (Northern) :
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Bowie State |
| 2 | Virginia Union |
| 3 | Virginia State |
| 4 | Elizabeth City State |
| 5 | Bluefield State |
| 6 | Lincoln (PA) |
Predicted Order of finish (Southern) :
| Rank | Team |
| 1 | Fayetteville State |
| 2 | Shaw |
| 3 | Johnson C. Smith |
| 4 | Winston-Salem State |
| 5 | Livingstone |
| 6 | St. Augustine's |

### Preseason All-CIAA teams

| Position | Player | Class | Team |
| Offense ||||
| RB | Jada Byers | Jr | Virginia Union |
| TE | Kalen Carver | ‹ The template below (Redshirt) is being considered for deletion. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus. › Redshirt Jr | Virginia Union |
| OL | Justin Meade | Sr | Virginia Union |
| Defense ||||
| DL | Isaac Anderson | ‹ The template below (Redshirt) is being considered for deletion. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus. › Redshirt Jr | Virginia Union |
| DL | Armonii Burden | Gr | Virginia Union |
| LB | Shamar Graham | ‹ The template below (Redshirt) is being considered for deletion. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus. › Redshirt So | Virginia Union |
| Special teams ||||
| PK | Brady Myers | So | Virginia Union |
| KR | Larry Hackey | Jr | Virginia Union |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 3 | 4:00 p.m. | vs. Morehouse* | No. 18 | Tom Benson Hall of Fame StadiumCanton, OH (Black College HOF Classic) | NFL Network | W 45–13 | 9,333 |
| September 9 | 1:00 p.m. | at Shaw* | No. 17 | Durham County Memorial StadiumDurham, NC | | W 26–13 | 1,863 |
| September 16 | 1:00 p.m. | at Livingstone | No. 17 | Alumni Memorial StadiumSalisbury, NC | | W 28–20 | 1,250 |
| September 23 | 6:00 p.m. | Fayetteville State | No. 15 | Hovey FieldRichmond, VA | | L 7–10 | 671 |
| September 30 | 1:00 p.m. | at St. Augustine's | | John H. Baker StadiumRaleigh, NC | | W 47–7 | 513 |
| October 7 | 1:00 p.m. | at Elizabeth City State | | Roebuck StadiumElizabeth City, NC | | W 42–20 | 925 |
| October 14 | 1:00 p.m. | Bowie State | | Hovey FieldRichmond, VA | | W 52–3 | 610 |
| October 21 | 1:00 p.m. | Lincoln (PA) | | Hovey FieldRichmond, VA | | W 57–0 | 5,250 |
| October 28 | 1:00 p.m. | at Bluefield State | No. 23 | Mitchell StadiumBluefield, WV | | W 57–12 | 283 |
| November 4 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 22 Virginia State | No. 19 | Hovey FieldRichmond, VA | | W 30–20 | 15,000 |
| November 11 | 3:00 p.m. | vs. Fayetteville State* | No. 18 | Salem Civic CenterSalem, VA (CIAA Championship Game) | | W 21–10 | |
| November 18 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 7 Kutztown* | No. 13 | Andre Reed StadiumKutztown, PA (NCAA Division II First Round) | | L 14–38 | 1,470 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern Standard time |||||||||

## Game summaries
### Vs. Morehouse (Black College Football HOF Classic)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Morehouse | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| No. 18 Virginia Union | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 | 45 |
at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium • Canton, Ohio
* Date: Sunday, September 3, 2023
* Game time: 4:00 P.M. EST
* Game weather: Temperature: 86 °F (30 °C) • Weather: Sunny, humid
* Game attendance: 9,333
* Referee: Larry Smith
* TV: NFL Network
* Recap, box score
| Statistics | MORE | VUU |
| First downs | 15 | 21 |
| Plays–yards | 230 | 440 |
| Rushes–yards | 72 | 230 |
| Passing yards | 158 | 210 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 14–32–1 | 13–19–0 |
| Time of possession | 29:26 | 30:34 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Morehouse | Passing | Derrach West | 13/30, 127 yards, 1 INT |
| Morehouse | Rushing | Zion Bioue | 12 carries, 28 yards |
| Morehouse | Receiving | Brogan Korta | 2 receptions, 45 yards, 1 TD |
| Virginia Union | Passing | Christian Reid | 11/15, 153 yards, 1 TD |
| Virginia Union | Rushing | Jada Byers | 24 carries, 147 yards, 3 TDs |
| Virginia Union | Receiving | Kalen Carver | 3 receptions, 61 yards |
On January 13, 2023, Virginia Union was picked to play against fellow HBCU Morehouse in the fourth-annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic. Virginia Union came into the game looking to build upon the previous seasons success as they finished with a 9–2 record and made an appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs under head coach Alvin Parker. Morehouse came into the season with first-year head coach Gerard Wilcher as the team looked to improve following a 1–9 season with former head coach Rich Freeman at the helm.
Virginia Union beat Morehouse while running back Jada Byers scored three touchdowns and the Panther defense held the Maroon Tigers to less than 250 total-yards of offense throughout the entire game.

### At Shaw

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 17 Virginia Union | 16 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 26 |
| Shaw | 0 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
at Durham County Memorial Stadium • Durham, North Carolina
* Date: Saturday, September 9, 2023
* Game time: 3:30 P.M. EST
* Game weather: Temperature: 70 °F (21 °C) • Weather: Rainy, cloudy
* Game attendance: 1,863
* Referee: Richard Caldwell
* Recap, box score
| Statistics | VUU | SHAW |
| First downs | 21 | 10 |
| Plays–yards | 401 | 217 |
| Rushes–yards | 136 | 14 |
| Passing yards | 265 | 203 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 24–37–1 | 15–31–2 |
| Time of possession | 37:25 | 20:01 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Virginia Union | Passing | Christian Reid | 21/32, 232 yards, 1 TD |
| Virginia Union | Rushing | Curtis Allen | 8 carries, 53 yards |
| Virginia Union | Receiving | Said Sidibe | 6 receptions, 91 yards, 1 TD |
| Shaw | Passing | Silas Cruse | 15/31, 203 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs |
| Shaw | Rushing | Sidney Gibbs | 12 carries, 24 yards |
| Shaw | Receiving | Donte Lee Jr. | 2 receptions, 84 yards, 1 TD |

### At Livingstone

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 17 Virginia Union | 0 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
| Livingstone | 13 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
at Alumni Memorial Stadium • Salisbury, North Carolina
* Date: Saturday, September 16, 2023
* Game time: 6:00 P.M. EST
* Game attendance: 1,250
* Referee: A. Randolph
* Recap, box score
| Statistics | VUU | LIV |
| First downs | 20 | 12 |
| Plays–yards | 393 | 332 |
| Rushes–yards | 320 | 313 |
| Passing yards | 73 | 19 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 5–9–2 | 18–29–4 |
| Time of possession | 33:47 | 26:13 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Virginia Union | Passing | Christian Reid | 5/8, 73 yards, 2 INTs |
| Virginia Union | Rushing | Rashard Jackson | 32 carries, 185 yards, 2 TDs |
| Virginia Union | Receiving | Said Sadibe | 2 receptions, 50 yards |
| Livingstone | Passing | Brenton Hilton | 17/26, 314 yards, 3 TDs, 4 INTs |
| Livingstone | Rushing | JyMikaah Wells | 11 carries, 14 yards |
| Livingstone | Receiving | Angelo Carrillo | 5 receptions, 147 yards, 1 TD |

### Fayetteville State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Fayetteville State | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| No. 15 Virginia Union | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Hovey Field • Richmond, Virginia
* Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023
* Game time: 6:00 P.M. EST
* Game weather: Temperature: 66 °F (19 °C) • Weather: Rain
* Game attendance: 671
* Referee: John Holmes
* Recap, box score
| Statistics | FSU | VUU |
| First downs | 6 | 12 |
| Plays–yards | 92 | 184 |
| Rushes–yards | 41 | 164 |
| Passing yards | 51 | 20 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 7–13–0 | 3–6–0 |
| Time of possession | 28:27 | 31:33 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Fayetteville State | Passing | Joe Owens | 6/12, 47 yards |
| Fayetteville State | Rushing | Julian Milligan | 14 carries, 34 yards |
| Fayetteville State | Receiving | Julian Milligan | 4 receptions, 34 yards |
| Virginia Union | Passing | Christian Reid | 3/6, 20 yards, 1 TD |
| Virginia Union | Rushing | Curtis Allen | 30 carries, 155 yards |
| Virginia Union | Receiving | Said Sidibe | 2 receptions, 11 yards |

### At St. Augustine's

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Virginia Union | 0 | 24 | 14 | 9 | 47 |
| St. Augustine's | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at John H. Baker Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina
* Date: Saturday, September 30, 2023
* Game time: 1:00 P.M. EST
* Game weather: Temperature: 73 °F (23 °C) • Weather: Cloudy
* Game attendance: 513
* Referee: Ryan Massey
* Recap, box score
| Statistics | VUU | SAU |
| First downs | 20 | 8 |
| Plays–yards | 367 | 163 |
| Rushes–yards | 230 | -24 |
| Passing yards | 137 | 187 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 9–19–1 | 20–40–0 |
| Time of possession | 29:44 | 30:16 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Virginia Union | Passing | RJ Rosales | 5/9, 74 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT |
| Virginia Union | Rushing | Curtis Allen | 19 carries, 151 yards, 2 TDs |
| Virginia Union | Receiving | Nahsir Morgan Sr. | 1 reception, 56 yards, 1 TD |
| St. Augustine's | Passing | Anthony Butler | 15/31, 150 yards |
| St. Augustine's | Rushing | Anthony Butler | 2 carries, 5 yards |
| St. Augustine's | Receiving | Christ Perkins | 3 receptions, 70 yards |

### At Elizabeth City State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Virginia Union | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 42 |
| Elizabeth City State | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 20 |
at Roebuck Stadium • Elizabeth City, North Carolina
* Date: Saturday, October 7, 2023
* Game time: 1:00 P.M. EST
* Game weather: Temperature: 74 °F (23 °C) • Weather: Cloudy
* Game attendance: 925
* Referee: Derek Hatten
* Recap, box score
| Statistics | VUU | ECSU |
| First downs | 20 | 11 |
| Plays–yards | 397 | 311 |
| Rushes–yards | 295 | 10 |
| Passing yards | 102 | 301 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 6–17–1 | 20–40–4 |
| Time of possession | 31:58 | 28:02 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Virginia Union | Passing | RJ Rosales | 3/7, 59 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Virginia Union | Rushing | Jada Byers | 27 carries, 246 yards, 2 TDs |
| Virginia Union | Receiving | Ricky Key Jr. | 3 receptions, 78 yards, 2 TDs |
| Elizabeth City State | Passing | Donoven Davenport | 20/40, 301 yards, 3 TDs, 4 INTs |
| Elizabeth City State | Rushing | Ian Edwards | 3 carries, 16 yards |
| Elizabeth City State | Receiving | Quinzel Lockhart | 9 receptions, 175 yards, 3 TDs |

### Bowie State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bowie State | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Virginia Union | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Hovey Field • Richmond, Virginia
* Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023
* Game time: 1:00 P.M. EST
* Game weather: Temperature: 62 °F (17 °C) • Weather: Showers
* Game attendance: 610
* Referee: Richard Caldwell
* Recap, box score
| Statistics | BSU | VUU |
| First downs | 13 | 18 |
| Plays–yards | 138 | 458 |
| Rushes–yards | 76 | 299 |
| Passing yards | 62 | 159 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 7–18–2 | 9–17–1 |
| Time of possession | 32:52 | 26:56 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Bowie State | Passing | Amir Jenkins | 4/9, 33 yards, 1 INT |
| Bowie State | Rushing | Corey Johnson | 22 carries, 80 yards |
| Bowie State | Receiving | James McNeill III | 2 receptions, 23 yards |
| Virginia Union | Passing | Christian Reid | 6/14, 127 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT |
| Virginia Union | Rushing | Jada Byers | 19 carries, 223 yards, 2 TDs |
| Virginia Union | Receiving | Said Sidibe | 5 receptions, 78 yards, 1 TD |

### Lincoln (PA)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lincoln (PA) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Virginia Union | 17 | 7 | 26 | 7 | 57 |
at Hovey Field • Richmond, Virginia
* Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023
* Game time: 1:00 P.M. EST
* Game weather: Temperature: 66 °F (19 °C) • Weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 5,250
* Referee: S. Demingo
* Box score
| Statistics | LIN | VUU |
| First downs | 10 | 23 |
| Plays–yards | 168 | 481 |
| Rushes–yards | 86 | 249 |
| Passing yards | 82 | 232 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 10–23–0 | 11–20–0 |
| Time of possession | 33:16 | 26:44 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Lincoln (PA) | Passing | Isaiah Freeman | 8/21, 69 yards |
| Lincoln (PA) | Rushing | Amir Gerald | 12 carries, 44 yards |
| Lincoln (PA) | Receiving | Malachi Langley | 4 receptions, 24 yards |
| Virginia Union | Passing | Christian Reid | 9/16, 176 yards |
| Virginia Union | Rushing | Christian Reid | 4 carries, 65 yards |
| Virginia Union | Receiving | Reginald Vick Jr. | 1 reception, 58 yards |

### At Bluefield State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 23 Virginia Union | 7 | 20 | 14 | 16 | 57 |
| Bluefield State | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 12 |
at Mitchell Stadium • Bluefield, West Virginia
* Date: Saturday, October 28, 2023
* Game time: 1:00 P.M. EST
* Game weather: Temperature: 70 °F (21 °C) • Weather: Partly cloudy
* Game attendance: 283
* Referee: Derek Hatten
* Recap, box score
| Statistics | VUU | BLU |
| First downs | 26 | 9 |
| Plays–yards | 520 | 180 |
| Rushes–yards | 186 | -5 |
| Passing yards | 334 | 185 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 16–31–1 | 15–30–2 |
| Time of possession | 33:19 | 26:41 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Virginia Union | Passing | Christian Reid | 12/19, 276 yards, 1 TD |
| Virginia Union | Rushing | Jada Byers | 12 carries, 67 yards, 1 TD |
| Virginia Union | Receiving | Said Sidibe | 8 receptions, 165 yards |
| Bluefield State | Passing | Isiah Teal | 15/30, 185 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs |
| Bluefield State | Rushing | Jahdi Loftlant | 9 carries, 29 yards |
| Bluefield State | Receiving | Khyon Smith | 2 receptions, 49 yards |

### No. 22 Virginia State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 22 Virginia State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 19 Virginia Union | 17 | 7 | 26 | 7 | 57 |
at Hovey Field • Richmond, Virginia
* Date: Saturday, November 4, 2023
* Game time: 1:00 P.M. EST
* Game weather: Temperature: 64 °F (18 °C) • Weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 15,000
* Referee: Ryan Massey
* Recap, box score
| Statistics | VSU | VUU |
| First downs | 23 | 17 |
| Plays–yards | 465 | 337 |
| Rushes–yards | 85 | 186 |
| Passing yards | 380 | 151 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 24–42–3 | 8–14–2 |
| Time of possession | 29:27 | 30:33 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Virginia State | Passing | Jordan Davis | 24/42, 380 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs |
| Virginia State | Rushing | Kymani Clarke | 18 carries, 59 yards |
| Virginia State | Receiving | Roy Jackson III | 3 receptions, 127 yards, 1 TD |
| Virginia Union | Passing | Christian Reid | 8/14, 151 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs |
| Virginia Union | Rushing | Jada Byers | 27 carries, 155 yards |
| Virginia Union | Receiving | Said Sidibe | 1 reception, 62 yards, 1 TD |

### Vs. Fayetteville State (CIAA Championship)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 18 Virginia Union | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Fayetteville State | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
at Salem Civic Center • Salem, Virginia
* Date: Sunday, November 11, 2023
* Game time: 3:00 P.M. EST
* Game weather: Temperature: 58 °F (14 °C) • Weather: Sunny
* Referee: Richard Caldwell
* Recap, box score
| Statistics | VUU | FSU |
| First downs | 20 | 7 |
| Plays–yards | 222 | 130 |
| Rushes–yards | 158 | 36 |
| Passing yards | 64 | 94 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 8–15–0 | 6–20–0 |
| Time of possession | 39:28 | 20:38 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Virginia Union | Passing | Christian Reid | 8/15, 64 yards |
| Virginia Union | Rushing | Jada Byers | 40 carries, 135 yards, 2 TDs |
| Virginia Union | Receiving | Reginald Vick Jr. | 5 receptions, 42 yards |
| Fayetteville State | Passing | Demari Daniels | 5/12, 89 yards |
| Fayetteville State | Rushing | Julian Milligan | 7 carries, 28 yards |
| Fayetteville State | Receiving | Kameron King | 3 receptions, 74 yards |

### At No. 7 Kutztown (NCAA Division II First Round)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 13 Virginia Union | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| No. 7 Kutztown | 21 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 38 |
at Andre Reed Stadium • Kutztown, Pennsylvania
* Date: Saturday, November 18, 2023
* Game time: 12:00 P.M. EST
* Game weather: Temperature: 46 °F (8 °C) • Weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 1,470
* Referee: Derek Hatten
* Recap, box score
| Statistics | VUU | KUT |
| First downs | 13 | 22 |
| Plays–yards | 272 | 367 |
| Rushes–yards | 149 | 210 |
| Passing yards | 123 | 157 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 16–27–0 | 8–18–0 |
| Time of possession | 28:04 | 31:56 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Virginia Union | Passing | Christian Reid | 16/26, 123 yards |
| Virginia Union | Rushing | Jada Byers | 20 carries, 101 yards, 1 TD |
| Virginia Union | Receiving | Ricky Key Jr. | 3 receptions, 34 yards |
| Kutztown | Passing | Judd Novak | 8/18, 157 yards, 2 TDs |
| Kutztown | Rushing | Darryl Davis-McNeill | 25 carries, 94 yards, 1 TD |
| Kutztown | Receiving | Kurtis Ravenel Jr. | 3 receptions, 65 yards, 1 TD |

## Personnel
### Coaching staff

Virginia Union Panthers :
| Name | Position | Consecutive season at Virginia Union Panthers in current position | Previous position |
| Alvin Parker | Head coach | 5th | St. Augustine's assistant head coach and offensive coordinator (2016–2017) |
| Edward Pointer | Assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, and linebackers coach | 5th | St. Augustine's defensive coordinator (2016–2017) |
| Diego Ryland | Associate head coach, special teams coordinator, and running backs coach | 5th | Hampton running backs coach (2017) |
| Monterio Hand | Wide receivers coach | 5th | Elizabeth City State special teams coordinator, wide receivers coach, and tight ends coach (2004–2017) |
| Luke Bengston | Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach | 1st | Virginia Union pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2022) |
| Quinn Brown | Run game coordinator and offensive line coach | 1st | Henderson State assistant head coach, run game coordinator, and offensive line coach (2019–2022) |
| Solomon Brown | Defensive run game coordinator and defensive line coach | 1st | Virginia Union defensive line coach (2022) |
| Nico Rogers | Secondary coach | 1st | Virginia Union safeties coach (2022) |
| Justin Smith | Tight ends coach | 1st | Virginia Union graduate assistant (2021–2022) |
| Evan Jones | Cornerbacks coach | 1st | Stevenson defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach (2020–2022) |
| Ryan Gould | Defensive ends coach | 1st | Richard J. Reynolds HS (NC) co-offensive coordinator, run game coordinator, and offensive line coach (2021–2022) |
| Reference: |||||

#### Support staff

* Lane Washington – Director of football operations
* Bernard Rucker – Equipment manager
* Keith Swinson – Assistant equipment manager
* Joe Ellison – Team chaplain

### Roster
## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Final |
| AFCA | 18 | 17 | 17 | 15 | RV | RV | RV | RV | 23 | 19 | 18 | 13 | 20 |
| D2 | 22 | 24 | 18 | 16 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 24 |

## Statistics
### Team

| | Virginia Union | Opp |
| Points per Game | 35.5 | 13.8 |
| Total | 426 | 166 |
| First Downs | 231 | 146 |
| Rushing | 132 | 42 |
| Passing | 74 | 78 |
| Penalty | 25 | 26 |
| Rushing yards | 2,602 | 620 |
| Avg per play | 5.2 | 1.7 |
| Avg per game | 216.8 | 51.7 |
| Rushing touchdowns | 31 | 3 |
| Passing yards | 1,870 | 2,173 |
| Att–Comp–Int | 231–128–9 | 336–164–18 |
| Avg per pass | 8.1 | 6.5 |
| Avg per game | 155.8 | 181.1 |
| Passing touchdowns | 18 | 15 |
| Total Offense | 4,472 | 2,793 |
| Avg per Play | 6.1 | 4.0 |
| Avg per Game | 372.7 | 232.8 |
| Fumbles–Lost | 7–6 | 21–10 |
| Penalties–Yards | 97–933 | 91–795 |
| Avg per Game | 77.8 | 66.3 |
| Punts–Yards | 52–1,944 | 82–2,730 |
| Avg per Punt | 33.3 | 28.7 |
| Time of Possession/Game | 31:40 | 28:06 |
| 3rd Down Conversions | 50–138 | 45–167 |
| 4th Down Conversions | 6–17 | 7–22 |
| Sacks–Yards | 25–129 | 19–128 |
| Touchdowns Scored | 58 | 23 |
| Field Goals–Attempts | 5–11 | 4–7 |
| PAT–Attempts | 55–58 | 16–21 |
| Red Zone Attempts–Score | 34–39 | 10–18 |
| Red Zone TD | 30 | 7 |
| Attendance | 21,531 | 4,158 |
| Games/Avg per Game | 5,382.8 | 831.6 |
| Neutral Site | 9,333 | 9,333 |

### Individual leaders
#### Offense

Passing statistics :
| # | NAME | POS | RAT | CMP | ATT | YDS | AVG/G | CMP% | TD | INT | LONG |
| 1 | Christian Reid | QB | 143.23 | 106 | 185 | 1,501 | 125.1 | 57.3% | 13 | 5 | 81 |
| 18 | RJ Rosales | QB | 128.01 | 20 | 41 | 301 | 37.6 | 48.8% | 4 | 3 | 33 |
| 16 | Nashir Morgan Sr. | WR | 367.1 | 2 | 3 | 68 | 9.7 | 75.0% | 1 | 0 | 38 |
| 4 | J'Bore' Gibbs | QB | -100.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Rushing statistics :
| # | NAME | POS | ATT | GAIN | AVG | TD | LONG | AVG/G |
| 3 | Jada Byers | RB | 205 | 1,186 | 5.8 | 16 | 57 | 118.6 |
| 9 | Curtis Allen | RB | 117 | 660 | 5.6 | 6 | 60 | 55.0 |
| 5 | Rashard Jackson | RB | 52 | 281 | 5.4 | 2 | 13 | 46.8 |
| 18 | RJ Rosales | QB | 20 | 130 | 6.5 | 4 | 25 | 16.3 |
| 21 | David Freeman | RB | 23 | 115 | 5.0 | 0 | 38 | 23.0 |
| 1 | Christian Reid | QB | 48 | 55 | 1.1 | 1 | 29 | 4.6 |
| 20 | Kenneth Davis | RB | 8 | 48 | 6.0 | 1 | 22 | 4.8 |
| 11 | Larry Hackey | WR | 5 | 36 | 7.2 | 0 | 13 | 3.0 |
| 2 | Said Sidibe | WR | 7 | 34 | 4.9 | 1 | 20 | 2.8 |
| 24 | Jerome Jones | RB | 3 | 21 | 7.0 | 0 | 11 | 3.0 |
| 30 | Robert Alvarez Jr. | RB | 4 | 19 | 4.8 | 0 | 10 | 19.0 |
| 16 | Nahsir Morgan Sr. | WR | 1 | 18 | 18.0 | 0 | 18 | 2.6 |
| 14 | Mykael Anderson | WR | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 15 | 2.5 |
| 29 | Marvin Holmes | P | 1 | -7 | -7.0 | 0 | 0 | -0.6 |
Receiving statistics :
| # | NAME | POS | CTH | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | AVG/G |

## After the season
### All-CIAA

All-CIAA First-Team :
| Player | Position |
| Jada Byers | RB |
| Kalen Carver | TE |
| Justin Meade | OL |
| Jamaree Mayer | OL |
| Isaac Anderson | DL |
| Shamar Graham | LB |
| Brady Myers | PK |
All-CIAA Second-Team :
| Player | Position |
| Mathias Nelson | OL |
All-CIAA Rookie :
| Player | Position |
| Mathias Nelson | OL |
| Jalen Mayo | S |
| Kamari Federick | DL |