The 2025 football season saw a prosperous conclusion to a gradual rebuild for the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls, culminating in their best season in over half a century.
Johnson C. Smith clinched a berth in the CIAA championship game after finishing the regular season with a 9-1 overall record, halting a Virginia Union three-peat with a 45-21 win to claim the conference title.
This snapped a 56-year drought without a conference championship, the longest in the CIAA’s history, dating back to the 1972 CIAA title game (the third year of the CIAA’s established conference championship game).
Despite their success, Johnson C. Smith comes into the 2026 season somehow underrated, being picked to finish second by the CIAA in the conference’s predicted order of finish behind Virginia Union.
That begs the question: Should Johnson C. Smith be the favorite to win back-to-back CIAA championships?
Golden Bulls still have a lot of talent
The Golden Bulls’ rise to championship glory coincides with a story of resilience and patience, orchestrated by head coach and Johnson C. Smith alum Maurice Flowers.
In Coach Flowers’ four seasons as head coach at JCSU, the team has steadily gotten better each year, learning from past mistakes, leading to the Golden Bulls becoming a powerhouse program to be reckoned with.
Like the reigning SIAC champion Albany State, Johnson C. Smith comes into the 2026 season having undergone significant changes in the offseason, including moving on from All-CIAA quarterback Kelvin Durham.
Transferring to Johnson C. Smith from Fort Valley State, Durham played an integral role in the team’s CIAA championship victory, tying a career-high with six passing touchdowns and an additional rushing touchdown.
In addition, their leading receivers from each of the past two seasons, Brevin Caldwell (2024) and Deandre Proctor (2025).
While the question of who will be the team’s starting quarterback come week one is one that still needs to be answered, the Golden Bulls can rest easy knowing their leading rusher, Bobby Smith, will be back in the fold.
As a redshirt freshman, Smith ended the regular season on a high note, serving as one of the main reasons JCSU was able to clinch a berth in the CIAA championship game.
In a season that saw him named the CIAA’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, he averaged 126.3 rushing yards per game and scored four touchdowns, including the game-winning touchdown against Fayetteville State that helped get the team one step closer to a CIAA title game berth.
Smith’s continued development will be critical in Johnson C. Smith’s bid to repeat as conference champions.
Veterans will lead the way
Hoping to help Smith out in the backfield is Fabian Duncan, who is transferring to Johnson C. Smith from Allen University after being named SIAC MVP in 2025.
In addition, they boast returning running back Kamarro Edmonds, who was ravaged by injury last year.
Also back for JCSU is Brian Lane, who had some bright moments in what was also his redshirt freshman year, beginning the season with six receptions for 163 yards and a touchdown against Morehouse.
Consistency will be the name of the game for the now redshirt sophomore as he transitions into potentially being the Golden Bulls’ number one receiver on the depth chart.
The Johnson C. Smith offense will be aided by an offensive line that fielded three selections to the All-CIAA Preseason team, including the reigning CIAA Offensive Lineman of the Year Jamari Mason.
As good as the Golden Bulls’ offense was last year, the defense was arguably the catalyst to their success, ranking among the top units in Division II football, finishing eighth in the country in scoring defense (17.3).
Johnson C. Smith defense is still a team strength
While many of their top defenders from last season will not be returning this time around, one of the key returners back to help JCSU in their bid for a championship repeat is linebacker Vincent Hill.
Hill is the only defensive player who was selected to the All-CIAA First Team in 2025 to be named to this season’s All-CIAA Preseason Team.
He led the team with 75 total tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss while also recording 2.0 sacks and three pass breakups.
During CIAA Media Day, Coach Flowers touted that the secondary group will be among the players to watch coming into this season, having also been a highlight the previous year.
Johnson C. Smith tied with Fayetteville State for the most interceptions in the CIAA (13), making them one of only two teams that forced more interceptions than they allowed passing touchdowns.
If the Golden Bulls’ secondary and the defense as a whole can replicate their success from the 2025 season, a championship repeat will certainly be in the cards.
