It鈥檚 rivalry week for Winston-Salem State and N.C. A&T.
In a game that should be played every season but hasn鈥檛 been played since 2010, the Rams and Aggies will play in Greensboro on Saturday at 7 p.m.
It鈥檚 been 14 years between games, but the two HBCU鈥檚 that are separated by 30 miles, will play in front of more than 20,000 fans.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just they are down the road, and they are like cousins and when you see your cousins, it鈥檚 always good times,鈥 said WSSU wide receiver Myles Dillon. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about that time to rekindle this rivalry and they are Division I and we are Division II, but we want to show that we can play with them.鈥
Dillon said the win last week over Bluefield State gives the Rams confidence.
鈥淚 know my boys are ready to play and practice and we want to prove some people wrong, so we鈥檒l be ready,鈥 said Dillon, who had two catches for 61 yards and a touchdown last week.
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Defensive back Justin Fleming, who is from Greensboro, says the Rams are looking forward to Saturday.
鈥淚n a rivalry week like this, it鈥檚 about staying even keel and not getting too high or too low,鈥 Fleming said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 going to be trash talking in pregame and all of that, but it鈥檚 about just going out and playing our game and not letting the hype of the rivalry interfere with what we want to accomplish.鈥
The rivalry
Robert Massey was first introduced to the A&T rivalry when he was a player for N.C. Central in the late 1980s.
As he approaches this game with the Aggies, it鈥檚 about not making it bigger than it needs to be.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 get away from it and people all around Winston-Salem are reminding the players about the rivalry, but that鈥檚 OK,鈥 Massey said. 鈥淲hen you start playing those D-I games, it鈥檚 going to be faster, and the competition is going to be better. You have to step up a notch and those experiences playing N.C. Central (the last three seasons) will help us.鈥
The Rams are getting $30,000 for the game and also got to sell 300 tickets as well.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not going up there for a pat on the back to hear 鈥榶ou played well.鈥 We are going up there to win the game,鈥 Massey said. 鈥淲e are going to play hard.鈥
First game
One of the highlights from WSSU鈥檚 34-3 win over Bluefield State was the offense having just one turnover.
The Rams only had five penalties for 26 yards and none of those penalties were for a false start or illegal motion. The only turnover was a fumble when a tight end made a catch and was trying to get a first down.
鈥淭hat was great to see,鈥 Fleming said of the lack of penalties. 鈥淚 think we just had one with a pass interference in the end zone, but I just think that goes back to the guys being really focused and it showed in us getting that win.鈥
Massey said that quarterback Daylin Lee was under the weather and not feeling 100% but toughed it out on Saturday.
鈥淗e didn鈥檛 back down and played well despite how he was feeling,鈥 Massey said. 鈥淭hat showed me something about that kid.鈥
N.C. A&T
A&T head coach Vincent Brown said he鈥檚 looking forward to the atmosphere surrounding Saturday鈥檚 game. The Aggies, who have 63 scholarships to the Rams 28, is in his second season after going 1-10 in 2023.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting,鈥 Brown said about the Aggies, who are coming off a loss to Wake Forest. 鈥淓veryone talks about the other rivalry up the road against that other school (N.C. Central), but this one is as long and storied. We know they will come in fired up.鈥
The Aggies will get to play at home for the first time this season.
鈥淛ust knowing our kids will come in and get to play at home and playing in front of our crowd,鈥 Brown said. 鈥淚t will be a fun environment.鈥
Brown said his team is veteran enough not to look past the Rams.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think so,鈥 Brown said. 鈥淲e have mature kids and great leaders, and our captains understand what the mission is and what鈥檚 in front of us. It鈥檚 a nonconference game, but it鈥檚 a rivalry game.鈥
The future
WSSU and N.C. A&T agreed to play, and it was a one-year contract, but Massey says he hopes the teams can make it an annual classic.
鈥淭here鈥檚 money to be made for both institutions,鈥 Massey said. 鈥淣ot only just for athletics but the schools themselves. This could be a real good classic because you are probably going to get two-thirds of the state worried about this game.鈥
Etienne Thomas, the Rams鈥 athletics director, said she is working with Earl Hilton, the athletics director at A&T, about playing in the future.
鈥淲e are talking,鈥 Thomas said. 鈥淎nd we鈥檇 even host if they need us to.鈥
Raising money
The 1999 WSSU team, which was led by quarterback Tory Woodbury and coached by Kermit Blount, is hoping to raise $25,000 toward supporting athletics.
During the Nov. 9 homecoming game with Fayetteville State, that team will be honored since it鈥檚 been 25 years since winning the CIAA title.
During that season, the Rams went 7-0 in CIAA play to win the title because there was no championship game back then. The Rams also won the 2000 CIAA title.
The fundraiser is by Cory Williams, a star defensive lineman on that team who is an attorney in Charlotte.
Those interested in the project can e-mail Williams at cwill7997@gmail.com or woodleyt@wssu.edu