When you think of HBCU football rivalries, you think Jackson State vs. Southern or FAMU vs. Southern. But in the CIAA, the oldest Black athletic conference in America, there’s a rivalry that has defined championships for nearly 50 years: Winston-Salem State vs. Virginia Union. This is the story of how one overlooked quarterback from Richmond, Kermit Blount, changed the series forever. From Bill Hayes and Willard Bailey in the 1970s, to Pete Richardson and Joe Taylor in the ’80s, to Connell Maynor, and Alvin Parker as well as Blount himself in the modern era — some of the greatest coaches and players in HBCU history have battled in this rivalry. With both schools tied at 12 CIAA championships apiece, the stakes remain as high as ever. On October 4, 2025, Virginia Union comes to Bowman Gray Stadium looking to extend its championship run, while Winston-Salem State fights to end a decade-long title drought. This is the CIAA's most competitive rivalry of the last half century— the story ...