Canton, Ohio — Johnson C. Smith University made a statement on one of college football’s biggest HBCU stages Sunday, defeating Albany State 27-7 in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
The Golden Bulls controlled the contest from start to finish, turning a matchup between two defending conference champions into a decisive victory for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association representative.
Johnson C. Smith entered the game looking to build on a breakthrough 2025 season in which the Golden Bulls went 10-2, captured the CIAA championship with a 45-21 victory over Virginia Union and advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs.
The Golden Bulls carried that momentum into Canton, putting together the kind of balanced performance needed to pull away from an Albany State team that arrived with plenty of momentum of its own.
The Golden Rams were coming off a spectacular 12-2 campaign in 2025 that included a run to the Division II quarterfinals. Sunday’s matchup marked the first meeting between the two programs in the Hall of Fame Classic and featured two of the top HBCU programs from the CIAA and SIAC.
Johnson C. Smith head coach Maurice Flowers entered his fifth season leading the Golden Bulls, while Albany State was playing its first game under head coach David Bowser. Bowser brought an unusual connection to the matchup, having spent the 2025 season at Johnson C. Smith as a special assistant to Flowers.
Despite the familiarity between the coaching staffs, it was Johnson C. Smith that established control on the field.
The Golden Bulls’ 27-point performance proved more than enough as their defense limited Albany State to just seven points, allowing Johnson C. Smith to celebrate a convincing victory on the national HBCU football stage.
The win also provided an early boost for a Golden Bulls program looking to establish itself as a national Division II contender.
Sunday’s game was the centerpiece of the seventh annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic weekend in Canton. The event brought together football, entertainment and community activities throughout the weekend, with the game played adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The matchup was also significant because it featured the defending football champions from the CIAA and SIAC, continuing the Classic’s tradition of showcasing prominent HBCU programs on a national stage.
For Johnson C. Smith, however, the focus now turns to what comes next.
After opening the season with a 32-10 loss to Benedict, the Golden Bulls responded with a much-needed victory against Albany State. The program will return to action Sept. 12 against Winston-Salem State before hosting Fayetteville State the following week.
The Golden Bulls leave Canton with a 27-7 victory, renewed momentum and another memorable chapter in the program’s growing football history.
