Michael Vick, Norfolk State loses annual game to bitter rival
Michael Vick and Norfolk State will lose great game against their bitter in-state rival, Virginia State University, beginning in 2026.
Virginia State announced its 2026 football schedule on Monday, and many were shocked to see that the annual matchup between the longtime rivals was not on the schedule to begin the season. Instead, Virginia State will face the reigning HBCU national champion, South Carolina State, on Sept. 12.
The scheduling decision for both institutions signals the first time since 2019 that Virginia State and Norfolk State have not played each other. The schedule change is noteworthy, as Michael Vick earned his first coaching victory against Virginia State 34-31 in an overtime thriller on Sept. 6.
Virginia State was able to keep pace with their Division I counterparts and even led the game by a significant amount before missing a chance to win the game late in regulation with a field goal that they ended up missing. Norfolk State quarterback Otto Kuhns was able to orchestrate a comeback that led to a successful field goal in overtime for Norfolk State to ultimately secure Vick’s first and only victory of the past season.
Now all eyes will be on the Norfolk side to see what they do instead of moving the Virginia State game off their schedule, and whether we’ll see the game return in the 2027 season or in the near future.
Virginia State definitely chooses to put itself to the test with a game against Chanice Berry and his South Carolina Bulldogs. Berry has been dominant against Division II HBCUs since his sophomore season at Benedict College in 2022. In that span, he has lost to just one HBCU overall: Jackson State University in the 2024 Cricket Celebration Bowl.
The season opens for Virginia State University on August 29 against Burton College.
2025-12-30 02:02:00
