Johnson C. Smith V North Carolina - Link 2 Access

: Formerly fierce CIAA rivals before NCCU's move to Division I, these two "state-line" programs have a deep history in both basketball and football. NCCU led their most recent basketball matchup (July 2022) with a 69-56 win.

: JCSU's primary historical rival is Livingstone College . This rivalry is famous for the first-ever Black college football game played on December 27, 1892. JCSU's Recent Success (2025)

: UNC saw seven players score in double digits , shooting 61% from the field in the first half alone. Johnson C. Smith v North Carolina - Link 2

The university is currently experiencing a massive athletic resurgence:

While "North Carolina" often refers to the UNC Tar Heels, JCSU maintains fierce, long-standing rivalries with other state-based institutions: : Formerly fierce CIAA rivals before NCCU's move

: These games serve as a platform for JCSU, a Division II HBCU, to compete on a national stage against elite Power 5 talent while celebrating North Carolina's deep basketball culture. Historical Context & Other Rivalries

: Despite the final score, JCSU kept the game highly competitive early on, trailing by just a single bucket ( 25-23 ) at the 8:53 mark in the first half before the Tar Heels went on a decisive 34-11 run. This rivalry is famous for the first-ever Black

In their most recent high-profile meeting, the 9th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the JCSU Golden Bulls in an exhibition game at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill.