By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Livingstone football as a road favorite?

That’s the case this week for a game that shapes up on paper as a classic CIAA pillow fight.

The Blue Bears (2-6,  1-5) will be six-point favorites with a 64-percent win probability, according to the Massey Ratings, as they hit the road to play St. Augustine’s.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday at the George Williams Athletic Complex in Raleigh.

St. Augustine’s (1-7, 1-5) ranks 162th out of 163 Division II teams as far as points allowed and 160th in yards allowed, so there’s a serious chance for a breakout day for Livingstone’s offense.

Livingstone could use one. The Blue Bears have thrown it reasonably well this season, but they rank 162nd in Division II in rushing yards per game.

Livingstone has won on the road against Elizabeth City State (in a designated non-league game) and at home against Winston-Salem State.

Most of the season for the St. Augustine’s Falcons has been a horror movie. The opening acts were 70-13 and 73-14 losses to South Atlantic Conference teams Tusculum and Limestone.

There also was a 69-0 loss to CIAA bully Virginia Union and a 54-0 beating from Fayetteville State, which has ruled the CIAA’s Southern Division.

Somehow St. Augustine’s was able to use the energy provided by homecoming to upset Johnson C. Smith 28-25 on Oct. 15.  St. Augustine’s got a game-swinging pick-six in the first quarter and was able to hold off the Golden Bulls.

Last week, St. Augustine’s reverted back to its normal production and lost big at home to Winston-Salem State.

Livingstone has dropped its last two games but played a competitive game at Shaw last week, falling 28-14.

Livingstone beat St. Augustine’s 21-7 in Salisbury last season to end a five-game skid against the Falcons. The last time Livingstone was able to win in Raleigh was in 2015.

Both teams will wind up the season on Oct. 29 with rivalry games.

Livingstone will play Johnson C. Smith in the 130th Commemorative Classic at Alumni Memorial Stadium, while St. Augustine’s finishes against Shaw in Durham.