Staff report

SALISBURY — After getting a split on two long road trips, Livingstone’s football team returns to the friendly confines of Alumni Memorial Stadium.

The season is at the halfway point, and the Blue Bears have a winning record. They have a chance to grab another “W” on Saturday.

Livingstone (3-2, 1-1) will take on old rival Elizabeth City State  Kickoff is set for 4 p.m., making it the latest-starting CIAA game of the day.

Elizabeth City State’s Vikings (2-2, 0-1) have won outside the CIAA against Erskine and Chowan. Their losses have been to Shaw and Fayetteville State. although the late-August loss to Shaw apparently won’t count in the CIAA standings.

Elizabeth City State hasn’t played in a while and hasn’t taken the field since a 31-7 loss to Fayetteville State on Sept. 21.

Elizabeth City State has been one of the CIAA’s better defensive teams and ranks second in the conference. They allow about two TDs per game.

Livingstone appears to be have an advantage on offense, but it’s a smaller edge than the Vikings’ defensive advantage. That explains why ECSU is a 3-point favorite, according to the Massey Ratings.

Livingstone is given a 45 percent probability of winning, so it’s close to a tossup game, and the Blue Bears will have the added edge of no travel, the home field and the crowd.

The last time the programs squared off was in 2022. That game was played in Rocky Mount, and the Blue Bears won 19-0.

The last time the teams played in Salisbury, the Vikings won 27-16 in 2019.