Staff report

SALISBURY — Livingstone’s football team continues to win games.

A friendly schedule has helped and a lot of home games have helped, and the Blue Bears (4-2, 2-1) have gone out and gotten the job done.

The serious challenge starts on Saturday when Fayetteville State visits the blue turf at Alumni Memorial Stadium at 2 p.m.

In the next four weeks, the Blue Bears will take on FSU, Winston-Salem State, Shaw and Johnson C. Smith. All four of those teams appear to be better than anyone Livingstone has beaten.

On paper, Livingstone and Fayetteville State looks even.

Livingstone has the seventh-ranked offense in the CIAA, while Fayetteville State’s offense is ranked fifth. Livingstone has the sixth-ranked defense, while Fayetteville State is ranked eighth.

It certainly looks like a game that will be played in the low 20s. Fayetteville State scores 22 points per game, while Livingstone allows 21.

The Massey Ratings like Fayetteville State by two touchdowns.

Historically, it’s hard not to pick Fayetteville State. The Broncos have beaten Livingstone seven times in a row, including a 19-14 decision last year.

Livingstone’s most recent win in the series was in overtime in 2015.