The lightweight portion of Virginia Union University’s football schedule is in the rear-view mirror.

Up ahead, Coach Mark James’ Panthers hope to prove their merit against the CIAA’s more successful outfits.

At the midway point of the season, VUU is 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the CIAA after routing Shaw University 22-13 last Saturday in Durham, N.C.

It should be noted, however, that VUU’s first five outings were against squads with a combined 2-22 record.

Brevard College, St. Augustine’s University and Shaw University are all 0-5; Johnson C. Smith University is 1-4 and Gardner-Webb University, which defeated VUU, is 1-3.

VUU has outscored its opponents 141-57 this season and has dominated total offense a collective 1,998 yards to 803 yards. 

So much for the light work. Now comes the heavy lifting.

The Panthers next five opponents, aka the “High Five,” have a cumulative record of 17-7 and are all CIAA Northern Division opponents.

“The tail end of our schedule is about as tough as it can get. We just hope to keep getting better and to put good games back to back to back,” said Coach James.

With the same scheduled home stretch a year ago, VUU dropped games to Bowie State and Virginia State universities, finishing 7-3 overall and 3-2 in the CIAA Northern Division.

Lincoln University of Pennsylvania (3-2, 1-1) boasts the conference’s top rusher, workhorse Steven Scott, who is averaging 163 yards per game. Scott carried the ball 41 times for 184 yards in the Lions’ Oct. 3 loss to Fayetteville State University.

Scott must dread seeing VUU’s “Terror-tory Defense” heading to Chester County, Pa. The Panthers defend their turf like good cats should. Overall, VUU tops the CIAA and the NCAA Division II with a miniscule yield of 161 yards per game.

Passing against VUU can be hazardous to a quarterback’s health, too. Senior Miles Pace had three sacks against Shaw University and leads the CIAA with nine quarterback pins.

“Miles hasn’t approached his full potential,” said Coach James. “He is quite amazing.”

Pace is a Miami native who transferred to VUU from the University of Central Florida. Before that Pace, starred for Miami Central High, which is among the top programs in Florida.

Offensively, VUU quarterback Shawheem Dowdy, a junior, is an equal opportunity deliverer. Eight different Panthers have caught touchdowns this season.

Chazton McKenzie snared his first two touchdown tosses against Shaw while Malcolm Morris added his first as a Panther.

Other VUU receivers with at least one touchdown grab are Devin Anderson, Olu Izegwire, Andre Coble, Jamaal Wright, Hakeem Holland and Rashaun Smith.

“Sometimes it’s just how the cookie crumbles,” said Coach James. “We’ve got some very good coaches who coach these athletes up. We go with whoever is hot.”

McKenzie is perhaps the most obscure of VUU receivers. The Pompano Beach, Fla., native came to VUU as a track and field triple jumper and last spring qualified for the NCAA Division II Nationals.

Coach James says he is “borrowing” McKenzie this fall.

Lincoln University has made strides since re-introducing football in 2009 after 48 years of having no team.

Gridiron aside, it has been said Lincoln is “always No. 1 at the post office.”

Two Lincoln alumni, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes, are pictured on commemorative postage stamps.

Among historically black colleges and universities, Lincoln is the nation’s oldest degree-granting institution, founded in 1854.

After visiting Lincoln, VUU has a homecoming date with vastly improved Chowan University on Oct. 17 at Hovey Field.

Raising eyebrows around the conference, Chowan defeated Winston-Salem State University 27-24 on Oct. 3, snapping the Rams’ 29-game regular season winning streak against CIAA rivals.