PHOTO GALLERY | Jada Byers spun and pinballed around, bouncing down to the Virginia State 8-yard line to pick up 11 yards. Two plays later, the 5-foot-7-inch running back scored his second touchdown of the day to put Virginia Union in front with less than 30 seconds to play.
 
Byers, who paced the Panthers with 21 carries for 112 yards, led VUU to a 20-13 victory over its CIAA rival on Saturday afternoon at Hovey Field.
 
"My motto is always 'Don't let one man tackle me in the open field,'" Byers said. "Everybody looks at me at my size, but I carry a lot around."
 
VUU trailed 13-5, but the deficit didn't affect the Panthers.
 
"The thing I liked the most was they never stopped believing," VUU coach Alvin Parker said. "I kept telling them 'We're going to win this game if you guys believe.'"
 
The Panthers converted just two third downs on 11 attempts, but they did enough to secure the win in the 111th meeting of the programs.
 
"Last week, it was the opposite, we got almost every third down," Parker said. "It was just getting composure [on offense]."
 
On the final drive, VUU marched 80 yards on 11 plays, taking about six minutes off the clock.
 
Though the Panthers closed the door on the Trojans, it didn't appear Virginia Union would in the first half.
 
The Trojans struck first as quarterback Chauncey Caldwell found Tylin Oden inside the 5-yard line and he waltzed in for an 8-yard score.
 
VUU fumbled at midfield on its second drive and turned over the ball on downs in Trojans territory.

VUU's offense found some life late in the second quarter as Khalid Morris connected with a streaking Charles Hall down the sideline for a 33-yard gain inside the 20. The play was the biggest gain for either team in the half.
 
The Panthers couldn't convert a third-and-1 from the 10, so they settled for a 30-yard field goal from Jefferson Souza.
 
Both teams combined to punt the ball seven times in the first half. VUU was 0 for 5 on third down, while VSU converted on three of its five chances. Punts were the theme of most of the third quarter too, as the teams booted the ball away six times, including the Panthers' four.
 
"We started a little slow, but I think our guys played to their potential in the end," Parker said. "It's really not how you start, it's how you finish."
 
VSU's offense found a rhythm on its third drive of the second half as backup quarterback D'Vonte Waller hit Maruqez Phillips for a 14-yard touchdown. VUU blocked the extra point attempt and Ronnie Monroe returned it for 2 points.
 
"That was a heck of a play," Byers said of Monroe's defensive score. "I didn't expect him to take that all the way back."
 
VUU's defense came up big again early in the fourth quarter when Domantay Rhem picked up a fumble and returned it 59 yards to the VSU 9.
 
"Those guys played lights out today," Parker said. "I was excited with how the defense played today — super excited."
 
The Panthers needed two plays to convert as Jada scored on the ground from 5 yards out. Morris used his legs to tie the game on a 2-point conversion.
 
Morris finished the day with 146 yards on 12-of-22 passing.
 
The win sent VUU into the offseason on a high note.
 
"Finishing, I think that's the biggest thing," Parker said. "With all the young guys that will be back next year, it instilled something in us going forward."