While "North Carolina" often refers to the UNC Tar Heels, JCSU maintains fierce, long-standing rivalries with other state-based institutions:
: JCSU's primary historical rival is Livingstone College . This rivalry is famous for the first-ever Black college football game played on December 27, 1892. JCSU's Recent Success (2025)
: Following their conference victory, the Golden Bulls made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs as a No. 2 seed. JCSU Football 2025 CIAA Champions!!
The university is currently experiencing a massive athletic resurgence:
: Formerly fierce CIAA rivals before NCCU's move to Division I, these two "state-line" programs have a deep history in both basketball and football. NCCU led their most recent basketball matchup (July 2022) with a 69-56 win.