What more could you ask for?

Virginia Union University has the wind at its back, a full head of steam and arguably the nation’s top running back heading into homecoming weekend.

Now 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the CIAA, Coach Alvin Parker’s Panthers are coming off a take-notice 52-3 rout of longtime nemesis Bowie State.

The hosts will be a prohibitive favorite Saturday when Lincoln comes to Hovey Field for a 1 p.m. kickoff. VUU is 12-1 in the overall series with the Pennsylvania school.

History suggests a Panthers’ victory. The last four years VUU has defeated the Lions, in order, 45-20, 32-0, 62-0 and 90-0.

Jada Byers, who led the nation in rushing a year ago, has been scintillating since returning to the lineup following leg injury.

The zig-zagging junior from New Jersey raced for 223 yards and two touchdowns against Bowie after cruising for 246 yards and two TDs the week before at Elizabeth City.

Few ball carriers on any level can go this way and then that way without breaking stride like Byers. The back-to-back output of 469 yards is likely tops in VUU annals.

As usual, the modest Byers deflected the attention to his powerful offensive line.

“Like I always tell everyone, men lie, women lie, but numbers don’t lie,” he said. “I’ve got the best front five in the nation.

Despite missing all of two games and parts of two others, Byers tops the CIAA in rushing with an average of 134 yards per game.

Third on the CIAA’s rushing list is VUU’s Curtis Allen with 77 yards per outing.

Senior wideout Said Sidibe had another fine outing, snagging five passes for 78 yards including a diving 33-yard grab to start the scoring.

Defensively, Isaac Anderson had 11 tackles including four for losses with two and a half sacks. The burly lineman who transferred to VUU from Chowan is making a case for CIAA Defensive Player of the Year.

Brady Myers booted seven extra points on the season and added his fourth field goal, a 46-yarder in the late going. The native Floridian is now 33 for 33 on extra points this season as he approaches a second straight All-CIAA award.

VUU totally dominated Bowie in a game that started in steady rain. The Panthers, who led 49-3 after three quarters, accumulated 458 yards total offense to the Bulldogs’ 138.

VUU has now defeated Bowie two straight years. But before that the Bulldogs had beaten the Panthers in four straight and seven times in eight seasons.

Lincoln is coming to Richmond with some momentum of its own. The Lions have won three in a row, most recently a 30-27 victory over Elizabeth City.