Winston-Salem State Goes Viral After Crooked Football Field Lines Spark Controversy

Winston-Salem State Goes Viral After Crooked Football Field Lines Spark Controversy

Winston-Salem State faces criticism after viral footage shows crooked football field markings. Athletic Director Eric Burns responds and hires outside help.

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston-Salem State University is making national headlines, but not for its performance on the football field.

A viral video showing a worker painting crooked and uneven yardage markings at Bowman Gray Stadium has sparked widespread criticism and plenty of jokes across social media.

The footage, recorded from the stadium's press box, appears to show an individual using his feet to estimate distances before spray-painting white yard markers onto the playing surface. Several markings appeared noticeably crooked, with inconsistent spacing that left fans questioning how the field was prepared for a college football game.

The video surfaced following Winston-Salem State's 21-0 loss to Bowie State on Saturday, October 10, and quickly spread across social media. One TikTok reportedly surpassed 1.2 million views.

Athletic Director Takes Responsibility

As criticism mounted, Winston-Salem State Athletic Director Eric Burns publicly addressed the situation, acknowledging that the field preparation failed to meet the university's standards.

"The field markings at our last home game fell short of WSSU Athletics' standards, and I take responsibility," Burns said.

The athletic department subsequently confirmed that additional preparation support and quality-control measures would be implemented before the Rams' next home game.

By Tuesday, Burns announced that the university had hired an outside company to handle the field painting. The contractor is expected to begin work Thursday, with the field ready by Friday afternoon.

A Historic Stadium Under the Spotlight

Bowman Gray Stadium is one of the more unusual venues in college football.

The historic facility, which opened in 1938, serves as both the home of Winston-Salem State football and a NASCAR racing venue. The stadium is owned by the City of Winston-Salem, with the university operating as a tenant.

That shared arrangement has raised questions about who is responsible for preparing and maintaining the playing surface.

Although Burns accepted responsibility, university officials have not publicly identified the individual in the video or provided a detailed explanation of how the markings were allowed to reach game-day conditions.

Rams Looking to Move Forward

The controversy comes during an already challenging season for Winston-Salem State.

The Rams fell to 0-6 following their shutout loss to Bowie State and remain winless under head coach Tory Woodbury.

Winston-Salem State is scheduled to host Bluefield State on Saturday, October 17, at 1 p.m., with the university expecting the field to be properly prepared before kickoff.

For now, the Rams have two things to straighten out: their football season and the lines on their home field.