News, notes, rumors and football quick-hitters from around the Old North State:
Blue Ridge and Blue Turf: App State inks series with Boise State
Appalachian State football found an intriguing replacement for NC State on its 2025 schedule.
The Mountaineers announced on Thursday it will play a home-and-home series with Boise State in 2025 and 2027.
App State will visit Boise’s iconic blue turf next Sept. 27, 2025. Boise will play the return game in Boone to open the season on Sept. 4, 2027.
The Mountaineers and Broncos rank first and second in wins by “Group of 5” programs over the last decade. App State has 96 victories during that span. Boise, which plays in the Mountain West Conference, has 94. The teams have combined for eight conference championships (ASU is in the Sun Belt) and 10 bowl triumphs since 2015.
—> READ THE OFFICIAL RELEASE: From AppStateSports.com
The two standout programs last played in the 1994 FCS quarterfinals. Current App State coach Shawn Clark was a player on that Mountaineers squad. Boise prevailed, though, 17-14.
Appalachian State had been scheduled to play NC State next September. But the Wolfpack recently announced a two-year non-conference series with Virginia for 2025 and 2026, bumping the Mountaineers off their calendar next year. ASU’s non-conference foes next season also will include Charlotte (at Bank of America Stadium), Eastern Kentucky and Toledo.
Appalachian State still lists NC State on its road schedule for 2026. The Mountaineers also are set to play South Carolina State (home), East Carolina (away) and Charlotte (home) in ’26.
Former Aggie inks one-year deal with NY Jets
The kickoff rules will change in the NFL this season, and a former North Carolina A&T standout could be in the spotlight on returns for the New York Jets.
Tarik Cohen, who has been beset by a number of injuries since bursting on the scene with the Chicago Bears in 2017 and 2018, has caught the eye of Jets coach Robert Saleh. Cohen was recently released by the Carolina Panthers but snapped up by New York.
“Tarik, explosive playmaker, he’s starting to get back healthy,” Saleh said in a press conference posted on Twitter/X. “With the new kickoff rules, these kick returners are going to touch the ball over 100 times a year, which is significant. A guy like him, who’s still young, obviously coming off his injuries, we’re excited to have him aboard.”
Cohen (Bunn | Bunn HS) had more than 1,100 rushing yards and 1,500 receiving yards with the Bears from 2017-20. He was an All-American at A&T and the 2015 MEAC Offensive Player of the Year & Celebration Bowl MVP.
Early season TV schedules, kick times announced
Thursday brought another long-awaited unveiling — start times and TV schedules for a number of games.
On opening night, Thursday, Aug. 29, NC State will host Western Carolina at 7 p.m. on ACC Network, while Wake Forest will entertain North Carolina A&T at the same time on ACC Network Extra. The UNC at Minnesota contest will kick off at 8 p.m. on Fox.
Elon will visit Duke on Friday, Aug. 30 in a nationally televised ACC Network game at 7:30 p.m.
The first Saturday of action (Aug. 31) will feature Appalachian State hosting East Tennessee State at 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+), East Carolina entertaining Norfolk State at 6 p.m. (ESPN+) and Charlotte welcoming James Madison for an 8 p.m. kick (ESPNU).
Charlotte at North Carolina and Appalachian State at Clemson will be an ACC Network doubleheader on Saturday, Sept. 7. The 49ers first-ever visit to Chapel Hill will start at 3:30 p.m. The Mountaineers will play in Death Valley under the lights starting at 8 p.m.
Duke will start even later, traveling to Northwestern with a 9 p.m. start on FS1. (NC State will play Tennessee in Charlotte at 7:30 p.m. that night on ABC – this was announced a few weeks ago).
Wake Forest will get an early season appearance on The CW. The Deacs will host Ole Miss on the network at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 14.
—> CHECK OUT OUR MASTER SCHEDULE: Every game of the 2024 season involving a North Carolina college team
NC teams filling up non-Saturday time slots
College football isn’t just for Saturdays any more. This season, a number of North Carolina teams will grab the spotlight on non-traditional college football days.
North Carolina Central and Johnson C. Smith both have Sunday season openers (Sept. 1, before the NFL season starts). The Eagles will face Alabama State in Miami, while the Golden Bulls will battle Tuskegee in Montgomery, Ala. The JCSU-Tuskegee contest, which is the HBCU showcase Boeing Red Tails Classic, will be broadcast on ESPNU at 6 p.m.
Barton will begin its new season on Thursday, Sept. 5 against visiting West Virginia State.
East Carolina will play two Thursday games (Nov. 7 vs. Florida Atlantic and Nov. 14 at Tulsa) and one Friday contest (Nov. 29 against Navy).
Duke has two Friday night home games. In addition to the opener against Elon, the Devils host Florida State on Friday, Oct. 18. Wake Forest will entertain cross-country visitor and new ACC member Cal on Friday, Nov. 8.
Appalachian State (Sept. 19 vs. South Alabama and Nov. 7 at Coastal Carolina) has a pair of Thursday contests. Charlotte (Oct. 31 vs. Tulane) and NC State (Nov. 21 at Georgia Tech) have single Thursday appearances this season. All the Thursday and Friday games, except for UNC-Minnesota, will appear on an ESPN network.
