We’re less than 100 days until the first college football game of the 2025 season. North Carolina Central will kick things off for our state, facing Southern in the annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 23.
The following weekend, the floodgates will open and all 32 of North Carolina’s FBS, FCS, Division II and Division III college programs will be off and running – visions of championships, rivalry triumphs and memory-making moments to guide them.
With the 2025 campaign now clearly in our sights, let’s explore the season opener for every North Carolina team (we’re still waiting on Louisburg College’s schedule. The Hurricanes are our state’s lone junior college football program):
North Carolina FBS Football | 7 teams
Appalachian State Mountaineers: vs. Charlotte in the Duke’s Mayo Kickoff Classic on Friday, Aug. 29 at Bank of America Stadium. Time TBA.
Charlotte 49ers: vs. Appalachian State in the Duke’s Mayo Kickoff Classic on Friday, Aug. 29 at Bank of America Stadium. Time TBA.
Duke Blue Devils: vs. Elon on Thursday, Aug. 28 at Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham. Time TBA.
East Carolina Pirates: at NC State on Thursday, Aug. 28 at Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh. Time TBA.
NC State Wolfpack: vs. East Carolina on Thursday, Aug. 28 at Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh. Time TBA.
North Carolina Tar Heels: vs. TCU on Monday, Sept. 1 at Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill. Kickoff is 8 p.m. on ESPN.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons: vs. Kennesaw State on Friday, Aug. 29 at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, Winston-Salem. Time TBA.
North Carolina FCS Football | 7 teams
Campbell Camels: at Rhode Island on Friday, Aug. 29 at Meade Stadium, Kingston, RI. Kickoff is 6 p.m. on FloSports.
Davidson Wildcats: vs. Georgetown on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Davidson College Stadium. Kickoff is 1 p.m.
Elon Phoenix: at Duke on Thursday, Aug. 28 at Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham. Time TBA.
Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs: at Western Carolina on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
North Carolina A&T: at Tennessee State on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Nissan Stadium, Nashville. Time TBA.
North Carolina Central: vs. Southern in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff on Saturday, Aug. 23 in the 2025 in Atlanta at Center Parc Stadium. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
Western Carolina Catamounts: vs. Gardner-Webb on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
North Carolina Division II Football | 13 teams
Barton Bulldogs: vs. Virginia State on Thursday, Aug. 28 at Electric Supply Company Field at Truist Stadium, Wilson. Time TBA.
Catawba Indians: vs. Ferrum on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Shuford Stadium, Salisbury. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
Chowan Hawks: vs. Elizabeth City State on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Garrison Stadium, Murfreesboro. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
Elizabeth City State Vikings: at Chowan on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Garrison Stadium, Murfreesboro. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
Fayetteville State Broncos: at Benedict on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium, Columbia, SC. Kickoff is 5 p.m.
Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls: vs. Morehouse College in the HBCU Kickoff Classic on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Harvard Stadium, Cambridge, Mass. Time TBA.
Livingstone Blue Bears: at University of Charleston on Thursday, Aug. 28 at UC Stadium at Laidley Field, Charleston, WV. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Lenoir-Rhyne Bears: at West Florida on Friday, Aug. 29 at Darrell Gooden Stadium, Pensacola, FL. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
Mars Hill Lions: vs. Winston-Salem State on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Meares Stadium, Mars Hill. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m.
Shaw Bears: vs. Albany State on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Durham County Memorial Stadium, Durham. Time TBA.
UNC Pembroke: at Wingate on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Irwin Belk Stadium, Wingate. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
Wingate Bulldogs: vs. UNC Pembroke on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Irwin Belk Stadium, Wingate. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
Winston-Salem State Rams: vs. Tuskegee University in the Red Tails Classic on Sunday, Aug. 31 at Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Ala. Time TBA on ESPNU.
North Carolina Division III Football | 5 teams
Brevard Tornados: vs. Kentucky Christian on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Ives-Lemel Family Field, Brevard. Kickoff is 1 p.m.
Greensboro Pride: at Guilford in the Soup Bowl on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Appenzeller Field at Armfield Athletic Central, Greensboro. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Guilford Quakers: vs. Greensboro in the Soup Bowl on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Appenzeller Field at Armfield Athletic Central, Greensboro. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Methodist Monarchs: at Shenandoah University on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Glo Fiber Field at Shentel Stadium, Winchester, Va. Kickoff is 1 p.m.
North Carolina Wesleyan Battling Bishops: vs. Averett on Thursday, Sept. 4 at Stallings Field at Vernon T. Bradley Jr. Stadium. Kickoff is 6 p.m. on FloSports.
🔗 More 2025 college football schedule information
Find your North Carolina college team’s full 2025 schedule
Explore the ‘Master Schedule’ – every game for every North Carolina team
