North Carolina Central’s 2025 football schedule, released this week, will feature a lot of travel, plenty of familiar rivals and visits to Durham by two NFL stars-turned-MEAC head coaches.
The Eagles will play a 12-game slate, with five of those contests coming in the friendly confines of O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. Road games will include trips to Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and the first-ever visit to Texas for a football game.
North Carolina Central will be the only team from our state playing in a “week zero” contest. That comes Saturday, Aug. 23 – the weekend before Labor Day – when NCCU will face Southern in the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Atlanta.
This will be the Eagles’ third appearance in the high profile HBCU showcase. Central has thrived in these environments under coach Trei Oliver, winning all six classics, bowls or challenge-type games since 2019.
The non-conference schedule will feature three games against noteworthy former conference rivals – a home game against Fayetteville State from the Division II CIAA (Sept. 13) and away games against former MEAC foes North Carolina A&T (Sept. 20) and Florida A&M (Oct. 11).
Fayetteville State will make its first trip to Durham since 2012. North Carolina Central, a former member of the CIAA, holds a 19-9 edge in the all-time series.
The Aggie-Eagle Classic needs no introduction. NC Central and A&T have been playing each other for a century. North Carolina Central has had the edge in recent meetings, pinning 66 points on the Aggies a year ago in Durham in a contest dubbed the “Rout 66.” A&T will be under new management this season, bringing former assistant Shawn Gibbs back as head coach.
NCCU last met Florida A&M, which now competes in the SWAC, in 2019. The Rattlers hold an 8-4-1 series edge.
A home date against New Hampshire on Aug. 30 and a visit to East Texas A&M (formerly Texas A&M-Commerce) rounds out the non-league slate. North Carolina Central has played New Hampshire once before, winning 45-17 in the other Durham (N.H.) in 2022. This will be the first-ever showdown with East Texas A&M.
After a bye week, NCCU launches into its much anticipated MEAC schedule, opening with a homecoming showdown against Delaware State on Oct. 25. Delaware State hired three-time all-pro wide receiver DeSean Jackson to lead its program in the off-season.
The Eagles also get Norfolk State (Nov. 8) and South Carolina State (Nov. 15) at home. Norfolk State also picked a former NFL star, quarterback Michael Vick, to be its new head coach. South Carolina State, coached by the charismatic Chennis Berry, won the conference championship a year ago. NCCU’s three MEAC home games should be must-watch.
NCCU plays MEAC rivals Howard (Nov. 1) and Morgan State (Nov. 22) on the road.
Per NCCU sports information, the Eagles have an active winning streak against eight of the 12 teams on this year’s schedule, including seven straight against Morgan State, five straight against Delaware State, four straight against Norfolk State and three in a row against North Carolina A&T.
The MEAC should be an entertaining conference to follow all season and should get plenty of national buzz with the additions of Vick and Jackson to the coaching mix. The goal, as always for MEAC teams, is to win the conference and earn the league’s berth into the Celebration Bowl, site of the annual HBCU national championship game against the SWAC.
North Carolina Central’s spring football game will be Saturday, April 12 at 2 p.m.
North Carolina Central 2025 Football Schedule
| Date |  | Opponent | Time/Result | TV/Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 23 | vs | Southern (at Atlanta) | ||
| Aug. 30 | vs | New Hampshire | ||
| Sept. 6 | at | Old Dominion | ||
| Sept. 13 | vs. | Fayetteville State | ||
| Sept. 20 | at | North Carolina A&T | ||
| Sept. 27 | at | East Texas A&M* | ||
| Oct. 11 | at | Florida A&M | ||
| Oct. 25 | vs | Delaware State* | ||
| Nov. 1 | at | Howard | ||
| Nov. 8 | vs | Norfolk State* | ||
| Nov. 15 | vs | South Carolina State* | ||
| Nov. 22 | at | Morgan State* |
To read more about North Carolina Central football and see results from the 2024 season, visit the Eagles’ schedule page. This page will be updated with results once the season begins.
