Elizabeth City State football is ready to turn the page.
With spring ball in the books, the Vikings announced their 2025 football schedule, officially launching the Adrian Jones era with a 10-game slate that blends old rivalries, tough road tests and a familiar tradition — the Down East Viking Classic.
Jones, the former Shaw head coach, took over the program in January with a bold message: “We’re not building. We want to win this year.” Now, Vikings fans have their first glimpse at the challenges that await.
Elizabeth City State kicks off the season on Saturday, Aug. 30 with an hour’s trip east on US-158 to face former CIAA rival Chowan. The Vikings survived a wild finish in last year’s meeting, escaping with a 12-9 victory after a missed Chowan field goal in the closing seconds. ECSU hasn’t won in Murfreesboro since 2013.
In Week 2, the Vikings step up to face Division I FCS opponent Hampton on Sept. 6. The Pirates, another HBCU with deep roots, finished 5-7 in the tough CAA last season, including wins over North Carolina A&T and Campbell.
From there, the schedule swings into a unique four-game “home” stretch — though not all of it will take place at Roebuck Stadium.
Spring over!! Game 1 loading #SpotTheBall #CodeBlue https://t.co/CLWGtjLMBN
— DeVondre Bazemore, MAA (@CoachBazemore) April 28, 2025
The home and conference opener is Sept. 13 against Johnson C. Smith, who edged the Vikings 21-20 when they last met in 2023.
On September 20, ECSU heads to Rocky Mount for the annual Down East Viking Classic, facing Fayetteville State in a rematch of last year’s clash.
After a bye week, the Vikings welcome Livingstone to Elizabeth City on October 4.
The homestand wraps up October 11 against 2024 CIAA champion Virginia Union, a powerhouse program coming off a 10-4 campaign, which included two playoff wins.
The Vikings then hit the road for three straight CIAA contests: at Virginia State (Oct. 18), at Lincoln (Oct. 25) and at Bowie State (Nov. 1).
ECSU closes the regular season back home on November 8, hosting Bluefield State for combination Homecoming and Senior Day.
With the CIAA eliminating divisional play, every conference win counts more than ever toward qualifying for the 2025 CIAA Championship Game, which will move from Salem, Va. to Durham this year. That title tilt will be Saturday, Nov. 15.
The 2025 season offers a clean slate for the Vikings, who went 3-7 overall and 1-6 in the CIAA last year. New coach Adrian Jones — introduced in January — brings a fiery commitment to change that quickly, energizing a program that hasn’t posted a winning season since 2012.
2025 Elizabeth City State Football Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time/Result | TV/Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 30 | at | Chowan | 6 p.m. | |
| Sept. 6 | at | Hampton | 6 p.m. | |
| Sept. 13 | vs | Johnson C. Smith* | 1 p.m. | |
| Sept. 20 | vs | Fayetteville State*# | 1 p.m. | |
| Oct. 4 | vs | Livingstone* | 1 p.m. | |
| Oct. 11 | vs | Virginia Union* | 1 p.m. | |
| Oct. 18 | at | Virginia State* | 2 p.m. | |
| Oct. 25 | at | Lincoln (Pa.)* | ||
| Nov. 1 | at | Bowie State* | 2 p.m. | |
| Nov. 8 | vs | Bluefield State* | 1 p.m. | |
| * denotes CIAA game | ||||
| # at Rocky Mount |
2024 Elizabeth City State Football Results
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Overall | Conference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 31 | at | Shaw | L | 13-17 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| Sep. 7 | vs | Chowan | W | 12-9 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| Sep. 14 | at | Erskine | W | 20-0 | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| Sep. 21 | vs | Fayetteville State* | L | 7-31 | 2-2 | 0-1 |
| Sep. 28 | BYE | |||||
| Oct. 5 | at | Livingstone* | L | 17-23 | 2-3 | 0-2 |
| Oct. 12 | at | Virginia Union* | L | 0-35 | 2-4 | 0-3 |
| Oct. 19 | vs | Virginia State* | L | 7-36 | 2-5 | 0-4 |
| Oct. 26 | vs | Lincoln (PA)* | L | 20-21 | 2-6 | 0-5 |
| Nov. 2 | vs | Bowie State* | L | 6-48 | 2-7 | 0-6 |
| Nov. 9 | at | Bluefield State* | W | 27-21 | 3-7 | 1-6 |
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