Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer — and the countdown to college football in North Carolina is officially on. With fewer than 100 days to go until the first kickoff — North Carolina Central vs. Southern on Aug. 23! — it’s time to start asking: Who’s ready to take a big jump forward in 2025?
Several programs in our state have their eyes on championships. Others are simply looking to put a tough 2024 behind them, washing out bad tastes from their palettes. Whether it’s new coaches, strong recruiting classes or better roster depth, we see these five North Carolina college football teams trending up — and poised to surprise people this fall.
🚀 Five NC Teams Poised to Take a Big Step in 2025
🐪 Campbell Camels (3–9 in 2024)
Coach Braxton Harris inherited a roster thin in the trenches last season, but Year 2 in Buies Creek feels like a foundation year and a launchpad toward challenging the top teams in the ACC. The Camels have been active in rebuilding their offensive and defensive lines via both high school recruiting and the transfer portal.
Harris is also prioritizing in-state talent — already landing three 2026 recruits from North Carolina. While 2024 stars like Sincere Brown (Colorado) and VJ Wilkins (Boston College) departed via the portal, the culture is stabilizing. Expect #RollHumps to look more competitive in a tough CAA.
🟢 Charlotte 49ers (5–7 in 2024)
Charlotte made a splash with the hiring of Tim Albin — a proven Group of Five winner who led Ohio to a MAC title in 2024 and MAC East Division crown in 2022. He brings a veteran staff and long-term vision to a program that’s hungry for consistency.
The 2025 schedule is a grind (UNC, App State, Georgia, Army, Tulane are among the foes on deck), but Albin’s track record and the energy around the program — including the recent announcement of impending upgrades to Richardson Stadium — suggest this team is trending toward AAC relevance. Even a 6–6 season would mark real progress and would likely “feel” better for most fans who see the program on a solid course after some wilderness years.
🟡 North Carolina A&T Aggies (1–11 in 2024)
The Aggies suffered through a second straight one-win campaign, but the vibes have shifted in Greensboro. New head coach Shawn Gibbs — a beloved former assistant — is helping re-establish identity and discipline.
CAA success may still be a couple of years away, but A&T fans should be encouraged by what’s building. This team could easily double or triple last year’s win total — and it wouldn’t be shocking if they knocked off a contender along the way. Buy stock now before the rocket takes off.
💪 Elizabeth City State Vikings (3–7 in 2024)
Former Shaw head coach Adrian Jones has taken over at ECSU, and his hiring has sparked recruiting buzz across the eastern part of the state (and out of state as evidenced by a recent New Jersey commitment). After just one CIAA win last year, the Vikings are primed to be a team that grows stronger as the season unfolds and that no one wants to play in October and November.
The program’s energy and visibility are both trending up — a strong fall could help ECSU finally break through in the CIAA.
🔵 Barton Bulldogs (3–8 in 2024)
Head coach Chip Hester has deep roots in North Carolina Division II football, including two SAC titles and three NCAA playoff appearances with Catawba earlier in the 2000s. Now in his sixth season at Barton, Hester is guiding a maturing roster through its first year in the new Conference Carolinas.
Last season’s team was young, rebuilding after the original recruiting class cycled out. This year’s squad will be more seasoned, and Barton could emerge as a sleeper in the state’s most wide-open D2 conference.
💤 Five More NC Teams You Shouldn’t Sleep On
UNC Tar Heels
Despite drama off-the-field, new coach Bill Belichick and staff have assembled a Top 10 portal class and a currently hold a Top 20 high school recruiting class with 14 commits from 2026. Belichick knows ball, and once the lights come on in Kenan Stadium (and players actually have numbers!), UNC could be a pleasant surprise.
Davidson Wildcats
New coach Saj Thakkar brings a fresh offensive vision but the same commitment to high-academic, high performance football. If it clicks, our state’s lone non-scholarship Division I team could remain a threat in the Pioneer League.
App State Mountaineers
New head coach Dowell Loggains is already making noise on the recruiting trail — most notably by landing elite 2026 QB Nathan Bernhard over programs like Michigan and Ohio State. A culture reset with a pro mentality could return the Mountaineers to Sun Belt prominence.
Fayetteville State Broncos
The CIAA’s flagship HBCU program from the last 6-8 years hit a speed bump last fall. With other schools rising, the question is: can the Broncos reclaim their mantle as the state’s best D2 HBCU? Don’t count them out.
Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs
After back-to-back conference titles, GWU dropped to 4–7 last fall. But second-year head coach Cris Reisert has reloaded the roster with an assortment of FBS and FCS talent — and the ‘Dogs could be ready to run again in the Big South-OVC if the roster gels.
READ MORE: Check out every season opener for North Carolina college football teams HERE
READ MORE: Explore our top 10 non-conference games for North Carolina D2 football teams HERE.
