We love all levels of college football in our state, and one of the most beloved – NCAA Division III – kicks off its 2025 season this weekend. The first round of games treats us with a Thursday night showdown in Rocky Mount and three Saturday tilts, including a battle for Greensboro bragging rights and a unique Gate City trophy.
Here’s the lineup:
- North Carolina Wesleyan will take the field first in our state, hosting Averett on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. at Vernon T. Bradley Jr. Stadium.
- Brevard will host Kentucky Christian on Saturday, Sept. at 1 p.m. at Ives-Lemel Family Field.
- Methodist will travel to Shenandoah on Saturday, also starting at 1 p.m. in Winchester, VA.
- The annual Soup Bowl between city rivals Greensboro and Guilford will cap the D3 weekend at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The Quakers will host the game at Armfield Athletic Center, and the contest will be streamed at FloCollege.
Guilford vs. Greensboro: A Bowl Game to Start the Season
Guilford first started playing football in the late 1800s. Greensboro didn’t start its program until the late 1990s. Only six miles separate the schools, and the football rivalry, which usually opens the season, has been fierce over the last quarter century plus.
Since the first game, the two campuses have competed in a canned food drive to benefit local charities. Former Greensboro College president Dr. Craven Williams is credited with giving the rivalry game its name – Soup Bowl – to play off the name of the NFL’s most famous game as well as to promote the charity competition.
The winning football team gets to keep the Gate City Soup Bowl Trophy. Guilford has held on to the prize for the last eight seasons, including after last year’s 14-0 smashmouth victory on the Pride’s home turf.
Overall, the Quakers lead the series 15-8. Greensboro won the first-ever game, 27-7, in 1998. The Pride took three of the first four meetings and five of the first seven. But the Soup Bowl Trophy hasn’t been in the Pride’s possession since a 14-13 triumph in 2012.
If you go: Per Greensboro’s school website, admission at the gate is $15 OR four canned food items. Kids 12 and under are free.
Preseason Predictions: Brevard Picked Third in USA South
Four of North Carolina’s D3 teams compete in the USA South Athletic Conference – Brevard, Greensboro, Methodist and North Carolina Wesleyan. Guilford plays in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.
Brevard starts the season with the highest expectations, voted third in the USA South behind Huntingdon and Belhaven. The Tornados actually received more first-place votes than any other team (3) and were just a point behind Belhaven and three behind Huntingdon in the overall balloting.
North Carolina Wesleyan was picked fifth, Methodist sixth and Greensboro seventh in the eight-team league.
Guilford, meanwhile, was voted seventh out of nine teams in the preseason ODAC coaches poll – tied with Averett. Randolph-Macon, Washington & Lee and Shenandoah took the top three spots in the ODAC voting.
North Carolina D3 Player Watch List
NC Football News will honor the top college football players in our state at the end of the year. Throughout the 2025 season, we’ll also publish players of the week for offense, defense and special teams.
Here are some of the top D3 names to watch as the season kicks off around the state. Defense looks like a strength:
NOTE: At the time this article was published, NC Wesleyan had not posted a 2025 roster on its Website.
Offensive Preseason Watch
- Brody Lindsey (Brevard): Returning second-team all-conference offensive lineman from Hendersonville (East Henderson HS) ready for his senior season. He’s been an anchor since playing eight games as a freshman in 2022.
- Caleb Robles (Guilford): The sophomore from Wilmington (New Hanover HS) showed flashes during his first season as the Quakers quarterback, throwing for 1,194 yards and seven scores.
- CJ Ferguson (Methodist): The sophomore from Statesville (West Iredell HS) is the top returning rusher on the roster. Ferguson finished with 318 yards a year ago, averaging better than four yards per attempt. He also caught a TD pass.
- Ethan Beamish (Brevard): Limestone transfer quarterback from Simpsonville, SC, threw for more than 2,000 yards and 25 touchdowns during a banner 2024 campaign, with only seven interceptions. Beamish has more than 4,700 passing yards in two seasons with the ‘Nados.
- Jaelan Pile (Methodist): The sophomore from Concord (Future Leaders Academy) led the Monarchs in receiving yards in 2024. He hauled in a 71-yard TD reception against Brevard.
- Javier Rice (North Carolina Wesleyan): The Black Mountain (Asheville Christian) product played in eight games last season and looks ready to be QB1 in Rocky Mount.
- Michael Pannell (North Carolina Wesleyan): Former Knightdale High standout has big-play potential and could play a prominent role in the Bishops’ offense.
- Nahjir Seagraves (North Carolina Wesleyan): Transfer from the now defunct St. Andrews program looks ready to be the featured back for the Battling Bishops. Hails from Pinehurst and played at Pinecrest High.
Defensive Preseason Watch
- Baylee Ramey (Brevard): The Tornados’ top tackler (Yadkinville | Forbush HS) returns for his senior campaign after racking up a career high 63 stops, two sacks and eight TFLs.
- Deshawn Holman (Greensboro): Senior defensive lineman from Thomasville (Thomasville HS) made second-team all-conference a year ago. He earned 35 tackles, 6.5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks.
- Frank Walker (Greensboro): Another second-team all-conference pick from the Pride’s defense, Walker (Winston-Salem | North Forsyth) also had 35 tackles, with 7.0 TFLs and 3.5 sacks.
- Larry Jones (Greensboro): The USA South Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 hails from Rocky Mount (SouthWest Edgecombe HS). Jones played in six games a year ago, earning 28 tackles and an interception.
- Nick Iannone (Guilford): Missed nearly all of 2024 due to injury after an all-conference season in 2023. The senior linebacker from Wellington, FL, was one of the nation’s top tacklers in ‘23 – finishing with 109 total stops and 5.6 solo tackles per game.
- Omar Goodwin (Methodist): Returning honorable mention all-conference pick at defensive end/linebacker, Goodwin paced the Monarchs with 83 tackles. He amassed 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and four pass breakups.
- Robert Dorsey (Brevard): Reigning USA South Defensive Player of the Year has been named to the D3Football.com preseason All-American team. The Charlotte native (JL Mann HS) led the USA South in sacks (11.5), tackles-for-loss (14.5) and forced fumbles (3).
Tristan Bailey (Guilford): Tied for second in program history with 11 interceptions, including five last season. The senior safety from Statesville (Statesville HS) finds the end zone, returning an interception 74 yards for a score against Shenandoah in 2024 and notching three TDs in 2023.
Special Teams
- Braxtyn Green (North Carolina Wesleyan): Two-time USA South special teams player of the year has the record for longest field goal in school history (51 yards) and has amassed 93 kicker points over the past two seasons. He also handles punting chores.
🚨D3 Stat Champions | Top Punters In NC 🏆
🏈Braxtyn Green @NCWesleyanFB – top punting average for the season
🏈John Abernathy @GuilfordFB – longest punt
🏈Samuel Vargas @BrevardF5 – 2nd longest punting averagehttps://t.co/6B7GnJMLmM — NC Football News (@NCFootballNews) December 31, 2024
Follow all of the D3 football action this season on NC Football News:
- For D3 football scores, visit our NC College Football Scoreboard Hub page.
- To view D3 football schedules, visit our NC College Football Schedules Hub page.
