It’s Statement Saturday for HBCU football in North Carolina.
At the center: the 97th meeting between North Carolina Central and North Carolina A&T, a rivalry that’s spanned more than a century.
The Eagles have owned the series the last three meetings — including last year’s “Rout 66” in Durham — but a revived Aggies squad under first-year coach Shawn Gibbs is hungry to flip the script in Greensboro.
Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. Saturday at A&T’s Truist Stadium, streaming live on FloCollege.
But Aggies-Eagles is not the only high-profile HBCU game of the weekend. Multiple games on the CIAA schedule could have huge implications and start setting the stage for who ends up in Durham for the league title game in November.
📌 Follow the Action All Weekend
Keep up with live scores and final results on our North Carolina Football Scoreboard Hub all day Saturday.
Then come back for:
- 🏆 Our North Carolina Player of the Week awards
- ⭐ Updated Fabulous 15 statewide rankings
- 📊 A full rundown of the weekend’s Stat Champions
From the mountains to the coast, NC Football News is your home for every team, every division.
Long, Rich History: NC A&T vs. NCCU
Saturday marks the 97th meeting between NC A&T and NC Central — a series that began in 1922 and has been played nearly every year since. The Aggies lead the all-time series 54-37-5, but the Eagles have taken the last three, including a lopsided 66-24 victory in Durham in 2024.
The first-ever game, according to the North Carolina A&T Bluford Library Archives, was played on November 23, 1922, when A&T (then the A&T College) defeated Durham State Normal School 26-0 at Dudley Field.
The two programs have failed to meet on the field only seven times (1923, 1926, 1929, 1943, 1944, 1993, 2020). Despite changes in conference affiliation – A&T is now in the CAA and NCCU in the MEAC – both schools have remained committed to the annual showdown, with plans to continue through at least 2031. The 2027 edition is set to return to Charlotte as part of the Duke’s Mayo Classic season kickoff series.
Most games have been played on the schools’ respective campuses, but the rivalry has also visited Winston-Salem, Duke’s Wallace Wade Stadium, NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium and Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. Along the way, there have been forfeits, fights and even bizarre moments — including one 1950s meeting at Wallace Wade where, according to the Greensboro News & Record, a man drove his car onto the 50-yard line.
A&T dominated the rivalry with 12 straight wins from 1989–2001, while Central’s longest streak was five in a row from 1970-74. In today’s era of realignment and super-conferences, the fact that this rivalry remains strong and intact is a win for college football itself.
“It doesn’t matter where we play,” NCCU head coach Trei Oliver said before the 2023 meeting. “Put the ball down, and we’ll be ready to roll. It will be a great crowd, and Eagle Nation will also pack it out. It’ll be a good environment and great atmosphere. But that’s why you come to these schools — so that you can participate in games like this.”
“A lot of people have family and friends on both sides,” NC A&T coach Shawn Gibbs, who played with Oliver at NCCU and has several assistants on staff who have been on both sides. “Everybody wants bragging rights for 365 days.”
North Carolina Central Key Players
QB Walker Harris: 387 yards last week vs. Fayetteville State (career high). MEAC Offensive Player of the Week + HBCU National Player of the Week. A gun-slinger, steady in the pocket.
- Ranks top 5 in FCS passing yards, leads MEAC in multiple categories.
- On HBCU Player of the Year watch lists.
RB Chris Mosley: 100+ yards in two of first three games. MEAC/SWAC Challenge MVP.
- Leads MEAC in all-purpose and rushing yards (top 5 nationally).
DL Thomas Johnson: Sack in every game this season, MEAC Defensive Player of the Week. Top 3 in FCS in sacks, top 20 in TFLs.
North Carolina A&T Key Players
QB carousel: seven different QBs have played this season. Noah Sanders & Nelson Layne both saw action last week. It is unclear who will lead the team Saturday.
“I don’t know too many teams in the country that are really preparing their sixth and seventh guy for game time action, but you know, I try to look at everything as a blessing,” Gibbs said during Monday’s CAA teleconference. “We’ll be getting guys back here in the next couple weeks.”
RB Wesley Graves: A&T’s offensive anchor. Game-winning TD vs. Hampton. Gibbs: “I told him people are going to get tired of tackling you… I told him at halftime he was going to have to win the game for us, and he did.”
K Andrew Brown: CAA Special Teams Co-Player of the Week, 49-yard FG + clutch 37-yarder to force OT vs. Hampton. Closing in on A&T’s all-time FG record.
What’s at Stake
- NCCU: Looking for a fourth straight win in the rivalry, Harris/Mosley continuing historic starts, a win over a CAA foe.
NC A&T: Momentum under Gibbs, a chance to prove the Hampton win wasn’t a fluke,
Bragging rights: A&T fans starving for a win in the series after “Rout 66” embarrassment in 2024, another sign that the Aggies are “back” after some rough seasons.
CIAA Shake-Up Saturday, With A Twist
Five match-ups on deck involving North Carolina teams, including one head-to-head showdown in Rocky Mount.
Game Week 🤘🐂
📍Richmond, VA
🏟️Hovey Field#Goldenbullspride | #EVERYTH1NGEVERYDAY pic.twitter.com/xJ8gdMVQGJ — Golden Bulls (@JCSUFootball) September 15, 2025
Johnson C. Smith (3-0) at Virginia Union (1-1)
📺 6 p.m. | CIAA Sports Network
One of the league’s biggest September showdowns — with a twist. Last fall, JCSU snapped a five-game skid to VUU with a 21-16 upset in Charlotte, but the Panthers went on to win the CIAA crown and advance two rounds in the D2 playoffs. The Golden Bulls stumbled down the stretch and missed both the championship and postseason.
This time, both teams are nationally ranked and the game has the feel of an early statement. But because of the CIAA’s quirky standings policy (only the last seven conference games count toward each school’s league record), the result will count for JCSU’s CIAA record — but not for Virginia Union’s.
Virginia State (1-1) at Winston-Salem State (2-1)
📺 1 p.m. | CIAA Sports Network
Another game affected by the standings twist. VSU reached the CIAA title game last year before falling to Virginia Union. WSSU, meanwhile, is trying to reclaim the form that brought four league titles between 2011-16. Quarterback Daylin Lee and company flexed some of that last Saturday against Lincoln.
A win here would vault the Rams into the thick of the conference race — even if, oddly enough, this one won’t alter Virginia State’s CIAA ledger.
Fayetteville State (0-3) vs. Elizabeth City State (0-3)
📺 1 p.m. | Down East Viking Classic | Rocky Mount Sports Complex | CIAA Sports Network
Don’t be fooled by the records — both teams have been tested against tough opponents. FSU was the CIAA South champ every year from 2017-23 and showed fight against FCS foe North Carolina Central last week. ECSU has taken both Hampton and JCSU to the wire.
This is another edition of the Down East Viking Classic in Rocky Mount, a signature CIAA showcase that blends football and community pride. With both teams desperate for a first win, the atmosphere should be lively. Fayetteville State beat Elizabeth City State in last year’s Classic. Rematch time.
Conference play begins this weekend 👏#fsubroncos | #broncopride pic.twitter.com/grs29PCS9E — Fayetteville State Football (@Fsubroncos_fb) September 16, 2025
Bowie State (1-1) at Livingstone (1-1)
📺 4 p.m. | CIAA Sports Network
Livingstone turned heads in its most recent outing, forcing six turnovers, including a pick-six before its offense even touched the ball, in a 28-17 win over Allen. Bowie brings championship pedigree, but the Blue Bears look like a team eager to climb the CIAA ladder.
Shaw (0-2) at Lincoln (0-3)
📺 1 p.m. | CIAA Sports Network
Two teams searching for traction in 2025. One of them will pocket an important ‘W’. Shaw is breaking in a young roster and new staff, while Lincoln was overwhelmed by Winston-Salem State last weekend. For either side, Saturday’s could be the game that steadies the season.
