For the first time all season, it feels like North Carolina college football has found some balance. Earlier in the year, our weekly statewide rankings fluctuated wildly, teams soaring one week, tumbling the next as upsets and blowouts scrambled the order.
But heading into the November home stretch, the picture is finally coming into focus. The cream has risen to the top and contenders have separated from pretenders. Our latest Fabulous 15 North Carolina college football rankings feature no changes in the top four spots from last week – Johnson C. Smith continues to lead the way – and only one team dropped out. Whew, it’s nice to see things calm down.
But then there’s NC State, the enigma of the 2025 football season. The Wolfpack has bounced around our rankings like a punt caught in a windstorm. They’ve been as high as No. 2, dropped out completely, climbed back in only to disappear once more following unsightly losses to Notre Dame and Pitt.
But after shocking unbeaten No. 8 Georgia Tech on Saturday night, Dave Doeren’s Wolfpack is suddenly back in the mix again – all the way up to 6th! — and making us all wonder which version will show up against Miami after the bye week.
We can’t quit you, NC State! What other fan base will scream for the coach to be fired one week, then rush the field in celebration after a big win the next?
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🚨🏈DG's "3⃣ To See" CFB Previews🏈🚨
(Week 11 National Edition)
✅ Wake Forest at #12 Virginia (will 8-1 Cavs make history⁉️)
✅ LSU at #4 Alabama (Nick Saban trivia‼️)
✅ Navy at #10 Notre Dame (historical fun)
(👇Article/Video/ACC & NC TV Schedules👇)https://t.co/XsLTRm1sYv pic.twitter.com/Uj2dniny4l — David Glenn Show (@DavidGlennShow) November 5, 2025
🏈 Fabulous 15 North Carolina College Football Rankings
After Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2025 Games
1. Johnson C. Smith (8-1): The Golden Bulls continue to have the best record in North Carolina college football and can earn their way into the CIAA championship game with a win this weekend. Livingstone is no push-over, though (see No. 11 below).
Gallery of images from Saturday's @JCSUFootball at @Fsubroncos_fb football clash + game-story link 🔽
(Thanks for the credential, FSU!) https://t.co/Yt3hMIRQun— NC Football News (@NCFootballNews) November 4, 2025
2. Western Carolina (6-3): To be the champ, you’ve got to beat the champ. This week brings the Catamounts’ chance to take command of the SoCon, with 2024 champion Mercer coming to Cullowhee for a paint-it-purple homecoming game. The conference’s top two quarterbacks with duke it out, WCU’s Taron Dickens and Mercer freshman Braden Atkinson, a former Rolesville standout.
3. Wingate (7-2): The Bulldogs are a lot more offensive-minded this season and have played their way back into the D2 playoff conversation with their recent win streak. That defense can still rise up, though, when the game’s on the line (see Saturday’s OT stop on a 2-point play against Lenoir-Rhyne).
4. UNC Pembroke (8-2): The D2 playoff selection committee continues to assert that the Braves are the top team in Conference Carolinas, despite an earlier loss to league leader North Greenville. UNCP can prove them right in the rematch later this month.
5. Duke (5-3): The Blue Devils added to Clemson’s misery – winning for the first time at Death Valley since 1980! – and kept themselves on the fringe of ACC title talk with an impressive win over the Tigers. Will any of these teams with coaching vacancies target Manny Diaz?
👉 NORTH CAROLINA COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Check out the latest winners from NC State, Duke and Livingstone
6. NC State (5-4): How cathartic was the field rush after Saturday’s win for the fans who have been on the roller coaster all season? This is the most maddening part of the Dave Doeren era. You see what is possible (wins over ACC leader Virginia, top-10 Georgia Tech) but the bottom always seems to fall out in other weeks.
7. East Carolina (5-3): Pirates’ stock continues to rise after emphatic win over Temple. Tulane and Navy’s recent losses leave SIX teams, including ECU, in the thick of the conference race with one loss apiece.
8. North Carolina Central (6-3): Eagles bounced back from a tough loss to Delaware State behind the receiving prowess of Chauncey Spikes (208 yards, 3 TDs). NCCU is not out of the MEAC hunt but needs to win out and get help to rekindle Celebration Bowl hopes.
9. Catawba (6-3): Had chances at the end against Carson-Newman but ultimately couldn’t get its potent run game untracked. Still, the Indians have already far surpassed last season’s win totals.
10. Fayetteville State (5-4): The Broncos came alive in the fourth quarter and came oh-so-close to beating Johnson C. Smith for the ninth-consecutive time. FSU still has an outside shot at conference title-game berth and making the D2 playoffs (“first team out” in the latest Super Region rankings).
11. Livingstone (5-4): One of the best small-schools defensive players in the state suits up for the Blue Bears. Kenyon Garner has left plenty of opposing players black and blue this season, leading the nation in tackles-for-loss (26.0) and sacks (14.0). Beware, Johnson C. Smith.
12. Wake Forest (5-3): Oh boy, Wake Forest. What happened Saturday night in Tallahassee? Deacs are still having a special season overall and exceeding expectations, but that Florida State game was certainly a stinker.
13. Gardner-Webb (5-4): The Runnin’ Bulldogs played toe-to-toe with No. 8 and undefeated Tennessee Tech before giving way late. GWU is still mentioned in some FCS playoff projections despite the loss but will need to win its final three games.
14. Lenoir-Rhyne (5-5): The margin between victory and defeat can often be razor thin. Like Fayetteville State, the Bears dropped a nailbiter to a conference rival, 38-37 at Wingate in overtime. Lenoir-Rhyne went for the win after scoring in OT, but a 2-point play was foiled.
15. Louisburg (5-4): The Hurricanes assured themselves of at least a .500 season with a win Saturday. Letrasky Pressley earned 3.5 tackles-for-loss and had 13 total tackles to lead the defense against Nassau Community. ‘Canes season ends Sunday at Brevard JV.
On the Fringe But Still Outside Looking In
There’s a contingent of teams hovering around .500 that still have time to work their way back into the Fabulous 15 with strong season finishes – App State (4-4), Brevard (4-4), North Carolina Wesleyan (4-4), Elon (4-5), Mars Hill (4-5) and Winston-Salem State (4-5).
Heck, UNC can possible re-enter the chat with another impressive win this week against Stanford.
🔗 More NC Football Headlines
📅 WHO’S PLAYING THIS WEEK? Explore the full schedule for North Carolina college football teams, including FBS, FCS, D2, D3 and NJCAA.
🏆 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS START THIS WEEK! Follow all the action at our NCHSAA Football Playoff Brackets Hub (1A-8A) and our NCISAA Football Playoff Brackets Page.
Last Week’s Fabulous 15 Rankings
After Oct. 24-25 Games
