One of the bonuses of having a small conference in football is that you get to be creative with non-conference scheduling.
North Carolina Central unveiled its 2026 schedule on Wednesday, Feb. 11, and the upcoming slate features a rich mix of non-conference competition:
- two brand new opponents
- a trio of in-state FCS foes
- a former CIAA rival
- an FBS challenge against a nine-win bowl team from 2025
- and of course, the latest iteration of the long-standing Aggie-Eagle rivalry against North Carolina A&T – this year’s game being played in Durham.
In all, NCCU announced a 12-game schedule, which will include six games played in the cozy confines of O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium.
The one thing missing is that North Carolina Central will not play in an HBCU classic or showcase game this season – the first time that has happened since 2019.
The season kicks off at Texas Southern in Week 0 (Aug. 29). NCCU has never played the SWAC school based in Houston and has made only one other trip to Texas for a game – last season against East Texas A&M. Texas Southern finished 6-5 a year ago, 5-3 against SWAC Competition.
The home opener comes Sept. 5 against D2 Elizabeth City State. The Eagles and Vikings were once CIAA partners and have played 29 games all-time, with NCCU leading the series 21-8.
The ECSU contest kicks off a five-game set against opponents from North Carolina.
North Carolina A&T visits O’Kelly-Riddick on Sept. 12. The teams have been playing for a century, but North Carolina Central has enjoyed a decided edge in recent years – winning four in a row. In the past two games, NCCU has scored 60+ points.
NCCU will visit Gardner-Webb, travel to East Carolina and then host Campbell to take them into early October.
The Eagles haven’t played Gardner-Webb since 2019. This will be the second-ever meeting with ECU. Campbell has been a newer rivalry, with the teams facing off three times from 2022-24. NCCU has won the last two, including a 45-14 blitz in Buies Creek in 2024.
Homecoming will be Oct. 10 against William & Mary, which is moving to the Patriot League from the CAA this season. North Carolina Central has never played the Tribe in football before.
After a bye week, NCCU will launch into the five-game MEAC grinder. Conference home games will come against Howard (Oct. 31) and Morgan State (Nov. 21), while road trips await to Delaware State (Oct. 24), Norfolk State (Nov. 7) and South Carolina State (Nov. 14).
NCCU sports information notes that the Eagles will face five first-year head coaches in the season ahead, including Gardner-Webb’s Kris McCullough.
The Eagles have active winning streaks going against six of the teams on their 2026 slate – Elizabeth City State (8 in a row), Morgan State (8), Norfolk State (5), NC A&T (4), Howard (2) and Campbell (2).
North Carolina Central has been the state’s most consistent and successful FCS team since the COVID pandemic cancelled its 2020 season. The Eagles, coached by Trei Oliver, have posted a 41-17 record since then, including a 19-6 MEAC mark. The 2022 team won the Celebration Bowl, which the 2023 squad advanced to the FCS playoffs.
NCCU posted an 8-4 record a year ago, 3-2 in the MEAC.
Game times and TV/streaming information are not yet available. Visit NCCU’s football schedule page for the latest updates on North Carolina Central’s 2026 football schedule.
