North Carolina’s 2026 Division III football schedule picture has come together, and it’s full of in-state rivalry duels.
The annual Soup Bowl matchup between Greensboro College and Guilford College will kick off the season Saturday, Sept. 5. From there North Carolina’s five D3 teams will play an almost complete in-state round-robin.
Brevard, Greensboro, Methodist and North Carolina Wesleyan all will play each other as part of USA South Athletic Conference action, with most games coming in the final weeks. Guilford, which competes in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, has set September non-league contests against Brevard and Methodist after the Soup Bowl.
Here’s a look at what’s ahead, schedule-wise, in our state’s non-scholarship division.
🔄 Last Updated: May 23, 2026
‘Soup Bowl’ headlines opening week for North Carolina D3
Division III teams from our state begin their seasons over Labor Day weekend, and the annual Greensboro vs. Guilford clash highlights opening week.
The crosstown rivalry has been played most years since 1997, usually as the season opener. It became known as the Gate City Soup Bowl because the two schools compete on the field and in an annual canned food drive to benefit local charities.
Greensboro ended an eight-game losing skid to the Quakers last fall, winning back the Soup Bowl trophy with a 21-7 victory at Appenzeller Field on the Guilford campus. This year’s game will be played at Greensboro, kicking off under the lights at 6 p.m.
Methodist has not issued a formal schedule release story, but the Monarchs have posted a complete schedule on the school’s official website. According to the site, Methodist will open at home on Friday, Sept. 4 against Shenandoah at 6 p.m.
North Carolina Wesleyan will travel to Danville, Va. to face Averett on Sept. 5 after beating the Cougars in its home opener a year ago. Brevard’s season does not begin until the following weekend, with Sewanee coming across the mountain from Tennessee on Sept. 12.
North Carolina D3 round-robin, almost
Brevard, Methodist, North Carolina Wesleyan and Greensboro all compete in the USA South Conference. Guilford is a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. While the four USA South schools from our state play each other most years, Greensboro is often the only in-state team to face Guilford.
That will change this year. Methodist adds the Quakers to the schedule on Sept. 12. Brevard will play Guilford on Sept. 26.
Meanwhile, the USA South foursome will finish off the 2026 schedule during the back half of the season, starting with Methodist at North Carolina Wesleyan on Oct. 24.
Brevard 2026 Schedule: What Stands Out
Brevard’s 10-game slate features a balanced mix of conference play, regional matchups and one notable first.
➡️ First-ever meeting with Guilford
The Tornados will travel to Greensboro on Sept. 26 to face Guilford in what will be the first football meeting between the two programs — a rare new in-state matchup at the Division III level. That game also carries added intrigue as a USA South vs. ODAC clash, giving Brevard a look outside its usual conference footprint.
➡️ Full sweep of in-state D3 opponents
Brevard will face all three of its USA South in-state rivals: Greensboro, Methodist and North Carolina Wesleyan. Combined with Guilford, that gives the Tornados games against all four North Carolina D3 opponents in 2026. Brevard swept the Pride, Monarchs and Battling Bishops in 2025, earning the inaugural “Spirit of the Old North” trophy.
➡️ Step up in class vs. D2 opponent
A road trip to Erskine College (Sept. 19) gives Brevard an early test against a Division II program. The Tornados rallied to beat Erskine 38-34 last season, making this a quietly compelling return matchup.
➡️ 10th season in USA South
The 2026 campaign marks Brevard’s 10th season in the USA South Conference since transitioning from Division II. Conference play begins Oct. 3 against Belhaven and runs through mid-November.
“With graduation came the departure of many prominent role players, and now is the time for a new wave of contributors to rise to the occasion,” coach Bill Khayat said in the school’s official schedule release. “Our schedule, which begins with an Ives-Lemel Family Field advantage, includes all the familiar faces with one exception, the Guilford Quakers, an in-state rival from the ODAC.”
📅 Brevard 2026 Schedule Snapshot
- Sept. 12 — vs Sewanee
- Sept. 19 — at Erskine (D2)
- Sept. 26 — at Guilford (first meeting)
- Oct. 3 — vs Belhaven*
- Oct. 10 — at Southern Virginia*
- Oct. 17 — vs LaGrange*
- Oct. 24 — at Huntingdon*
- Oct. 31 — vs Greensboro*
- Nov. 7 — vs Methodist*
- Nov. 14 — at NC Wesleyan*
📅 Greensboro 2026 Schedule Snapshot
Sept. 5 – vs. Guilford (Soup Bowl)
Sept. 12 – at Roanoke College
Sept. 19 – vs. Bluefield University, Virginia (NAIA)
Sept. 26 – BYE
Oct. 3 – vs. Southern Virginia* (Homecoming)
Oct. 10 – at Huntingdon*
Oct. 17 – vs. Belhaven*
Oct. 24 – at LaGrange*
Oct. 31 – at Brevard*
Nov. 7 – vs. North Carolina Wesleyan* (Senior Day)
Nov. 14 – at Methodist*
📅 Guilford 2026 Schedule Snapshot
Sept. 5 – at Greensboro (Soup Bowl)
Sept. 12 – vs. Methodist
Sept. 19 – BYE
Sept. 26 – vs. Brevard
Oct. 3 – vs. Roanoke* (Homecoming)
Oct. 10 – vs. Bridgewater*
Oct. 17 – at Hampden-Sydney*
Oct. 24 – at Randolph-Macon*
Oct. 31 – vs. Washington & Lee*
Nov. 7 – at Averett*
Nov. 14 – at Shenandoah*
📅 Methodist 2026 Schedule Snapshot
Sept. 4 – vs Shenandoah
Sept. 12 – at Guilford
Sept. 19 – BYE
Sept. 26 – at Apprentice School
Oct. 3 – vs. Huntingdon*
Oct. 10 – at LaGrange*
Oct. 17 – vs. Southern Virginia* (Homecoming)
Oct. 24 – at North Carolina Wesleyan*
Oct. 31 – vs. Belhaven*
Nov. 7 – at Brevard*
Nov. 14 – vs. Greensboro* (Senior Night)
📅 NC Wesleyan 2026 Schedule Snapshot
Sept. 5 – at Averett
Sept. 12 – vs. The Apprentice School
Sept. 19 – at Sewanee
Sept. 26 – BYE
Oct. 3 – vs. LaGrange* (Homecoming)
Oct. 10 – at Belhaven*
Oct. 17 – vs. Huntingdon*
Oct. 24 – vs. Methodist*
Oct. 31 – at Southern Virginia*
Nov. 7 – at Greensboro*
Nov. 14 – vs. Brevard*
🔎 What’s Next for North Carolina D3 Schedules
We’re still waiting for a few final details and the official seal-of-approach from a couple of schools. But for the most part we have the full in-state schedule picture for 2026 North Carolina D3 football.
We’ll update this story post as the last pieces of the puzzle fill in.
Be sure to bookmark NC Football News to follow the D3 season every week.
Find more North Carolina college football schedules
🏫 Team Schedules Hub – Browse full-season schedules by school
🗓️ Weekly Master Schedule – View all games organized by week
More North Carolina D3 Schedules
Brevard | Greensboro | Guilford
Methodist | North Carolina Wesleyan
