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Future football schedules: NC Central will play in 2025 MEAC/SWAC Challenge

Eagles still have a lot of non-conference holes to fill beyond ’25

Published

July 15, 2024

North Carolina Central will play the Southern Jaguars in the 2025 MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Atlanta.

North Carolina Central football has an exciting 2024 schedule, which includes four in-state opponents and two HBCU classics.

The Eagles also will play in at least one HBCU showcase in 2025.

NCCU has been selected for next year’s Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge on Aug. 23, 2025. The game will be played at Atlanta’s Center Parc Stadium (formerly Turner Field and the current home of Georgia State football). The Eagles will face the Southern Jaguars.

The Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge started in 2005 and was played on Labor Day weekend. Through its history, the game has moved from Birmingham, Ala. to Orlando to campus sites and now to Atlanta. It also now is a “Week 0” contest and provides a compliment to the season-ending Cricket Celebration Bowl, also in Atlanta, which features the champions of the two conferences. NC Central last played in the Celebration Bowl in 2022, beating Jackson State in overtime.

The Eagles have lined up four non-conference games for 2025. After the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, NCCU will host New Hampshire from the CAA and then will play road games against Old Dominion (FBS) from the Sun Belt and familiar rival North Carolina A&T.

NCCU has games set with A&T every year through 2030, including a 2027 meeting at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.

East Carolina and NC A&T are the only opponents set on Central’s 2026 schedule.

The Eagles will visit Greenville to play the Pirates on Sept. 5, 2026. The teams have only met once before, with ECU taking a 52-7 triumph on Aug. 30, 2014.

North Carolina Central kicks off this season in Miami Gardens, Fla., in the Orange Blossom Classic. The game will be Labor Day Sunday against Alabama State and will be featured on national television (ESPN platform).

The Eagles also will play in the annual Circle City Classic in Indianapolis against Norfolk State on Sept. 28. Other non-conference opponents this season include Elon, North Carolina, NC A&T, Campbell and Virginia-Lynchburg.

North Carolina Central Future Non-Conference Opponents

2025: vs Southern (in Atlanta, Aug. 23), New Hampshire (Aug. 30), at Old Dominion (Sept. 6), at North Carolina A&T (Sept. 20).
2026: at East Carolina (Sept. 5), North Carolina A&T (Sept. 12)
2027: vs. North Carolina A&T (in Charlotte, Aug. 28)
2028: North Carolina A&T (Sept. 2)
2029: at North Carolina A&T (Sept. 1)
2030: North Carolina A&T (Aug. 31)