For the second consecutive season, UNC Pembroke and North Greenville will meet in the Conference Carolinas Bowl, with the Division II league’s championship at stake along with an automatic berth into the NCAA D2 playoffs.
The Braves (8-2, 5-1) will travel to Tigerville, SC, on Saturday, Nov. 14, looking to avenge three consecutive losses to the Trailblazers (8-2, 5-1). North Greenville defeated UNC Pembroke twice last season, including a 34-20 victory in the inaugural Conference Carolinas Bowl, then rallied from a 21-point deficit to win this year’s regular-season meeting 42-41 after stopping a potential game-winning two-point conversion in the final minute.
Both teams finished tied with Chowan atop the conference standings, but UNC Pembroke and North Greenville emerged from the three-way tie to play for the title based on NCAA power ratings. The Braves enter Saturday’s rematch riding a four-game winning streak, while the Trailblazers are looking to rebound from a 49-33 loss to Valdosta State this past weekend in non-conference play.
Younts Stadium | Tigerville, SC
Streaming: Conference Carolinas Digital Network
What’s At Stake: UNC Pembroke vs. North Greenville
Hoisting the Conference Carolinas Bowl trophy
While three teams shared the league’s regular season crown, only one will walk away with the post-season championship prize. North Greenville captured the debut Conference Carolinas Bowl last November, and UNC Pembroke made it a point of emphasis all through the off-season to get back to this spot in 2026 to avenge that defeat.
Collecting an automatic berth into the D2 playoffs
The NCAA expanded its Division II playoff field from 28 teams to 32 this season, guaranteeing automatic bids to all conference champions. So the winner Saturday will be safely in the field as one of eight teams in Super Region 2.
Since neither North Greenville (29th in the latest NPI) nor UNC Pembroke (34th) are a lock without the auto bid, winning Saturday’s is paramount to guaranteeing a playoff berth.
Revenge or repeat
North Greenville will be looking to continue its recent mastery of UNC Pembroke by beating the Braves for the fourth time in a two-year span. UNCP will be aiming to snap the Trailblazers streak and collect its first-ever conference championship trophy in football.
⏪ 2026 Season Rewind
UNC Pembroke Braves (8-2, 5-1 Conference Carolinas)
UNC Pembroke 21, Wingate 13
Fayetteville State 10, UNC Pembroke 7
UNC Pembroke 31, Shorter 24
UNC Pembroke 44, No. 9 Valdosta State 41
UNC Pembroke 24, Monroe 6
No. 17 North Greenville 42, UNC Pembroke 41
UNC Pembroke 44, Erskine 3
UNC Pembroke 59, Barton 0
UNC Pembroke 38, Chowan 21
UNC Pembroke 45, Ferrum 14
North Greenville Trailblazers (8-2, 5-1)
North Greenville 40, Catawba 48
North Greenville 42, University of Charleston 31
North Greenville 24, No. 18 West Alabama 14
North Greenville 41, Ferrum 10
North Greenville 42, UNC Pembroke 41
Chowan 16, North Greenville 13
North Greenville 31, Shorter 3
North Greenville 33, Barton 7
North Greenville 45, Erskine 10
No. 13 Valdosta State 49, North Greenville 33
Tale of the Tape
TALE OF THE TAPE
By the Numbers
- UNC Pembroke and North Greenville have the top scoring offenses and top scoring defenses in Conference Carolinas this season. The Braves and Trailblazers are the only league teams averaging better than 400 yards of total offense per game.
- While quarterback Kam Montgomery leads North Greenville in rushing (701 yards, 13 TDs), the wealth gets spread around in the ground game. Former Barton standout Jackson Parrish (367 yards, 4 TDs), Maurice Anderson (355 yards, 8 TDs) and Deshawn Tompkins (306 yards, 4 TDs) also stay busy.
- Both the Braves and Trailblazers have been excellent on fourth down this season. North Greenville has converted 14-of-18 attempts (77.8 percent), while UNCP has been successful on 16-of-22 fourth-down attempts (72.7 percent).
- UNC Pembroke defenders have logged 78.0 tackles-for-loss (325 negative yards) and 27.0 sacks (191 negative yards). Fred Giles (14.5 TFLs, 9.0 sacks), Isi Etute (8.0 TFLs, 5.5 sacks) and Jadin Baptist (8.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks) help lead the way.
- North Greenville has been plus-6 in turnover margin this season. The Trailblazers have picked off 13 passes as a team, with Kaliber Hoey and Jeremiah Lomax snatching three each.
- The Trailblazers have recorded two pick-sixes this season and returned a fumble 68 yards for a touchdown.
- Kicker Jared Navidad has made 9-of-10 field goal attempts for UNCP with a long of 46 yards. He’s been perfect inside of 40 yards (7-of-7) and has hit 45-of-46 PATs.
- Penalties have stymied UNCP at times, as the Braves have been flagged 88 times this season for an average of 76.1 penalty yards per game.
- UNCP has only punted 27 times in 10 games.
- North Greenville has tried onsides kicks four times, recovering once.
Players to Watch
UNC Pembroke
Josh Ehrlich | Quarterback
The first-year starter for the Braves, a transfer from D3 Susquehanna, has been a dynamic addition to Mark Hall’s offense. Ehrlich leads the Braves in both passing (2,210 yards, 21 touchdowns) and rushing (831 yards, 10 touchdowns).
Malik Brown | Wide Receiver
One of Ehrlich’s most reliable targets has caught 40 passes for 726 yards and eight touchdowns. Brown also has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and rushed for two scores, tying kicker Jared Navidad for the team lead in scoring (72 points).
Jadin Baptist | Linebacker
The junior from Aberdeen (Pinecrest HS) leads UNCP in tackles with 64, including eight tackles-for-loss, two sacks, a forced fumble and four quarterback hurries.
Fred Giles | Defensive Lineman
The senior transfer from Old Dominion is a total backfield disrupter, leading Conference Carolinas in both tackles-for-loss (14.5) and sacks (9.0). He also has eight QB hurries, three forced fumbles and 48 total tackles.
North Greenville
Kam Montgomery | Quarterback
Like UNCP’s Ehrlich, Montgomery leads his team in both passing (1,954, 13 TDs) and rushing (701 yards, 13 TDs). The freshman from Houston transferred to North Greenville from Eastern Kentucky.
Maurice Anderson | Running Back
One of four players with more than 325 yards rushing, Anderson is second on the team in total touchdowns with nine (eight rushing, one receiving). He averages 5.6 yards per carry across 63 attempts.
Kaliber Hoey | Defensive Back
The senior and former Limestone University player has picked off three passes, including two in a win over then No. 18 West Alabama. The second pick went back 46 yards for a touchdown. Hoey has added 34 tackles.
Jamie Downing Jr. | Linebacker
Another Limestone transfer, Downing leads North Greenville in tackles with 78, including 37 solo hits. He has forced two fumbles and collected 4.5 tackles-for-loss.
Three Keys to the Game
1. Can UNC Pembroke pressure Montgomery?
The Braves have 27 sacks and allow only 166 passing yards per game. But Montgomery led six consecutive touchdown drives during the October meeting. UNCP needs its defense to perform more like the unit that has allowed only 38 points over its last four games.
2. Can North Greenville contain Ehrlich?
Ehrlich accounted for 391 yards of offense in the first meeting and can do damage with his legs and arm. North Greenville must find a way to limit his dual-threat production, especially on third and fourth downs.
3. Which team makes the fewest mistakes?
UNC Pembroke committed 11 penalties for 86 yards in the first meeting, compared with just two penalties for North Greenville. Flags can produce hidden yardage in a high-stakes game where every possession counts.
The Bottom Line and a Prediction
North Greenville and UNC Pembroke have quickly established themselves as the front-runners in Conference Carolinas in the first two years after the league reestablished football. The second Conference Carolinas Bowl will bring a rematch of the first featuring the Trailblazers and Braves.
Both teams have prolific quarterbacks. Both teams can light up a scoreboard and be stingy with surrendering points.
UNC Pembroke has been the better team statistically speaking in a number of categories. And the Braves have notable wins over the two teams that bested North Greenville in regular season play, Chowan and Valdosta State.
It’s an old axiom that says it’s tough to beat a team twice in the same season. North Greenville did it in 2025, but our hunch is that UNCP will turn the tables this time around. This one will be more low-scoring than the first meeting in October. Our take: UNCP 26, North Greenville 24.
🔗 More North Carolina College Football Coverage
- UNC Pembroke Football Schedule
- Conference Carolinas Standings
- 2026 week-by-week schedule
- North Carolina college football scores
