- BEST IN STATE -

FABULOUS 14: Duke football vaults to the top after dismantling of Clemson

Seven new teams jump into our rankings

Eric Lusk

Published

September 5, 2023

Which teams will make our Fabulous 14 power rankings this season? Check back each week for updates. Below you'll find our preseason Fab 14 list.

North Carolina had 14 college football teams win season openers over the weekend.

NC Football News publishes the Best In State “Fabulous 14” power rankings each week.

Since one of our criteria for building our Fabulous 14 is that a team can’t have a losing record, we have the perfect number of schools to fill out our week-one list. Win and you’re in!

The big question then: How to sort everyone? Using a number of unique factors as our guide (see notes at the bottom of this story) we did our best.

The top two choices are obvious. The top five teams all made the national rankings this week, with four moving up and one holding steady. The rest all put their best foot forward in one way or another, with a few blowing up our social media feeds in the process.

Without further ado, here is our Best In State Fabulous 14 heading into week two:

1. Duke (FBS, Last week 9)

We’re not coaches, we can look ahead. With Lafayette, Northwestern and UConn on deck, is it too early to start speculating on whether ESPN College Game Day will be at Wallace Wade Stadium when Notre Dame visits at the end of the month?

2. North Carolina (FBS, Last week 2)

Drake Maye had a solid game for the Tar Heels on Saturday, but he wasn’t the biggest positive headline. That would be the defense. That’s a good sign for UNC that winning games may not be all on their star quarterback’s shoulders.

3. North Carolina Central (FCS, Last week: 1)

The 18th-ranked Eagles cruised in one rivalry game (47-21 over Winston-Salem State) and now move on to another (visiting NC A&T on Saturday). Central hasn’t won two in a row in the series with the Aggies since taking three straight in 2014-16.

4. Wingate (D2, Last week 6)

Joe Reich’s vaunted defense held opponents to seven points or fewer in eight games a year ago. The Bulldogs started 2023 in a similar vein, beating Albany State 30-7 and moving up to No. 17 in the latest D2Football.com national rankings.

5. Lenoir-Rhyne (D2, Last week 7)

The Bears cruised past St. Augustine’s of the CIAA 45-7 and remain at No. 23 in the D2Football poll. Coach Mike Jacob’s team will remain in the CIAA this week, visiting reigning champion Fayetteville State.

6. NC State (FBS, Last week 4)

You’re up, Wolfpack. Duke and Carolina had their moments to shine in the national spotlight. State will get theirs Saturday at noon when 10th-ranked Notre Dame comes to Carter-Finley Stadium. Can the Triangle go 3-for-3 in monumental early September games? Can the Pack figure out how to run the ball a little better?

7. Appalachian State (FBS, Last week 10)

Joey Aguilar made the most of his opportunity against Gardner-Webb. The second-string quarterback threw a touchdown with his first pass after relieving starter Ryan Burger (injury) and then tossed three more TDs to help the Mountaineers stave off Gardner-Webb.

8. Charlotte (FBS, Last week NR)

New coach Biff Poggi has generated attention with his cigar-smoking, sleeveless T-shirt wearing, unapologetic style. Fans of the 49ers don’t care, as long as he produces results. The opening act proved promising, 24-3 win over South Carolina State. A step up in competition comes this week at Maryland.

9. UNC Pembroke (D2, Last week NR)

He’s not Deion Sanders, but new UNCP coach Mark Hall is doing Deion-like things with his roster. The Braves brought in dozens of transfers and new players in a major overhaul, and it reaped a week one triumph over the defending CIAA champions. Is Hall ahead of a trend that may soon sweep through all of college football?

10. Barton (D2, Last week NR)

While UNCP beat the defending CIAA champs, the Bulldogs knocked off the reigning runners-up, Chowan. It was an dominating opener (41-0 triumph) for a program only in its fourth year. The SAC Piedmont division seems pretty loaded with Wingate, Lenoir-Rhyne, Newberry and now Barton looking to join the fray.

11. Johnson C. Smith (D2, Last week NR)

HBCUGameDay published a documentary over the summer called Brick x Brick: Changing the Culture at Johnson C. Smith. The Golden Bulls impressed with the first brick laid in the 2023 schedule, pummeling West Virginia Wesleyan 49-6. If our Twitter feed from the weekend is any indication, fans of the JCSU program are hungry for a winner in their neck of Charlotte.

12. Wake Forest (FBS, Last week NR)

The fourth ACC member of what truly could be call NC’s “Big Four” this season, the Demon Deacons moved on from the Sam Hartman quarterback era in successful fashion. Mitch Griffis enjoyed a stellar debut as the Deacs took care of business against FCS Elon.

13. Catawba (D2, Last week NR)

Another new coach, Tyler Haines, enjoyed a successful debut as the Indians outlasted Elizabeth City State on the road, 31-23. Deno Wardlow picked off three passes to preserve the victory (tying a school record for interceptions). Quarterback Preston Brown threw three touchdowns. Running back Lee Bracey Jr. ran for 194 yards and a score.

14. Guilford (D3, Last week NR)

Unless W-L records dictate otherwise, we will always have at least one team from each major division in our Fabulous 14. The Quakers take over for Brevard as the D3/NAIA/JUCO representative this week. A big second half helped secure a “Soup Bowl” victory over Greensboro in the opener.

NOTE: Our Best In State “Fabulous 14” is a unique power ranking that encompasses all 35 of the state’s football-playing schools into one poll. We include at least one team from each division (FBS, FCS, D2 and D3/NAIA/JUCO). Our criteria looks more at which teams are having the most special seasons and not at who might win head-to-head. A team can’t have a losing record and be in the Fabulous 14, thus why several talented squads dropped out after week one.