It’s been a topsy-turvy college football season so far in North Carolina.
Our seven-team FCS contingent looked like a rock-solid group back in August (“At least four teams could make the playoffs!” we proclaimed), yet after a month only one has a winning record. Five squads are 1-3. Ouch.
We had high hopes for NC State and Appalachian State too (“they could make the College Football Playoff!”), yet the Pack and Mountaineers have been middling at best. Fans are grumbling.
UNC sits at 3-1, but it feels more like 0-10 after the 70-50 debacle against James Madison at Kenan Stadium. The stadium was all but empty by the fourth quarter.
As it turns out, the brightest lights have been shining this season from North Carolina campuses that house Division II, Division III and junior college programs. It’s no surprise then, that this week’s Fabulous 15 — which gauges “which teams are having the most special seasons?” — is filled with mostly D2, D3 and JUCO representatives.
Scoff if you must at these smaller schools, which may draw only a few thousand fans. But there is certainly some Fabulous football being played right now at places like Lenoir-Rhyne, Johnson C. Smith, Fayetteville State, Shaw, Winston-Salem State, Wingate, Guilford, Brevard and Louisburg.
We do expect our FCS teams to rebound now that conference season has arrived — there is too much talent on those rosters for them not to. And NC State, App State and UNC can still write pleasing endings to their stories.
But for now, we’ll continue to give our standout D2, D3 and JUCO teams their props.
Presenting this week’s Fabulous 15, sponsored by The North Carolina Sports Network, home to the popular David Glenn Show, the 5th Quarter Podcast and other great Old North State sports content.
Two reminders: 1) Our main metric isn’t head-to-head considerations but which teams are having the most special seasons; 2) Only teams with records at .500 or above qualify for consideration.
Fabulous 15 | Week Four
1. Lenoir-Rhyne Bears (3-0) | D2
Next Game: Saturday vs. Tusculum
The Bears had to rally at Mars Hill to preserve their unbeaten start. The team holds steady at No. 6 in the latest AFCA coaches poll and at No. 12 in the D2Football.com media poll (best of any team in the state at any level). This week brings a rematch of the 2023 South Atlantic championship game, which Lenoir-Rhyne won easily.
2. Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls (4-0) | D2
Next Game: Saturday at Bluefield State
The Golden Bulls narrowly missed out on making this week’s D2 national Top 25, getting enough votes from coaches to place 26th. JCSU beat the defending CIAA champs and held one of the top running backs in the nation, Jada Byers, in check. After a series of marquee games, JCSU will have to be on its guard for a letdown against 1-2 Bluefield State.
3. Duke Blue Devils (4-0) | FBS
Next Game: Saturday vs. North Carolina
We haven’t forgotten about you, Blue Devils. While much of the attention has been focused on the failures of NC State, Appalachian State and UNC to live up to expectations and preseason hype, Duke has quietly gone about its business of winning games with tough defense and opportunistic offense. The Devils lead the nation in tackles for loss (11.5 per game) and are fourth in sacks (3.5 per game).
4. Guilford Quakers (3-0) | D3
Next Game: Sept. 28 at Hampden-Sydney
The Quakers take plenty of positive mojo into their bye week, having jumped to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2016. Guilford only won two games all of last season. Conference play will bring a significant step up in competition, but things look to be trending upward for coach Brad Davis’s program.
5. North Carolina Central Eagles (2-2) | FCS
Next Game: Saturday vs. Norfolk State (Indianapolis)
No team has scored as many points in the Aggie-Eagle rivalry as Central did on Saturday night, pinning 66 on North Carolina A&T. NCCU has been basking in its “Rout 66” all week. The Eagles begin MEAC play this weekend, with its opener against the Spartans serving as the Circle City Classic in Indianapolis. Walker Harris will have fond memories of last year’s trip to Indy, tossing five TD passes in a romp over Mississippi Valley State.
6. Winston-Salem State Rams (3-1) | D2
Next Game: Saturday vs. Bowie State
The Rams’ quest to rejoin the elite of the CIAA took a big step forward Saturday with a 15-14 thriller over preseason favorite Virginia State. WSSU has a big weapon in special teams: kicker Gilberto Lorenzana, who booted three field goals, including the game-winner in the final seconds.
7. Fayetteville State Broncos (2-1) | D2
Next Game: Saturday at Virginia State
The Broncos continue to flex great defense, holding Elizabeth City State to seven points, 47 passing yards and 154 total yards to win the Down East Viking Classic. The offense has shown extra punch this year as well, scoring 30+ points in two of the first three games. A huge challenge awaits this weekend for a team that has played in the last six CIAA title games and is aiming for No. 7.
8. Shaw Bears (3-1) | D2
Next Game: Saturday at Virginia Union
Shaw continues to be one of the feel-good stories of the season, winning for the third time in four tries. The offense lit up the scoreboard against Lincoln (48 points), while the defense picked off three passes. This weekend will bring a litmus test for how far the Bears program has come: a road game against the reigning CIAA champs (who are still stinging from a tough loss at JCSU).
9. Davidson Wildcats (2-1) | FCS
Next Game: Saturday at Presbyterian
The Wildcats come off a bye week feeling good after two straight wins and two straight dominant rushing performances. Now the second season begins – conference play – and the opener will feature a 2-2 Blue Hose squad that held its own against Gardner-Webb this past weekend. Davidson won last year’s meeting 45-28.
10. Wingate Bulldogs (2-1) | D2
Next Game: Saturday vs. Mars Hill
The ‘Dogs suffered an overtime loss to an improved Carson-Newman squad Saturday and will face another tricky opponent this week. Mars Hill may have the toughest D2 schedule in the region but gave Lenoir-Rhyne a scare last week at home. The loser will have two conference defeats already so this feels like must-win for each squad.
11. Louisburg College Hurricanes (3-1) | JUCO
Next Game: Saturday at The Apprentice School
Tucked away on a small campus 45 minutes north of Raleigh – playing home games at Louisburg High School – the Hurricanes have been a beacon of success as the state’s only JUCO program. The list of players in recent years who have translated their time at Louisburg into four-year opportunities is long. The ‘Canes hit the NJCAA Division III rankings this week, coming in at No. 4.
12. Brevard Tornados (1-1) | D3
Next Game: Saturday at Maryville
The Tornados stormed past the defending USA South champions this past Saturday (pun intended), 42-26. Ethan Beamish threw for four touchdowns, and D-lineman Robert Dorsey wreaked havoc. The ‘Nados will face another conference front-runner this week, this time on the road.
13. NC State Wolfpack (2-2) | FBS
Next Game: Saturday vs. Northern Illinois
The next three teams on our list are on double-secret Fab 15 probation. The air of special-ness has all but drained out of these fan bases, so it’s time to close ranks and regroup in Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Boone. Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren will have a chance to right his ship against a program that he lifted to Orange Bowl level before leaving to take the NC State job. NIU beat Notre Dame earlier this season. The Huskies won’t be a pushover, just like when Doeren was there.
14. North Carolina Tar Heels (3-1) | FBS
Next Game: Saturday at Duke
If you saw a stat sheet that featured UNC scoring 50 points, quarterback Jacolby Criswell throwing for 475 and 3 touchdowns, and Omarion Hampton rushing for 139 and three more TDs, surely that’s a comfortable UNC win, right?. Sometimes stats can lie about the real story. The Heels are reeling right now, and another subpar performance against Duke is out-of-the-question if the team wants to salvage any shred of positivity out of this season.
15. Appalachian State Mountaineers (2-2) | FBS
Next Game: Saturday vs. Liberty
Heading into the season we looked at this game as pivotal to ASU’s chances at staying in the College Football Playoff conversation. But that was contingent upon them winning the Sun Belt Conference. Those chances took a huge hit last Thursday as the Mountaineers fell flat at home against South Alabama. Like an old car on a cold winter morning, App State is struggling to get the engines revving early in ball games. That can’t happen again this week against the talented Flames.
Knocking on the door
East Carolina, Livingstone and Elizabeth City State were the only other teams to qualify for Fab 15 consideration this week. All three teams are 2-2 … Elon (1-3), Western Carolina (1-3) and Gardner-Webb (1-3) can climb back toward the rankings this week with wins over conference foes. Campbell (1-3) faces a MEAC opponent and some work to get back into our Fabulous list.
