Some of North Carolina’s college football teams just wrote the final chapter of their 2025 journey over the weekend. Others will pen their last words this Saturday, while still others hope to add extra verses and epilogues that take them into late November and/or December.
Yes, friends, we’re in the waning pages of the novel known as the 2025 North Carolina college football season. It’s been a wild, unpredictable, heart-stopping, sometimes soul-crushing few months together.
We began back in August asking this question: “Which schools will have the most special seasons in 2025?”
We’ve charted the journey each week through our Fabulous 15 statewide college football rankings, and here we are at the home stretch.
Once again, a North Carolina Division II football team is leading the charge toward the finish line: Johnson C. Smith. But the 2025 Fabulous 15 championship is far from settled. Like any good drama, there are always unexpected plot twists toward the end.
While sitting on the edge of our seats for these final scenes, here is this week’s Fabulous 15:
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🚨🏈DG's "3⃣ To See" CFB Previews🏈🚨
(NC Edition)
✅ Virginia at Duke (both #ACC contenders)
✅ UNC at Wake Forest
✅ Memphis at ECU (chasing 1st American crown)
✅ Also: JC Smith, UNC Pembroke (title games‼️)
(👇Article/Video/ACC & NC TV Schedules👇)https://t.co/MeOOXMgywn pic.twitter.com/wXWwzQKhWB — David Glenn Show (@DavidGlennShow) November 12, 2025
Fabulous 15: North Carolina College Football Rankings
(After Nov. 6-8 Games)
1. Johnson C. Smith (9-1): The Golden Bulls, who continue to move up the national rankings (16th in both major polls), made history by earning their ninth win on Saturday. JCSU now sets its sights on claiming the program’s first CIAA title since 1969.
2. Wingate (8-2): Firmly in the D2 playoff mix after stringing together five straight wins. Mars Hill presents a tricky finale, however, for our 2024 Fabulous 15 champs.
3. UNC Pembroke (8-2): Win this weekend against North Greenville in the Conference Carolinas title game, and the Braves make the D2 playoffs. A loss might keep them out.
4. North Carolina Central (7-3): Friday night lights for the Eagles this week, with reigning MEAC champ South Carolina State coming to town. A revenge game after last year’s loss kept them out of the Celebration Bowl.
5. Catawba (7-3): Comeback team of the year candidate after more than doubling 2024 win totals. A win over rival Lenoir-Rhyne this Saturday would be a final feather in the cap.
6. NC State (5-4): We’ve seen scenarios where the Wolfpack backdoors into the ACC title game. We’ve seen scenarios where the Pack crashes the end of its season and parts with its coach. It’s been that kind of topsy-turvy year in Raleigh.
7. Wake Forest (6-3): With bowl eligibility already in hand, new coach Jake Dickert could add beating Bill Belichick to the resume this Saturday.
8. East Carolina (6-3): Also bowl eligible, the Pirates can insert themselves firmly into the American Conference title game scenario with a Saturday win over visiting Memphis.
9. Duke (5-4): There is still a pathway to the ACC title game and possibly becoming the first North Carolina-based team to make the College Football Playoff. It starts with being the third NC team to beat Virginia this Saturday.
10. Gardner-Webb (6-4): While Western Carolina garners much of the FCS attention in our state, the Runnin’ Bulldogs have quietly built a solid season in Cris Reisert’s second year in Boiling Springs – which includes a win over WCU in week one.
11. Fayetteville State (6-4): The Broncos’ losses this season have come to a solid FCS team (North Carolina Central) and three D2 playoff contenders (Johnson C. Smith, UNC Pembroke and Benedict). Will the resume be good enough for the playoffs?
12. Western Carolina (6-4): Oh Catamounts, what could have been. Massive letdown spot this week if the WCU isn’t careful.
13. Lenoir-Rhyne (5-5): Bears need to beat upstart Catawba this Saturday to avoid first losing season since 2017.
14. Louisburg (6-4): The Hurricanes finish their 2025 junior college campaign with a 42-10 victory over Brevard’s “futures” team (like JV).
15. Brevard (5-4): Having beaten Greensboro and Methodist, the Tornados can complete a sweep of its North Carolina conference rivals on Saturday with a win over visiting North Carolina Wesleyan.
Outside Looking In
Livingstone (5-5): pushed Johnson C. Smith to the limit in its finale and likely will see its top defensive player, Kenyon Garner, rack up awards and Division I offers in the coming weeks (Garner entered the transfer portal earlier this week and already reports “Power 4” interest).
Mars Hill (5-5): Quarterback JR Martin is one of the most dynamic playmakers in D2 football and has a chance to spoil Wingate’s playoff hopes this weekend.
Elizabeth City State (4-6): Few teams have been playing as well as the Vikings in recent weeks, scoring 160 points in their last three games – all wins.
Last Fabulous 15 Until Season Ends
A handful of our D2 schools just completed their seasons this past weekend. Most of the rest of our D2 teams, along with all five D3 squads, will finish up this weekend. As such, this will be our final Fabulous 15 statewide rankings until the 2025 North Carolina college football season is complete for everyone.
Johnson C. Smith has the top spot for now. Who will be our final champion?
