North Carolina Central’s Chris Mosley has been waiting for this stage.
The redshirt senior running back from Fort Worth, Texas, averaged 10.9 yards per carry last season in limited duty – a number that hinted at his big-play potential.
On Saturday in Atlanta, Mosley made the most of his opportunity to shine as NCCU’s new feature back, carrying the Eagles to an impressive 31-14 win over Southern in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. He garnered game MVP honors.
Mosley, who fittingly wears the jersey No. 1, touched the ball first on the opening kickoff and finished with 174 yards rushing on 15 carries. His 49-yard touchdown burst in the second quarter swung the momentum back to North Carolina Central’s favor after Southern had just scored to take a brief 14-10 lead 17 seconds earlier.
Not a bad debut as RB1 for a player who came into Saturday’s game with 24 total carries last season and 70 for his NCCU career.
“My main focus … was just being electric, giving those guys energy, showing them we’re here and we came to play,” Mosley said in the post-game press conference. “And I think I did that.”
Flicks of the MVP, Chris Mosley 📸#MEACSWACChallenge #CultureOverScheme #BeGreat #NCCUFootball @NCCU_Football pic.twitter.com/uwGPbZCyWu
— NCCU Athletics (@NCCUAthletics) August 24, 2025
Career Arc: Mosley’s Patience Rewarded
In this transfer portal era, it’s rare for players to wait more than a year for their chance to play a prominent role. Mosley is beginning his fourth year in the NCCU program, coming to Durham in 2022 after starting at Cisco College, a JUCO in Texas.
There have been flashes of his potential playing behind the likes of Latrelle Collier and J’Mari Taylor in the backfield – a 58-yard score against Virginia-Lynchburg in 2022, an 80-yard burst last season during a fourth-quarter carry against Elon.
He wasted no time staking his claim to banner headline status in Saturday’s season opener, rushing for 132 yards on 10 carries before halftime.
Mosley was quick to credit NCCU’s experienced offensive line, which returns five starters from last year – including two preseason all-MEAC picks (Trevon Humphrey and Noah McKinney). Mosley referred to the group as “diesel.”
“Great O-line. Great O-line,” he said. “We knew we could win the trenches if we executed … My big emphasis going into this game was to start fast, have discipline, execute and just be us. Be who we are.”
Why Mosley’s Emergence Matters
North Carolina Central thrives playing power, ball-control football under coach Trei Oliver. A solid stable of running backs is key. A back with explosive potential is icing.
North Carolina Central rushed for 231 yards on Saturday night. Arthur Rodgers and Aleni Mageo also found the end zone on short-yardage plays.
Meanwhile, quarterback Walker Harris provided balance with an efficient 19-of-24 passing performance for an additional 183 yards and one TD strike to Kyle Morgan.
To be fair, Southern flexed a pair of flashy rushers of their own in LSU transfer Trey Holly and dual-threat quarterback Cam’Rom McCoy. Both eclipsed the 100-yard mark in rushing. Both had dazzling touchdown runs, with McCoy’s covering 69 yards and Holly’s 80. Neither player was really touched on their way through the heart of the Central defense for six points.
But Mosley stole the biggest spotlight in the end, and the Eagles earned season’s opening MEAC/SWAC bragging rights as a result. Southern did not score after the break.
“It’s a blessing. I want to thank my coaching staff for trusting me,” Mosley said. “I want to thank them boys on the O-line. We’ve got the best O-line in the MEAC. Running behind them. They make my job easier. All I’ve got to do is make one or two miss. I’ve got the speed, so the rest is history.”
