Today’s North Carolina college football schedule presents a unique Thursday night double-feature: Appalachian State will host unbeaten James Madison, while East Carolina will travel to Memphis.
App State-JMU kicks off at 7 p.m. from Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone and will be broadcast on ESPNU. ECU-Memphis will start at 7:30 p.m. from Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium with an ESPN2 audience.
Both North Carolina teams will be double-digit underdogs against opponents expected to contend for conference championships. But both App State and ECU have had recent success against the foes they will face tonight and will be looking to pull off notable upsets in front of national TV audiences.
👉 Week 7 is just getting started. View the complete weekend schedule of college football games involving North Carolina teams, including three contests on Friday and 15 on Saturday.
🏈 More North Carolina College Football From the NC Sports Network
The David Glenn Show on the North Carolina Sports Network breaks down the teams, games and storylines shaping college football across the state and around the ACC. Catch David Glenn and the latest NC Sports Network shows throughout the week.
Watch the NC Sports Network on YouTube →
🏈 North Carolina College Football Games Today | Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026
James Madison at Appalachian State
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU
Venue: Kidd Brewer Stadium (Boone, NC)
Records: James Madison (7-0, 4-0 Sun Belt) | App State (4-2, 1-1 Sun Belt)
Series: Appalachian State leads the all-time series 14-6.
Spread: James Madison -10.5
East Carolina at Memphis
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
Venue: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, TN)
Records: East Carolina (3-3, 1-1 American) | Memphis (5-2, 2-1 American)
Series: East Carolina leads the all-time series 17-8.
Spread: Memphis -10.5
James Madison at Appalachian State
Can the Mountaineers spoil JMU’s perfect season?
An unbeaten opponent comes to The Rock: James Madison (7-0, 4-0 Sun Belt) is one of just six remaining unbeaten FBS teams, although the Dukes remain outside the national rankings. JMU has won 17 consecutive regular-season games and leads the Sun Belt in scoring offense (42.9 points per game) and scoring defense (16.0). App State (4-2, 1-1) will be looking for its third victory over the Dukes in four seasons – and the most monumental win of the Dowell Loggains coaching era.
Quarterback questions for App State: Starter Malachi Singleton is questionable for the second consecutive week. Backup Henry Hasselbeck sparked last Friday’s 35-32 comeback victory at Coastal Carolina, passing for 112 yards and a touchdown while rushing for a team-high 125 yards. Whether Singleton plays and how coach Dowell Loggains divides the snaps could be critical against JMU’s defense.
A challenging matchup on the ground: App State rushed for 253 yards against Coastal Carolina, with Jaquari Lewis scoring four touchdowns. But JMU allows just 114.3 rushing yards per game. On the other side, former North Carolina Tar Heels running back George Pettaway leads the Sun Belt with 767 rushing yards and has recorded four consecutive 100-yard games.
More: Read our complete App State-James Madison Game Center for injury reports, betting odds, statistical comparisons and series history.
East Carolina at Memphis
Can the Pirates rebound from another painful defeat?
Two teams looking to bounce back: East Carolina (3-3, 1-1 American) and Memphis (5-2, 2-1) are coming off disappointing conference losses. The Pirates surrendered a late touchdown at UAB before falling 30-17 in overtime last Thursday. Memphis, meanwhile, committed six turnovers in a 31-17 loss at Tulane, damaging the Tigers’ conference championship hopes. Both teams need a victory to regain momentum in the American race.
ECU’s defense faces a major test: The Pirates have been among the American’s strongest defensive teams, allowing 326.5 yards per game and producing 18 sacks. Memphis, however, averages 512.6 yards per contest, including 237.7 on the ground. Quarterback Marcus Stokes and running back Jaylin Carter lead a Tigers attack capable of putting considerable pressure on opposing defenses.
Can the Pirates generate enough offense? ECU has struggled to consistently move the ball, particularly through the air. The Pirates average just 183.7 passing yards per game and will need more production from their quarterbacks to keep pace with Memphis. Running back TJ Engleman Jr. could be important against a Tigers defense allowing 172.9 rushing yards per game. He has hit the 100-yard mark in rushing in three straight games.
A difficult place to play: Memphis has been unbeaten at home under coach Charles Huff. ECU will need to protect the football, sustain drives and capitalize on scoring opportunities to avoid falling below .500 overall. The Pirates have won four straight against Memphis.
More North Carolina College Football Coverage
- Game Day Central: Your dashboard for following college football action from around the state.
- College Football Scores: Follow final scores and results from every North Carolina team throughout the weekend and the season.
- Teams by Division: Find schedules and coverage for all North Carolina FBS, FCS, Division II and Division III programs.
- 2026 Statewide Standings: Follow every North Carolina team’s record throughout the season, all in one standings table.
