Week 4 of the North Carolina college football season brought plenty of fireworks, from North Carolina Central’s record-setting performance in the Aggie-Eagle rivalry to Western Carolina’s offensive explosion behind Taron Dickens. Campbell needed double overtime to grab its first win, while Fayetteville State dominated Elizabeth City State to win a mid-season HBCU classic in Rocky Mount.
Now attention shifts to Week 5, where ECU opens the slate with a Thursday night showdown against defending American champ Army on ESPN — and with a little extra spotlight. ESPN’s SportsCenter will broadcast live from Sup Dogs in downtown Greenville on Thursday afternoon, bringing national attention to the Pirates before kickoff at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
NC State hosts Virginia Tech under the lights (and on The CW!) on Saturday. Campbell will try to corral WCU’s potent offense, while Fayetteville State and Shaw will host the 2024 CIAA runner-up and champion, respectively.
Here’s a complete look at the Week 5 schedule for every college team in North Carolina, with kickoff times and TV/streaming info.
North Carolina College Football Week 5 Schedule
| Thursday, Sept. 25 | |||
| AWAY | HOME | RESULT | |
| Army | at | East Carolina | ECU 28, ARMY 6 |
| Saturday, Sept. 27 | |||
| AWAY | HOME | RESULT | |
| Chowan | at | Shorter | CHOW 30, SHOR 29 |
| Duke | at | Syracuse | DUKE 38, SYR 3 |
| Georgia Tech | at | Wake Forest | GT 30, WAKE 29 |
| Apprentice School | at | Methodist | METH 20, APP 19 |
| Hampden-Sydney | at | Guilford | H-S 69, GUIL 14 |
| Mary Hardin-Baylor | at | Mars Hill | MARS 21, MH-B 7 |
| Virginia State | at | Fayetteville State | FSU 34, VSU 14 |
| Virginia Union | at | Shaw | VUU 59, SHAW 7 |
| Winston-Salem State | at | Bowie State | WSSU 28, BOWIE 21 |
| Hampton | at | Elon | ELON 41, HAMP 20 |
| Bluefield State | at | Johnson C. Smith | JCSU 69, BLUE 13 |
| North Carolina A&T | at | Maine | MAINE 37, A&T 30 |
| Western Carolina | at | Campbell | WCU 42, CAMP 35 |
| Lincoln | at | Livingstone | LIV 31, LINC 7 |
| Southern Connecticut State | at | Catawba | CAT 63, SCSU 23 |
| UNC Pembroke | at | Valdosta State | UNCP 31, VAL 0 |
| Carson-Newman | at | Wingate | C-N 21, WING 14 |
| Newberry | at | Lenoir-Rhyne | NEW 20, L-R 17 |
| North Carolina Central | at | East Texas A&M | NCCU 50, ETAM 42 |
| Virginia Tech | at | NC State | VT 23, NCSU 21 |
| Appalachian State | at | Boise State | BOISE 47, APP 14 |
🔑 Five Games to Watch
Army at East Carolina (Thursday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN)
The Pirates get the national stage in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium as they welcome Army for their American Conference opener. ECU needs this one to gain momentum after last week’s disappointment against BYU
Virginia Tech at NC State (Saturday, 7 p.m., The CW)
ACC play is here, and the Wolfpack get a prime-time showcase at Carter-Finley. The Hokies always bring physicality but are going through a transition after the firing of coach Brent Pry. Good time for a get-right game for the Pack.
Western Carolina at Campbell (Saturday, 3:30 p.m., FloCollege)
WCU put up more than 700 yards of offense last Saturday; Campbell amassed more than 550. Buies Creek could be home to another shootout, with gunslinging QBs Taron Dickens and Kamden Sixkiller matching wits and arms.
Carson-Newman at Wingate (Saturday, 6 p.m., FloCollege)
The Bulldogs are the last unbeaten college team in North Carolina and just cracked the Division II national polls. This is a rematch of last year’s SAC championship game and could be a preview of the 2025 title tilt.
Appalachian State at Boise State (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., FS1)
The Mountaineers take their brand of tough football out west for a rare meeting with Boise. Two of the best Group of Five atmospheres collide under the blue turf lights.
👉 Follow along all weekend with live updates on our North Carolina College Football Scoreboard Hub and check back for recaps, stat leaders, and award winners.
