North Carolina College Football Week 8 Schedule: Full List of Games, Time & TV Info (Oct. 16-18)

The second October weekend of North Carolina college football gave us notable headlines on AND off the field.

UNC had a bye week but it was anything but quiet as multiple reports emerged about chaos and discord within Bill Belichick’s program. Some even questioned if Belichick would still be the coach by this coming weekend. (He still is).

Once play began, though, that story went into the rearview, and fireworks began elsewhere. NC State struggled at Notre Dame, but Wake Forest and Appalachian State both flexed on the road. 

In FCS action, Western Carolina demolished Furman, playing its most complete game to date. Gardner-Webb remained unbeaten in conference play, North Carolina Central rolled in Florida and Campbell notched its first road triumph of 2025 behind the rushing efforts of a hometown standout from nearby Dunn.

UNC Pembroke improved to 6-1 with a homecoming triumph in D2 action, the best record in our state right now. Fayetteville State also showed out against Livingstone, while Shaw posted the most intriguing win of the season – holding the ball for nearly 44 minutes to fell favored rival Winston-Salem State. That triumph earned the Bears the distinction of being of the latest North Carolina College Football Team of the Week.

Now, it is on to Week 8, as the fall foliage begins to heat its peak in our state and high-stakes conference match-ups continue to shape the post-season picture.

Some highlights of this weekend’s Week 8 slate:

JUMP TO FULL SCHEDULE BELOW

• The weekend kicks off with ECU’s annual Night of the Boneyard game, Thursday night against visiting Tulsa (7:30 p.m., ESPN).
• OK, admit it. You’re going to stay up late to watch North Carolina at Cal on Friday night (kick time is 10:30 p.m. on ESPN) just to see if things really are as bad at UNC as everyone says they are. Maybe the Heels will surprise and play better? Or maybe it really will be a trainwreck.
• Who thought Georgia Tech at Duke (noon, ESPN) would play a key role in the ACC title race? Yet here we are in mid-October with both teams still angling for a spot in Charlotte in December.
• One of the best Sun Belt rivalries – the mountains (Appalachian State) vs. the beach (Coastal Carolina) takes place in Boone (3:30 p.m., ESPN+).
• Western Carolina takes aim at a resurgent team from The Citadel (2 p.m., ESPN+). The Catamounts have won four in a row since the 0-3 start.
• Johnson C. Smith visits Shaw in CIAA action (1 p.m., CIAA Sports Network). Will this be the first of two trips to Durham County Memorial Stadium for the Golden Bulls this season? The Bears may need to hold the ball 44 minutes again – or more.
• The preseason favorites in D2 Conference Carolinas, UNC Pembroke and North Greenville collide in Tigerville, SC. This could be the first of two matchups between the Braves and Trailblazers. This one could decide who hosts the rematch.
• Elon has had William & Mary’s number the past three seasons (3:30 p.m., FloCollege). Can the Phoenix usher the Tribe out of the CAA with another L?
• Gardner-Webb welcomes UT Martin for homecoming (1:30 p.m., ESPN+), while Campbell hosts New Hampshire for its homecoming (3:30 p.m., FloCollege).

North Carolina College Football Week 8 Schedule

👉 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.