When asked in the spring about his FCS team playing both East Carolina and NC State this season, Campbell football coach Braxton Harris took the humorous approach: “It means money’s not an issue this year at Campbell,” he quipped.
The ECU game comes on Saturday, part of an intriguing five-game slate featuring North Carolina FCS teams traveling to heavily favored FBS opponents. While Campbell, Western Carolina, Gardner-Webb, North Carolina Central and North Carolina A&T will benefit financially from these “guarantee games,” do any have a shot at pulling an upset?
Think again before you dismiss this question with a resounding “no”.
👉 Follow all of the North Carolina college football action this weekend on our Week 2 College Football Scoreboard.
Catamounts Eye First-Ever FBS Win Against Rebuilding Deacs
Western Carolina (0-1) at Wake Forest (1-0) | Saturday, Sept. 6 | 2 p.m. | ACC Network Extra
The most intriguing matchup of the weekend has to be Western Carolina’s trip to Wake Forest. The Catamounts boast one of the FCS’s most explosive offenses, scoring 45 points last week against Gardner-Webb and putting up over 800 yards in a game a season ago. But the defense has been equally porous, surrendering 52 points and more than 600 yards in a wild week one loss after blowing a 35-7 lead.
That sets the stage for a fascinating test against a Wake Forest team still trying to find its footing under new coach Jake Dickert. The Demon Deacons squeaked past Kennesaw State, 10-9, in their opener, raising questions about whether they’re ripe for the taking against a high-octane FCS foe.
Western has never beaten an FBS opponent (0-63 all time, including 0-34 against the ACC), but nearly shocked NC State a year ago, carrying a 21-17 lead into the fourth quarter before falling 38-21. The Catamounts will be without preseason All-American quarterback Taron Dickens for another week, per reports, yet recent history suggests they won’t be intimidated under the lights in Winston-Salem.
Week 2 Threads🪡🟣⚪️🟣#NoExcuses #LOTE pic.twitter.com/1MzC7gx9JK — Western Carolina Football (@CatamountsFB) September 5, 2025
Runnin’ Bulldogs Ride Momentum into Atlanta
Gardner-Webb (1-0) at Georgia Tech (1-0) | Saturday, Sept. 6. | 3:30 p.m. | ACC Network Extra
If Gardner-Webb carries the same fight it showed in Cullowhee, the Bulldogs could be another dangerous underdog. GWU pulled off one of the wildest wins in program history last weekend, erasing a 28-point deficit to stun nationally ranked Western Carolina, 52-45. Quarterback Nate Hampton accounted for six touchdowns in his first start in four years, earning national FCS Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Head coach Cris Reisert praised his team’s resiliency, noting the “no flinch” mentality during the comeback. Now the Bulldogs head to Georgia Tech, an ACC contender with speed and depth across the board. Reisert has reminded his players that GWU nearly pulled off an upset in their only other trip to Atlanta, a 10-7 loss to the Yellow Jackets in 2008.
With Hampton emerging as a steady dual-threat leader and GWU’s confidence riding high, Saturday could offer another chance for the Bulldogs to hang around against a bigger-name opponent.
Eagles Take Their Shot at ODU
NCCU (1-1) at Old Dominion (0-1) | Saturday, Sept. 6 | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
North Carolina Central (1-1) makes its first true road trip of the season Saturday, traveling to a place it likes to recruit, the Hampton Roads area. The Eagles are familiar with the FBS challenge — this will be their fourth under head coach Trei Oliver — but they’re still chasing that breakthrough win.
NCCU dropped its home opener to New Hampshire last week, 27-10, but running back Chris Mosley continued his breakout start with 106 yards on 19 carries. The sophomore is averaging 144 rushing yards per game, tops in the MEAC, after a 182-yard MVP performance in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge against Southern.
Quarterback Walker Harris added 172 passing yards against UNH, spreading the ball to six different receivers, while safety Tomondray Braxton led the defense with 10 tackles. Up front, defensive lineman Thomas Johnson remains a force, already with 2.5 sacks through two games.
The Eagles face an ODU squad (0-1) that lost 27-14 at No. 20 Indiana last week but returns several key playmakers, including quarterback Colton Joseph (22 total TDs in 2024) and linebacker Jason Henderson, a two-time All-American and national award candidate. The Monarchs went 5-7 last season with four wins over eventual bowl teams.
NCCU is 13-15 on the road in Oliver’s tenure and has proven capable of delivering in non-conference games—19 wins since 2019, including upsets of Elon, New Hampshire and Jackson State. To notch its first FBS win under Oliver, Central will need Mosley’s ground game to keep the offense balanced, the veteran offensive line to control tempo and the defense to limit Joseph’s dual-threat explosiveness.
Camels take two-QB show to ECU
Campbell (0-1) at East Carolina (0-1) | Saturday, Sept. 6 | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
Campbell heads to Greenville for the first of two FBS tests with a little swagger after pushing No. 9 Rhode Island for three quarters. The Camels led at halftime and entering the fourth and did it with a creative two-QB mix: Mike Chandler II as a dynamic runner/utility piece and Kamden Sixkiller as the steadier passer.
Braxton Harris liked the identity-building signs (a 16-play, 90-yard, 8:30 drive) and the run defense (held URI to 109 rushing yards), but he hammered finishing and limiting opponent explosives as the Week 2 mandates. Expect Chandler’s motion/usage to stress ECU’s leverage rules again, while Sixkiller tests the edges off play-action.
ECU will be looking to bounce back after letting the rematch with NC State slip away. QB Katin Houser could be a handful for the Campbell defense.
Improved Aggies Aim to Shock UCF
NC A&T (0-1) at Central Florida (1-0) | Saturday, Sept. 6 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
North Carolina A&T nearly gave new head coach Shawn Gibbs a storybook debut last week, falling 24-21 at Tennessee State only after a blocked field goal in the final seconds. Statistically, the Aggies had the edge, but three explosive plays allowed proved costly. Linebacker Joshua Iseah was everywhere, earning CAA Defensive Player of the Week with 10 tackles, three TFLs and a key interception.
On offense, Gibbs may have a quarterback decision brewing. Veteran Champ Long started, but freshman Braxton Thomas came off the bench to complete 11-of-13 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown, while also running for another score. Gibbs praised Thomas’ “efficiency and toughness” but made it clear both QBs remain in the mix heading into Week 2.
The challenge now ratchets up against UCF in Orlando, where Scott Frost has returned to the sideline but the Knights struggled in their opener, eking past Jacksonville State 17-10. Gibbs says the formula is simple: eliminate self-inflicted mistakes and make UCF earn every yard. “We’re not going into any game defeated,” he said. “We’ll compete our butts off and let the chips fall where they may.”
NC A&T was the most recent North Carolina FCS team to beat an FBS opponent, downing East Carolina 28-23 in 2018.
Phoenix, Wildcats Seeking First Win of 2025
Davidson (0-1) at Elon (0-1) | Saturday, Sept. 6 | 6 p.m. | FloCollege
The lone FCS vs. FCS game in our state will feature Elon and Davidson renewing acquaintances. Elon (0-1) showed flashes in its season opener at Duke, going into halftime tied 10-10 before the Blue Devils pulled away late. Redshirt freshman quarterback Landen Clark handled the moment with poise, completing 10-of-16 passes for 101 yards and leading the team with 61 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Coach Tony Trisciani praised Clark’s efficiency and competitive edge, noting, “The moment was never too big for him… once he got flowing, I felt like he was really comfortable out there,” he said earlier this week.
The return of sophomore running back TJ Thomas Jr. also gave the Phoenix a boost. Thomas, a 2024 Freshman All-American who missed part of last season with injury, ripped off a 44-yard run and added a 46-yard kickoff return against Duke. Tight end Dylan Maggard and All-American punter Jeff Yurk provide additional playmakers to watch.
Davidson (0-1) fell hard in its opener against Georgetown, 51-14, but first-year head coach Saj Thakkar inherits a roster with proven talent. Running backs Mari Adams and Mason Sheron, both preseason all-conference picks, headline a group that returns nine starters on offense.
The Wildcats also carry history into Rhodes Stadium. They hold a 16-3 advantage in the all-time series, though Elon has taken the last three matchups, including a 26-23 thriller in spring 2021.
This game stands apart on a Saturday where the state’s other five FCS programs all step into FBS “money games.” For Elon, it’s about defending home turf and setting the tone for CAA play. For Davidson, it’s a chance to make progress and possibly notch a statement win under a new regime.
Our Take: FBS Teams Should Take Upset Alert Seriously
We were a lot more confident about Western Carolina’s potential to knock off Wake Forest when the Catamounts were humming up 35-7 against Gardner-Webb early Saturday evening. The eventual historic loss, plus the apparent unavailability of preseason all-conference quarterback Taron Dickens, gives us a lot more pause on a bold prediction now. But it would not be a shocker to see WCU prevail (finally!) against an FBS team.
We’d give North Carolina Central the next highest odds for an FBS upset. And maybe there is some magic dust floating around Boiling Springs these days, and Gardner-Webb can catch Georgia Tech looking ahead to next week’s home date against No. 8 Clemson.
Campbell actually leads the all-time series against ECU 3-2. But all three Camel wins came in the 1930s before the school abandoned its program from 1951-2007. The Pirates have won the only meeting of the modern era, 49-10 in 2022.
👉 Fans can follow along with all of Saturday’s FCS vs. FBS action right here at NC Football News. We’ll have coverage of the key matchups as they unfold, plus you can keep track of every result on our Week 2 North Carolina college football scoreboard.
