Skip to content
Triangle Local

Durham, Durham County

Durham: NCCU opens MEAC play Friday at Delaware State

The Eagles are 2-5 after a 17-14 Homecoming loss to William & Mary. Kickoff at Alumni Stadium is 5 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.

ConfirmedThe main facts are confirmed by official or first-hand sources.

By Triangle Local Newsroom · Published

The downtown Durham skyline under an overcast sky

File photo: Discover Durham (CC BY 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know

Confirmed

  • North Carolina Central plays at Delaware State on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, at 5 p.m. Eastern at Alumni Stadium in Dover, Delaware. NCCU's Oct. 21 preview says the game is on ESPN2. The MEAC's August ESPN schedule listed the same Friday time and network.Confirmed by NCCU Athletics schedule and Oct. 21 preview; Delaware State Athletics schedule; MEAC ESPN schedule release
  • The game is NCCU's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener. The school's preview says it is the 32nd meeting, that NCCU leads the series 23-8, and that Delaware State won 35-26 in Durham last season. It says coach Trei Oliver is 5-1 against Delaware State.Confirmed by NCCU Athletics Oct. 21 preview
  • NCCU is 2-5 after a 17-14 Homecoming loss to William & Mary on Oct. 10 at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. The official schedule lists four straight losses to close non-conference play.Confirmed by NCCU Athletics schedule and Oct. 21 preview; NCCU Athletics William & Mary recap
  • Delaware State is 4-3. The Hornets' schedule lists a 34-0 home win over Franklin Pierce on Oct. 10. NCCU's preview matches that result and record.Confirmed by Delaware State Athletics 2026 football schedule; NCCU Athletics Oct. 21 preview
  • NCCU's next listed home game is Howard on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m. at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.Confirmed by NCCU Athletics 2026 football schedule
  • Campbell plays at Maine on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 1 p.m. Eastern at Morse Field at Harold Alfond Sports Stadium in Orono. Campbell's Oct. 22 preview says the game is on FloCollege and that the Camels are 6-1 after a 24-20 Homecoming win over Towson.Confirmed by Campbell Athletics schedule and Oct. 22 preview
  • UNC Pembroke hosts Chowan on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 3 p.m. at Grace P. Johnson Stadium in Pembroke. The school's Oct. 19 preview and schedule list the game as Homecoming and Senior Day.Confirmed by UNC Pembroke Athletics Oct. 19 preview and 2026 football schedule

Still unknown

  • Either team's injury report for Friday
  • UNC Pembroke's and Chowan's current records. The Oct. 19 UNCP preview listed 6-2 after a 59-0 win at Barton. The school's cumulative stats page, when checked Oct. 22, still showed 5-2 and did not list that Barton game

What happened

In Durham, North Carolina Central opens league play on the road Friday.

The Eagles play at Delaware State at 5 p.m. Eastern at Alumni Stadium in Dover. NCCU's Oct. 21 write-up lists ESPN2. The MEAC's August television list posted the same Friday time and network. Both schools' schedules list the 5 p.m. kickoff.

How they got here

NCCU is 2-5. William & Mary won 17-14 at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium during Homecoming on Oct. 10. That closed the Eagles' non-conference schedule. The official slate shows four losses in a row.

Delaware State is 4-3. The Hornets' schedule lists a 34-0 win over Franklin Pierce that same Saturday. NCCU's preview lists the same mark.

The write-up says Friday is the 32nd meeting, that NCCU leads 23-8, and that Delaware State won 35-26 in Durham last year. It also says coach Trei Oliver is 5-1 against the Hornets.

Friday

  • Kickoff: 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, Alumni Stadium, Dover
  • TV: ESPN2
  • Records: NCCU 2-5; Delaware State 4-3

NCCU then hosts Howard on Oct. 31 at 2 p.m., the schedule says.

Other local college games Saturday

These kickoffs are from each school's official pages:

  • Campbell at Maine, 1 p.m. Eastern, on FloCollege, at Morse Field in Orono. The Camels' Oct. 22 preview says they are 6-1 after a 24-20 Homecoming win over Towson.
  • UNC Pembroke hosts Chowan at 3 p.m. at Grace P. Johnson Stadium for Homecoming and Senior Day. UNCP's Oct. 19 preview and schedule agree on the time and place. They do not agree with the school's stats page on the Braves' record, so that number is left out here.

This site is not NCCU Athletics.

Why it matters

NCCU is Durham's FCS program. Friday starts league play on ESPN2 after a 2-5 non-conference finish.

Sources

  1. Eagles to Open MEAC Play at Delaware State (Oct. 21, 2026: 5 p.m., ESPN2, Alumni Stadium; series 23-8; Oliver 5-1 vs. DSU; NCCU 2-5; DSU 4-3 after 34-0 vs. Franklin Pierce)

    Official sourcePublished by NCCU Athletics · Checked Oct 22, 2026, 8:30 PM

  2. 2026 Football Schedule (2-5; at Delaware State, Friday, Oct. 23, 5 p.m., Alumni Stadium; vs. Howard, Oct. 31, 2 p.m.)

    Official sourcePublished by NCCU Athletics · Checked Oct 22, 2026, 8:30 PM

  3. 2026 Football Schedule (4-3; vs. North Carolina Central, Friday, Oct. 23, 5:00 PM, Alumni Stadium; Franklin Pierce W, 34-0)

    Official sourcePublished by Delaware State Athletics · Checked Oct 22, 2026, 8:30 PM

  4. Delaware State to Host NCCU Under the Lights Friday, October 23 on ESPN2 (MEAC ESPN schedule, Aug. 5, 2026: Oct. 23, 5 p.m., ESPN2)

    Official sourcePublished by Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (posted by Delaware State Athletics) · Checked Oct 22, 2026, 8:30 PM

  5. Eagles Drop Low-Scoring Homecoming Tilt vs. William & Mary

    Official sourcePublished by NCCU Athletics · Checked Oct 22, 2026, 8:30 PM

  6. No. 13 Campbell heads to Maine (Oct. 22, 2026: Saturday, Oct. 24, 1 p.m., Morse Field; FloCollege; 6-1 after 24-20 vs. Towson)

    Official sourcePublished by Campbell Athletics · Checked Oct 22, 2026, 8:30 PM

  7. 2026 Football Schedule (at Maine, Saturday, Oct. 24, 1:00 PM, Orono)

    Official sourcePublished by Campbell Athletics · Checked Oct 22, 2026, 8:30 PM

  8. Football Hosts Chowan For Homecoming Saturday (Oct. 19, 2026: Saturday, Oct. 24, 3 p.m. ET, Grace P. Johnson Stadium, Homecoming and Senior Day)

    Official sourcePublished by UNC Pembroke Athletics · Checked Oct 22, 2026, 8:30 PM

  9. 2026 Football Schedule (vs. Chowan, Saturday, Oct. 24, 3 p.m., Grace P. Johnson Stadium, Homecoming / Senior Day)

    Official sourcePublished by UNC Pembroke Athletics · Checked Oct 22, 2026, 8:30 PM

Related stories