Durham: NCCU beats Norfolk State 29-28
Joshua Jones found Mehki Wall for a 26-yard score with 27 seconds left. North Carolina Central is 5-5 and 3-0 in the MEAC.
By Alexandru Stanciu · Published
What we know
Confirmed
- North Carolina Central beat Norfolk State 29-28 on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at William "Dick" Price Stadium in Norfolk, Va.Confirmed by NCCU Athletics recap and scoring summary; HBCU Sports; HBCU Gameday
- The line score was North Carolina Central 7, 0, 10 and 12, and Norfolk State 14, 7, 0 and 7. After the game, NCCU is 5-5 overall and 3-0 in the MEAC. Norfolk State is 4-6 and 0-3.Confirmed by NCCU Athletics recap scoreboard; HBCU Sports; HBCU Gameday
- Norfolk State led 28-17 early in the fourth quarter. Jalyn Daniels scored on a 13-yard run at 14:54. Joshua Jones then ran 7 yards with 11:20 left, at the end of a seven-play, 75-yard drive. The kick after that run hit the right upright, and the score was 28-23.Confirmed by NCCU Athletics scoring summary and recap; HBCU Sports for the 28-17 deficit and the 7-yard run
- John Clifford Jr. recovered a Deljay Bailey fumble and advanced it to the Norfolk State 37, setting up the winning series. The scoring summary lists that series as five plays and 37 yards. The recap narrative says six plays. This story uses five.Confirmed by NCCU Athletics recap and scoring summary; HBCU Gameday, which also names Clifford on the recovery at the 37
- Jones threw 26 yards to Mehki Wall with 27 seconds left. The NCCU roster, the scoring line and the stat line spell the receiver Mehki. The recap's first sentence spells the name Mekhi once, then uses Mehki. HBCU Sports and HBCU Gameday use Mehki. The two-point try after the catch did not count.Confirmed by NCCU Athletics roster, recap and scoring summary; HBCU Sports; HBCU Gameday
- Norfolk State missed a 37-yard field goal after that score. HBCU Sports and HBCU Gameday name the kicker Marco Peery and say four seconds remained. The school recap states the distance and the miss, and does not print the kicker's name or the four-second clock.Confirmed by NCCU Athletics recap; HBCU Sports; HBCU Gameday
- Jones accounted for four touchdowns, three by pass and one by rush. The official leaders list 16 completions for 156 yards, three touchdown passes and two interceptions. Gino Addison rushed for 174 yards on 18 carries, an average of 9.7. NCCU finished with 377 total yards, including 221 on the ground. Norfolk State finished with 391.Confirmed by NCCU Athletics game notes and leaders; HBCU Sports; HBCU Gameday
- NCCU's recap says the win is head coach Trei Oliver's 50th, and that the Eagles are tied with South Carolina State for first in the MEAC. Both are 3-0 in league play. NCCU plays at South Carolina State on Saturday, Nov. 14, in Orangeburg, S.C. The recap lists kickoff at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+.Confirmed by NCCU Athletics recap; HBCU Sports and HBCU Gameday for the first-place tie and the Orangeburg game, without the 1:30 p.m. or ESPN+ line
Still unknown
- A pass-attempt total for Jones. The leaders block lists 16 completions and does not print attempts. A 28-attempt figure on HBCU Gameday is not used
- The clock on a late Gino Addison fumble. HBCU Sports and HBCU Gameday both describe one before Bailey's fumble, and they do not print the same time
- Whether an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty followed the winning score. The HBCU write-ups do not agree on that detail, and the school recap does not describe one
- South Carolina State's overall record. It is not taken from a single HBCU Gameday line
What happened
In Durham, readers following North Carolina Central got a road result that kept the Eagles level with South Carolina State in the MEAC.
North Carolina Central beat Norfolk State 29-28 on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at William "Dick" Price Stadium in Norfolk, Va. NCCU is 5-5 overall and 3-0 in conference play. Norfolk State is 4-6 and 0-3. The school scoreboard lists that final. HBCU Sports and HBCU Gameday report the same score and the same records.
This site covered the 34-0 win over Howard on Oct. 31. Saturday was the next league game.
How the lead changed
The quarters were 7, 0, 10 and 12 for the Eagles, and 14, 7, 0 and 7 for the Spartans. The half on that line score was 7-21. HBCU Gameday also describes a 21-7 halftime lead for Norfolk State. One sentence in the NCCU recap says the half was 21-3. The line score does not, so this account uses 7-21.
Norfolk State led 28-17 early in the fourth quarter. Jalyn Daniels ran 13 yards at 14:54 on the scoring summary. Joshua Jones answered with a 7-yard run, capping seven plays and 75 yards, with 11:20 left. NCCU's write-up says the kick after that run hit the right upright. The score was 28-23.
The same write-up says defensive back John Clifford Jr. recovered a fumble by Deljay Bailey and took the ball to the Norfolk State 37. That recovery set up the winning series. The scoring summary lists five plays and 37 yards. The narrative says six plays. The summary is the figure used here. HBCU Gameday also names Clifford on the recovery at the 37.
Jones then found Mehki Wall from 26 yards, with 27 seconds left. The roster on nccueaglepride.com spells Wall's first name Mehki, and so do the scoring line and the receiving line. The recap's opening sentence uses Mekhi once and Mehki after that. Both HBCU stories use Mehki. This account uses Mehki.
The two-point try after the catch did not count. The final was 29-28. Norfolk State missed a 37-yard field goal to end it, the school recap says. HBCU Sports and HBCU Gameday both name kicker Marco Peery and put four seconds on the clock for that miss.
Those two outlets also write that Gino Addison lost a fumble late, and that Norfolk State then lost the ball on Bailey's fumble. They do not give one shared time for Addison's fumble, so none is printed here.
The numbers
Jones accounted for four touchdowns, three passing and one rushing. NCCU's game notes say that ties his career high. The leaders list 16 completions for 156 yards, three scoring throws and two interceptions. An attempts number is not on that leaders block, so none is used.
Addison carried 18 times for 174 yards, 9.7 a carry. North Carolina Central finished with 377 yards, 221 of them rushing. Norfolk State finished with 391.
The recap says the result is head coach Trei Oliver's 50th career win, and that NCCU is tied with South Carolina State atop the MEAC. Each is 3-0 in league games.
What's next
The Eagles play at South Carolina State on Saturday, Nov. 14, in Orangeburg, S.C. NCCU's recap lists a 1:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+.
More Triangle sports is on this site. Durham stories are collected on the county page.
Triangle Local is not NCCU or Norfolk State.
Related coverage
Photos
Text-only. No athletics or outlet photographs are used here.
Why it matters
NCCU is Durham's FCS football program. Saturday's road win kept the Eagles unbeaten in MEAC play and tied for first before a trip to South Carolina State.
Sources
- Late Score Gives Eagles Comeback Win Over Spartans (NCCU Athletics recap, Nov. 7, 2026, 9:17 p.m.: 29-28 at William "Dick" Price Stadium; 5-5, 3-0 MEAC and 4-6, 0-3; Jones to Wall for 26 yards with 27 seconds left; Clifford fumble recovery to the 37; missed 37-yard field goal; Jones four touchdowns; Addison 174 yards on 18 carries; Oliver's 50th win; tied with South Carolina State; next at Orangeburg, Saturday, Nov. 14, 1:30 p.m., ESPN+. The opening sentence spells the receiver Mekhi once. The scoring line and later copy use Mehki. A 21-3 halftime sentence in the narrative is not used. The line score is 7-21 at the half. Text-only. No athletics photos used.)
Official sourcePublished by NCCU Athletics · Checked Nov 8, 2026, 12:17 PM
- 2026 Football Roster (Mehki Wall, No. 1, wide receiver, fifth year, Greensboro, N.C.)
Official sourcePublished by NCCU Athletics · Checked Nov 8, 2026, 12:17 PM
- North Carolina Central rallies for wild win at Norfolk State to remain unbeaten in MEAC play (HBCU Sports / Chris Stevens, Nov. 7, 2026: 29-28; Mehki Wall 26-yard catch with 27 seconds left; 5-5, 3-0 MEAC; trailed 28-17; Jones 7-yard run to make it 28-23; Jones 156 passing yards and three touchdown passes plus a rushing score; Addison 174 yards on 18 carries; Marco Peery missed a 37-yard field goal with four seconds left; next Saturday at South Carolina State in Orangeburg, both 3-0 in the MEAC. Text-only. No HBCU Sports images used.)
Third-party sourcePublished by HBCU Sports · Checked Nov 8, 2026, 12:17 PM
- NCCU escapes Norfolk State in final seconds of MEAC Thriller (HBCU Gameday / Tolly Carr, Nov. 7, 2026: 29-28 at William "Dick" Price Stadium; Mehki Wall 26-yard score with 27 seconds left; 5-5, 3-0; halftime 21-7; 28-17 early in the fourth; Jones 7-yard run and a missed extra point, 28-23 with 11:20 left; Clifford recovered at the Norfolk State 37; Peery missed from 37 yards with four seconds left; Addison 174 on 18, 9.7 a carry; 221 rushing yards; Jones 156 yards, three touchdown passes and two interceptions; Wall four catches for 38 yards; team totals 377 and 391; Norfolk State 4-6, 0-3. A 16-of-28 passing line and a 25-yard field-goal miss are not used. Text-only. No HBCU Gameday images used.)
Third-party sourcePublished by HBCU Gameday · Checked Nov 8, 2026, 12:17 PM
More from Durham County
Durham County newsRelated stories
File photo
Chapel Hill: Louisville beats UNC 16-14
Louisville won 16-14 Saturday night at Kenan Stadium. The third quarter had no points. Carson Hilbert made three field goals. Benjamin Hall scored both Tar Heel touchdowns.
.jpg?width=800)
File photo
Raleigh: Syracuse beats NC State 34-31
Syracuse won 34-31 Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Wolfpack led 28-13 in the third quarter. Calvin Russell III finished with 17 catches. The box lists 53,948 in the stands.
File photo
Durham: Fayetteville State beats Virginia State 31-29
The Broncos rallied from 21-0 in the first CIAA Friday Night Blitz at Durham County Memorial Stadium. The CIAA release lists a 30-yard field goal and records of 8-3 and 7-4.