North Carolina Central football homecoming will look a little different this fall.
The Eagles released their 2026 football schedule, which includes 12 games and a variety of opponents.
One of them is William & Mary, which will visit Durham for the first time as part of NCCU’s homecoming celebration.
It will be the first time NC Central has not played an HBCU on homecoming since 2007, when the Eagles hosted North Greenville University.
What other opponents will NC Central play in 2026?
The Eagles will open the season on the road for the third consecutive year, traveling to Houston to face Texas Southern in the program’s first meeting.
The matchup continues a recent trend for NCCU, marking the fifth straight season the team has faced a Southwestern Athletic Conference opponent.
Head coach Trei Oliver announced the schedule on Wednesday, noting that the Eagles will host six home games at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium — the most since 2017.
The home slate includes contests against Elizabeth City State, North Carolina A&T, Campbell, William & Mary, Howard, and Morgan State.
The North Carolina Central-NC A&T matchup returns to Durham on Sept. 12 for its 98th edition, as NCCU aims for a fifth straight victory over rival A&T.
The Campbell game will be the athletics department’s Hall of Fame matchup, while William & Mary will visit Durham for the first time as part of NCCU’s Homecoming celebration.
NCCU finished the 2025 season with an 8-4 record under Oliver.
