title image Doug Burt
Courtesy of North Carolina Central Athletics
The North Carolina Central University football team will kick off the 2024 season on Sunday in the Denny’s Orange Blossom Classic at Hard Rock Stadium, taking on Alabama State.
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m., live on ESPN.
Series History: This will be the first-ever meeting between the Eagles and the Hornets.
2023 in Review: The Eagles went 9-3 last season, going 4-1 in MEAC play and earning the program’s first-ever bid to the NCAA FCS Playoffs. 2023 marked NCCU’s second straight season with nine or more wins, and their third straight winning campaign.
Alabama State went 7-4 last season, winning six of its last seven games to miss out on appearing in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship game. The Hornets are in their third season under head coach Eddie Robinson, Jr.
Season Openers: The Eagles are 46-51-1 all-time in season openers and 3-1 under head coach Trei Oliver. Prior to the 2021 season, the Eagles had lost their last four season openers.
The Coaches: Trei Oliver (N.C. Central, 1998) is in his fifth season as a college head coach. With 24 years of college coaching experience that includes five conference championships and three Black college football national titles, Oliver returned to his alma mater as North Carolina Central’s 24th head football coach in December 2018. A native of Yorktown, Va., Oliver earned all-conference and all-region honors as a defensive back and punter during his four-year playing career at NCCU from 1994-97. The 1998 graduate later returned to NCCU as an assistant coach from 2003-06, helping the Eagles to back-to-back Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championships in 2005 and 2006. Oliver is 29-19 in four seasons as NCCU’s head coach.
Eddie Robinson Jr. (Alabama State, 1994) is in his third season as head coach. As a player, he led Alabama State to the 1991 SWAC and Black College National Championship. He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in 1992, spending 11 seasons in the NFL from 1992-2002. Houston Oilers (1992-95), Jacksonville Jaguars (1996-97), Tennessee Titans (1998-2001) and Buffalo Bills (2002); appearing in Super Bowl XXXIV with the Titans in 2000. He finished his career with 850 tackles, 23 sacks and six interceptions.
NCCU the MEAC Favorite: The 2022 MEAC champion and HBCU national champion Eagles were selected as the preseason favorite to win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) for the second straight season.
Four Eagles made the preseason first team: Trevon Humphrey (OL), Jaden Taylor (DL), Kole Jones (DB) and Juan Velarde (P/K). Four more Eagles were on the second team list: J’Mari Taylor (RB), Joaquin Davis (WR), Ja’Quan Sprinkle (OL), and Max U’Ren (LB).
Nationally, NCCU is receiving votes in both the Stats Perform FCS and AFCA Coaches polls.
Eagles vs. The SWAC: Since the Eagles rejoined the MEAC in 2010, they are 3-3 against teams from the SWAC (this does not include games played against Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M while they were members of the MEAC). Oliver is 3-1 all-time against the SWAC as a head coach.
Non-Conference Success: Under Oliver, the Eagles are 14-10 against non-conference opponents – including an 11-3 mark over the last two seasons. NCCU has three Top 25 wins in that span, defeating No. 25 Elon (2023), No. 25 New Hampshire (2022) and No. 5 Jackson State (2022).
A North Carolina State of Mind: NCCU’s emphasis on recruiting talent in North Carolina is demonstrated with 63 Eagles calling the Tar Heel state their home out of the 110 student-athletes on the team’s season-opening roster (63%).
Eagles in NFL Venues: Since 2000, NCCU has played in NFL venues 10 times with a 8-2 record. During that time, NCCU’s only losses were in the Georgia Dome (2016, 2010).
- Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis Colts (Sept. 23, 2023 vs. Mississippi Valley St. – W, 45-3)
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta Falcons (Dec. 17, 2022 vs. Jackson State – W, 41-34 OT)
- Bank of America Stadium – Carolina Panthers (Sept. 3, 2022 vs. N.C. A&T – W 28-13)
- Georgia Dome – Atlanta Falcons (Dec. 17, 2016 vs. Grambling – L, 9-10)
- Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis Colts (Oct. 6, 2012 vs. S.C. State – W, 40-10)
- Cleveland Browns Stadium (Sept. 10, 2011 vs. Central State – W, 42-3)
- Georgia Dome – Atlanta Falcons (Oct. 16, 2010 vs. Georgia State – L, 17-20 OT)
- Giants Stadium – New York Giants (Sept. 15, 2007 vs. Elizabeth City State – W, 18-10)
- Ericsson Stadium – Carolina Panthers (Nov. 4, 2001 vs. Johnson C. Smith – W, 34-3)
- Veterans Stadium – Philadelphia Eagles (Sept. 30, 2000 vs. Morris Brown – W, 19-16)
