North Carolina Central Football
North Carolina Central is an NCAA Division I FCS football program in the MEAC, based in Durham, NC. North Carolina Central moved up to FCS in 2026. The 2026 record stands at 4-5. The Cooper Predictor rates North Carolina Central at -1.3, No. 73 of 127 FCS teams and No. 2 of 6 in the MEAC. The model projects a 6-6 finish, with Playoff Odds of 0.6%. The model's pre-game picks are 6-2 in North Carolina Central games this season. Most recent result: beat Howard 34-0 on Oct 31. Next up: at Norfolk State on Nov 7 — the model projects North Carolina Central 31-28, giving North Carolina Central a 52% chance to win.
Open North Carolina Central in Cooper Predictor U →Updated Nov 2, 2026 · power ratings compare teams within NCAA Division I FCS.
2026 schedule, predictions & results
| Date | Opponent | Projection | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29 | @ Texas Southern | no pick on record | L 30-42 |
| Sep 5 | vs Elizabeth City State | W 52-20 97% ✓ | W 27-6 |
| Sep 12 | vs North Carolina A&T | W 38-14 94% ✓ | W 30-22 |
| Sep 19 | @ Gardner-Webb | L 21-34 25% ✓ | L 20-44 |
| Sep 26 | @ East Carolina | L 6-49 0% ✓ | L 9-42 |
| Oct 3 | vs Campbell | L 27-34 36% ✓ | L 31-38 |
| Oct 10 | vs William & Mary | W 35-28 67% ✗ | L 14-17 |
| Oct 23 | @ Delaware State | L 24-28 34% ✗ | W 31-12 |
| Oct 31 | vs Howard | W 28-24 61% ✓ | W 34-0 |
| Nov 7 | @ Norfolk State | W 31-28 52% | — |
| Nov 14 | @ South Carolina State | L 21-35 16% | — |
| Nov 21 | vs Morgan State | W 31-21 76% | — |
Projection = the model's pick, projected score and North Carolina Central's win probability. For games already played it is the pick frozen before kickoff, with ✓ or ✗ beside it — every pick stays public.
MEAC by power rating
| # | Team | 2026 | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  South Carolina State | 7-2 | +10.7 |
| 2 | North Carolina Central | 4-5 | -1.3 |
| 3 |  Delaware State | 5-4 | -4.2 |
| 4 |  Norfolk State | 4-5 | -4.4 |
| 5 |  Howard | 4-5 | -8.4 |
| 6 |  Morgan State | 5-4 | -8.5 |
High schools on the North Carolina Central roster
From publicly published rosters, for the high school states the Cooper Predictor covers. Some rosters do not list a high school, so a player may be missing.
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