College football time for FCS, D2 schools
Two teams are nationally ranked, one of them for the first time in preseason.
Two more are facing a nationally ranked opponents in their openers.
And one of the teams visiting the Charlotte area is led by a former East Lincoln High standout.
The Charlotte area’s Football Championship Subdivision and Division 2 college football teams open their seasons this weekend – a week ahead of most of the nation’s FBS teams.
The action begins Thursday night, with nationally-ranked Wingate traveling to UNC Pembroke; Davidson hosting Concord (WV); and Gardner-Webb visiting nationally-ranked Austin Peay.
On Friday night, Lenoir-Rhyne opens at home against nationally-ranked Virginia Union.
And on Saturday, nationally-ranked Johnson C. Smith visits Benedict College, while Catawba travels to Ferrum College.
Here is a preview of the three-day college football weekend:
THURSDAY
#19 WINGATE at UNC PEMBROKE
Details: 6 p.m., Grace P. Johnson Stadium, Pembroke.
Scouting Wingate: The Bulldogs reached the NCAA Division 2 playoffs last season, but their top three offensive players are elsewhere this fall. Quarterback Elijah Holmes (3,040 passing yards) transferred to Buffalo. Running back Xavier Pugh (1,042 yards) moved to Towson. And receiver Jaylen Himes (1,174 yards) transferred to Southern Miss.
No problem … the Bulldogs reloaded. Running back Ethan Wallace is expected to be a key part of the offense, and rival coaches believe Wingate’s attack will be strong again.
The defense is very strong, led by senior defensive back Brandon Perry of Porter Ridge High. Perry had 30 tackles and two interceptions last season.
Wingate is the preseason South Atlantic Conference favorite.
Scouting UNC Pembroke: The Braves were 8-3 and lost in the Conference Carolinas championship game a year ago. Coach Mark Hall has 33 first-year high school recruits on his roster.
Hall’s team returns several key offensive players from a year ago and is picked to finish second in the conference.
GARDNER-WEBB at #17 AUSTIN PEAY
Details: 7 p.m., Fortera Stadium, Clarksville, TN (ESPN+)
Scouting Gardner-Webb: It’s the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ debut under new head coach Kris McCullough, who arrived from UT Permian Basin. McCullough’s team is picked fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference and will have two key offensive weapons back from a year ago – quarterback Cole Pennington (son of former NFL player Chad Pennington) and running back Carson Gresock, the conference’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
Scouting Austin Peay: The Governors are led by quarterback Chris Parsen, who was the United Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year last season. Austin Peay has one of the most explosive offenses in FCS. Returnees include players responsible for 79 percent of last year’s rushing yardage and 72 percent of the passing yardage.
Game history: Gardner-Webb is 2-1 all-time against Austin Peay, but the Governors won their last meeting, 41-14 in 2023.
CONCORD at DAVIDSON
Details: 7 p.m., Richardson Stadium, Davidson (ESPN+)
Scouting Concord: The Mountain Lions are coming off a 4-7 season but have 12 returning starters. One of them is quarterback Tyler Mizzell, a sophomore from East Lincoln High. Mizzell was named to the all-Mountain East second team a year ago, after throwing for 2,889 yards and 26 touchdowns. He originally signed with Wake Forest but transferred to Concord after a redshirt season.
By the way, Concord has 12 Charlotte-area players on its roster.
Scouting Davidson: The Wildcats are trying to recover from a 2-10 campaign in 2025 but are returning many key performers on both sides of the ball. A key to the attack will be Hough High product Will Jones, a junior who will start at running back. Jones rushed for 127 yards in limited appearances last season.
Of note: Davidson has lost its last five season-openers. This is only the fourth Thursday game in Davidson’s 128-year football history.
FRIDAY
#14 VIRGINIA UNION at LENOIR-RHYNE
Details: 6 p.m., Moretz Stadium, Hickory.
Scouting Virginia Union: The Panthers could be a defensive juggernaut, led by linebacker Ahmad Ross, who had 86 tackles last season. Virginia Union is trying to bounce back from a disappointing finish in 2025, as the Panthers lost to Johnson C. Smith in the CIAA Championship and then dropped a narrow decision in the first round of the NCAA Division 2 playoffs.
Scouting Lenoir-Rhyne: First, the bad news. Quarterback Khamoni Robinson, the Monroe High grad who threw for 2,391 yards and 20 touchdowns with Lenoir-Rhyne last fall, has moved to Toledo. The good news: third-year head coach Doug Socha landed a strong recruiting class and has a potentially powerful ground game, behind running backs Tye Roberson and L.J. Turner.
SATURDAY
#23 JOHNSON C. SMITH AT BENEDICT
Details: 5 p.m., Charlie Johnson Stadium, Columbia.
Scouting Johnson C. Smith: Coming off their first CIAA championship in a half-century, the Golden Bulls have their first preseason top-25 ranking. Keys to the offense will be running back Bobby Smith (934 yards, nine touchdowns in 2025) and wide receiver Brian Lane (42 catches for 628 yards).
Three offensive linemen were named to the preseason all-CIAA team, so the Golden Bulls have the ability to block for Smith.
Scouting Benedict: The Tigers will provide a stern opening test for Johnson C. Smith. Benedict is picked to finish second in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and are coming off a 10-3 season and a run to the second round of the NCAA Division 2 playoffs.
They have three offensive linemen picked on the preseason all-SIAC team.
CATAWBA at FERRUM
Details: 6 p.m., W.B. Adams Stadium, Ferrum, Va.
Scouting Catawba: The Indians are coming off a 7-4 season that included a 45-13 rout of Ferrum in Salisbury. Coach Tyler Haines’ team is picked to finish sixth in the South Atlantic Conference.
Leading players include three from the Charlotte area – defensive end Braylon Baker of Jay M. Robinson; defensive back Luke Raykovicz of Marvin Ridge; and offensive lineman Sean McFarland of Marvin Ridge. Baker had 39 tackles and two fumble recoveries last season.
Scouting Ferrum: Quarterback Eli Foutz, who passed for nearly 1,400 yards last season, returns to lead the Panthers’ offense. Ferrum is a member of Conference Carolinas.
