The 2025 FCS football season is fast approaching, so we’re going inside each conference race. With North Carolina Central and defending champion South Carolina State leading the way, here’s our MEAC football preview.
When it comes to winning the offseason, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference did just that amid the 23 head coaching hires in FCS college football.
Norfolk State and Delaware State gained national attention by hiring former NFL standouts Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson, respectively, for their first collegiate coaching positions. The two schools made such a splash that their 2025 matchup was moved from Delaware State to Oct. 30 at their old stomping grounds where they were teammates, Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Of course, the goal in MEAC football is to win the regular season more than the offseason – something that’s being passed around. A different team has advanced to the Celebration Bowl as champion in three straight seasons: North Carolina Central (2022), Howard (2023) and South Carolina State (2024).
Following is a preview of the upcoming MEAC football season:
Predicted Order of Finish
*-Celebration Bowl Qualifier
1. *North Carolina Central (8-3, 4-1) – Coach Trei Oliver’s squad garnered a MEAC-high eight players on the preseason all-conference first team (in contrast, South Carolina State had one). Lefty quarterback Walker Harris, who’s thrown for 23 touchdowns against just six interceptions over the last two seasons, will operate behind a veteran, Trevon Humphrey-anchored offensive line. The defense boasts All-American Malcolm Reed and Jelani Vassell in the secondary and steady linebacker Max U’Ren (157 career tackles). Last season, the Eagles ranked No. 1 in the MEAC in scoring offense and defense, total defense, rushing offense and passing defense.
2. South Carolina State (9-3, 5-0) – The defending champion is replacing numerous key players from coach Chennis Berry’s first season, including quarterback Eric Phoenix, the MEAC offensive player of the year. Ryan Stubblefield stepped in for an injured Phoenix to guide the Norfolk State win (305 total yards, four total TDs) last season, and Billy Atkins has transferred in from James Madison. Defensive back Jarod Washington was the lone Bulldog on the MEAC preseason first team, while offensive lineman Roger Smith and defensive line Josh Parker were named to the second team.
Expected win-loss projections for MEAC football teams in the 2025 regular season, according to Opta Analyst advanced data. (Graphic by Graham Bell)3. Morgan State (6-6, 3-2) – If something comes in threes, then the Bears have hit the limit, having finished third or tied for third in three straight seasons. A move higher in the standings would come behind the MEAC preseason offensive players of the year, running back Jason Collins Jr. and All-America linebacker Erick Hunter, who is back to the health that allowed him to help anchor the MEAC’s top defense in 2023. The “D” (including safety Jadon Carter, linebacker Arturo Mattocks and tackle Dashawn Fields) is still the team’s strength. But there’s also top special teams, including punt returner Malique Leatherbury.
4. Norfolk State (4-8, 2-3) – South Florida transfer QB Isreal Carter will be mentored by new coach Michael Vick while also gaining strong offensive weapons in RB Kevon King (161 carries, 944 yards, 10 TDs) and wide receiver Kam’Ryn Thomas. Linebacker Daylan King headlines the defense, having last year became the first Spartan in over a decade to record two defensive TDs in the same season. That was part of their plus-14 turnover margin, which ranked second in the FCS to national champ North Dakota State.
5. Howard (4-8, 1-4) – The Bison’s drop-off last year from their 2023 MEAC championship season was surprising. They’ll try to regroup behind QB Ja’Shawn Scroggins, who twice surpassed 100 rushing yards in a game. They had four players named to the MEAC preseason first team: RB Eden James (400+ rushing yards in three straight seasons); OL Tim Artis Jr.; and D-linemen Noah Miles and Ishaun Abdul-Ali. The latter pair will welcome in freshman Xavier Newsom up front.
6. Delaware State (1-11, 0-5) – New coach DeSean Jackson takes over a Hornets team that has lost 12 straight MEAC games since 2022. There’s experience in the offensive skills position with former Sacramento State QB Kaiden Bennett, who led a 2023 FCS playoff win, the expected new starter, 2022 and ’23 running back Marquis Gillis (1,308 career rushing yards) returning from injury to replace 1,200-yard rusher Jaden Sutton, and WR NyGhee Lolley coming off a 40-catch season. They’ll need stronger line play after allowing 45 sacks and gaining just seven by their defenders. D-tackle Marquis Brunson made the MEAC preseason first team.
How the MEAC Predicted the Race
Defending champ South Carolina State favored in a tight @MEACSports preseason poll. pic.twitter.com/T0rbMxAutS
— FCS Football (@OptaAnalystFCS) July 22, 2025Five Players to Watch
Jason Collins Jr., RB, Morgan State – The MEAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year found a late-season grove while earning the conference’s 2024 rookie award, including games with 166 and 203 yards from scrimmage. Erick Hunter, LB, Morgan State (Buck Buchanan Award preseason nominee) – The MEAC’s preseason defensive player of the year is a big-game player when healthy, collecting 11 tackles against Richmond, North Carolina Central and Howard in 2023. Kevon King, RB, Norfolk State (Walter Payton Award preseason nominee) – King’s 944 rushing yards last season were the sixth-most in the Spartans’ Division I era (since 1997). He averaged 5.9 yards per carry (none of the others averaged even 5.0). Noah Miles, DL, Howard – In a breakout junior season, Miles had 11.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He was on the All-America preseason third team as well as the HBCU National Player of the Year preseason watch list. Malcolm Reed, DB, North Carolina Central (Buck Buchanan Award preseason nominee) – Reed often puts his lanky frame to disruptive use, including two interceptions and a fumble return for a TD last season.Must-See Matchups
MEAC: South Carolina State at North Carolina Central (Nov. 15) – The Celebration Bowl bid could be at stake, with five of the last seven meetings decided by five or fewer points. Nonconference: North Carolina Central vs. Southern (Aug. 23 in Atlanta) – NCCU provided the conference’s last win in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge in 2021. FBS: Norfolk State at Rutgers (Sept. 13) – NSU won’t nab its first FBS triumph, but the New York-area media will give plenty of attention to the Spartans and their new coach.MEAC Football Fast Fact
In the series between the two FCS HBCU conferences, MEAC teams are 11-7 in the season-opening MEAC-SWAC Challenge and 6-3 in the season-ending Celebration Bowl. But the MEAC has slumped since its leads stood at 11-4 and 6-1, respectively.
(Here’s an index page to the 2025 FCS Conference Previews)
Graphic by Matt Sisneros.Top photo, from left, from NCCU, Norfolk State and Morgan State Athletics.
For more FCS football coverage, follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
MEAC Football Predictions: NCCU Eagles Have the Talent to Unseat South Carolina State Opta Analyst.
Hence then, the article about meac football predictions nccu eagles have the talent to unseat south carolina state was published today ( ) and is available on The Analyst ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( MEAC Football Predictions: NCCU Eagles Have the Talent to Unseat South Carolina State )
Also on site :
- My Wife Doesn’t Know I Watched Her Cheat On Me. My Reaction Might Shock Us Both.
- The Good Ship Murder Christmas special cast: Meet the characters
- 10-day grace period to rectify rental price increase violations