Through the first half of the 2023 college football season, North Carolina Central will have played against more Coastal Athletic Association teams than some of the teams that actually play in that conference.

This week’s meeting with Elon will be the Eagles’ third game, and second consecutive, against a CAA opponent. 

North Carolina Central hails from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Eagles won 10 games last year, won the MEAC championship and closed out the year with an HBCU national title.

Last week, NCCU (4-0) picked up a 49-48 come-from-behind overtime win against CAA newcomer Campbell. The victory came down to a made PAT by senior Adrian Olivo, after the Eagles’ special teams unit blocked a similar attempt by Campbell.

It was redemption for Olivo, who had missed a 34-yard field goal attempt on the final play of regulation. 

• Subscribe To FloFootball To Watch All The CAA Football Action In 2023
• Elon Football In 2023: What To Know About The Phoenix
• Jaden Shirden, Dylan Laube Lead Running Backs To Watch In 2023 CAA Football

Earlier in the season, North Carolina Central defeated the CAA’s other new team, North Carolina A&T, 30-16.

Saturday’s top-25 meeting with the Eagles will be a one-game break from CAA play for the Phoenix, then Elon (3-2, 3-0) will close the year with five conference matchups. 

Including last week’s 14-6 win over reigning CAA co-champion William & Mary, the Phoenix have won a record eight consecutive games at home, a streak that extends back to 2021.

This year started shaky for Elon with a pair of nonconference losses, but the Phoenix have caught fire at the right time, rattling off three consecutive conference wins–North Carolina A&T, Campbell and William & Mary.

Last year, Elon finished tied for third in the CAA (with Richmond) at 6-2, while William & Mary and New Hampshire shared the title, both going 7-1.

Halfway through the 2023 campaign, Elon is setting the pace in the CAA at 3-0, followed by Delaware (2-0), Hampton (1-0) and UAlbany (1-0).

North Carolina Central and Elon have faced each other 12 times. The first came in 1971, and the most recent was in 2012. Elon holds a 9-3 advantage in the series, including winning the last two meetings (2011, 2012).

Entering their 2023 contest, NCCU is ranked No. 14 in the latest Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, while Elon has snuck into the No. 25 spot. NC Central is No. 11 in the American Football Coaches FCS Coaches Top 25, but Elon is not ranked.

Additionally, NCCU is on the verge of history and will visit Elon in search of the program’s 500th win. 

When Is North Carolina Central Vs. Elon?

North Carolina Central will take on the Elon at Rhodes Stadium in Elon, North Carolina, on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. ET.

How To Watch The North Carolina Central Vs. Elon Football Game

Football action is streaming live on FloFootball and the FloSports app, including the North Carolina Central and Elon football game during Week 6.

Replays and postgame highlights also will be available on both platforms. 

What To Know About North Carolina Central Football

North Carolina Central is fifth in the country in time of possession, holding onto the ball for nearly 35 minutes per contest this year, and ranks high nationally in third- and fourth-down conversions. 

Offensively, the Eagles have multiple threats. 

Senior quarterback Davius Richard and redshirt senior running back Latrell Collier have combined for a dozen rushing touchdowns. Richard had a school record-tying four rushing TDs in last week’s win against Campbell. 

Richard can throw the ball, too, and he is 56-of-92 this year for 656 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. 

Collier’s 73.4 rushing yards per game leads the MEAC. 

Other MEAC chart-toppers include junior wide receiver Joaquin Davis (3.4 receptions per game), sophomore linebacker Jayden Flaker (7.8 tackles and 3.5 sacks per game, plus two forced fumbles on the year) and senior kick returner/defensive back Brandon Codrington (19.3 punt return yards per game).

Helping the Eagles navigate through the win over Campbell last week earned two North Carolina Central players weekly football awards from the MEAC. 

Richard was the MEAC Offensive Player of the Week for his 351 yards of total offense and contributing to five touchdowns, and Flaker’s game-high 15 tackles (11 solo) earned him MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

What To Know About Elon Football

Elon enters this week having not allowed a touchdown at home in 15 quarters, but will that continue against an NCCU team averaging a MEAC-best 35.6 points per game in 2023?

Confidence certainly has to be high after holding top 5-ranked William & Mary to just six points last week on the way to the second win over a top-5 opponent in program history. Under current head coach Tony Trisciani, the Phoenix are 8-9 against ranked teams.

Redshirt sophomore running back Jalen Hampton continues to fuel the Phoenix offense. He has amassed 562 yards and five touchdowns on 95 attempts this season (112.4 average). Collectively, Elon is averaging 169.6 yards per game on the ground.

Senior quarterback Matthew Downing is 55-of-95 this year for 576 yards and six touchdowns. He also has been intercepted three times. His top targets are Chandler Brayboy and Jordan Bonner, who each have more than 200 receiving yards in 2023.

Defensively, it’s redshirt sophomore defensive back Caleb Curtain spending time in the spotlight, as he was named the CAA Defensive Player of the Week on Monday after leading Elon against William & Mary.

Curtain had a career-high 11 tackles and a sack in the win. For the year, he leads the Phoenix with 36 total tackles and is one of four Elon defenders with more than 25. 

What’s The Weather Forecast?

It will be partly cloudy with temperatures in the high 60s during the day Saturday in Elon, North Carolina. There will be winds from 10-15 mph, humidity around 50 percent and a 23 percent chance of rain.

Into the evening, temps will drop into the 40s, skies will clear and the chance of precipitation will be nearly zero. With a 2 p.m. ET start, none of that should matter much as far as the game itself, but anyone planning a post-game celebration probably would like to know what to expect. 

Archived Footage On FloFootball

Video footage from the event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloFootball subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscription.

Join the Conversation on Social At FloFootball

Follow us on Twitter @FloFootball

Follow us on Instagram @flofootball

Like us on Facebook