What it was, was football: Week 12

November 21, 2025 Shawn Krest Article, College Football, Sports
Many football teams in North Carolina could identify with the way NC State cornerback Jamel Johnson (21) was feeling as he tried to defend this Miami catch over the weekend. (Lynne Sladky / AP Photo)

In the last full schedule weekend for the three college football divisions, North Carolina teams went seven games below .500. Two teams—who just happen to be the top two ranked teams in the state—made the Division 2 playoffs.

The rankings

North Carolina’s record: 10-17

(153-181 overall)

  1. Wingate: 9-2, won 37-22 over Mars Hill (Benedict in Division 2 playoffs)
  2. Johnson C. Smith: 10-1, won 45-21 over Virginia Union to win the CIAA Championship (Frostburg State in Division 2 playoffs)
  3. Wake Forest: 7-3, won 28-12 over UNC (Delaware)
  4. UNC Pembroke: 8-3, lost, 34-20 to North Greenville in the Conference Carolinas Bowl (TBD)
  5. ECU: 7-3, won 31-27 over Memphis (at UTSA)
  6. Gardner Webb: 7-4, won 30-14 at Tennessee State (Western Illinois)
  7. Catawba: 7-4, lost 48-46 at Lenoir-Rhyne (TBD)
  8. NC Central: 7-4, lost 34-27 to South Carolina State (at Morgan State)
  9. Duke: 5-5, lost 34-17 to Virginia (at UNC)
  10. Lenoir-Rhyne: 6-5, won 48-46 over Catawba (TBD)
  11.  Brevard: 6-4, won 45-6 over NC Wesleyan (TBD)
  12.  Western Carolina: 6-5, lost 52-35 to ETSU in the Blue Ridge Border Battle (at VMI)
  13. Fayetteville State: 6-4, season complete
  14. NC State: 5-5, lost 41-7 at Miami (Florida State)
  15. NC Wesleyan, 4-6, lost at Brevard, 45-6 (season complete)
  16. Mars Hill, 5-6, lost, 37-22 at Wingate (season complete)
  17. Livingstone: 5-5, season complete
  18. Winston-Salem State: 4-6, season complete
  19. Chowan, 4-7, won 20-6 at Barton (season complete)
  20. Elon: 5-6, won 31-24 at Campbell (NC A&T)
  21. App State: 4-6, lost 58-10 at James Madison (Marshall)
  22. UNC: 4-6, lost 28-12 at Wake Forest (Duke)
  23. Elizabeth City State: 4-6, season complete
  24. Greensboro: 3-7, won 13-12 over Methodist (season complete)
  25. Barton: 3-8, lost 20-6 to Chowan (season complete)
  26. Campbell: 2-9, lost 31-24 to Elon (at Towson)
  27. Shaw: 2-8, season complete
  28. Davidson: 2-9, lost 37-10 at Marist (Dayton)
  29. NC A&T: 2-9, lost 63-19 to Monmouth (at Elon)
  30. Guilford: 2-8, forfeited to Bridgewater (season complete)
  31. Methodist: 1-9, lost 13-12 at Greensboro (season complete)
  32. Charlotte: 1-9, lost 28-7 to UTSA (at Georgia)

 

 

State title standings:

Last week’s games: Wingate beat Mars Hill, Lenoir-Rhyne beat Catawba, Wake Forest beat UNC, Brevard beat NC Wesleyan, Chowan beat Barton, Elon beat Campbell, Greensboro beat Methodist

 

This week, we have two intrastate clashes:

Duke at UNC, NC A&T at Elon

 

Here are the in-state records for the state’s 32 teams:

5-0 JC Smith

4-0 Wingate

3-0 Brevard

2-0 Duke, NC Central, Elon

1-0 App State, Gardner-Webb

3-1 NC State, UNC Pembroke

2-1 ECU, Lenoir-Rhyne, Wake Forest

3-2 Greensboro

4-3 Fayetteville State

2-2 Chowan

1-1 Guilford, Davidson, NC A&T, UNC

1-2 Catawba, NC Wesleyan, Barton

2-3 Winston-Salem State

1-3 Western Carolina, Elizabeth City, Shaw

1-4 Livingstone

0-3 Charlotte

0-4 Mars Hill, Methodist

0-5 Campbell

 

Homecoming

North Carolina teams’ had a homecoming record of 13-17

Last week: Wingate (Mars Hill) won

 

Senior day

NC teams are 11-6 on senior day

Wingate (Mars Hill), Lenoir-Rhyne (Catawba), ECU (Memphis), Brevard (NC Wesleyan), Greensboro (Methodist) won

Western Carolina (ETSU), NC A&T (Monmouth) lost

This week’s senior day games:

UNC (Duke), Wake Forest (Delaware), Gardner-Webb (Western Illinois)

 

All-state performances for Week 12:

Quarterback: Preston Brown, Catawba, 37-for-55, 485 yards, 5 TD passes, 41 yards, 1 TD rushing

Running backs:  London Montgomery, ECU, 103 yards, 2 TDs, Chris Mosley, NCCU, 105 yards, 1 TD

Receiver: Bo Pryor, Catawba, 11 catches, 171 yards, 2 TDs, Carlos Hernandez, Wake Forest, 6 catches, 100 yards, TD, 51-yard fumble return for TD

Defensive line: Elihu Lipscomb, Wingate, 4 tackles, 3 solo, 3 sacks, 3 TFL, 3 QB hits, Jalen Alexander, JC Smith, 6 tackles, 5 solo, 2 TFL

Linebacker: Luke Gilbertson, Gardner-Webb, 5 tackles, 5 solo, 2 TFLs, Jordan Thompson, Western Carolina, 10 tackles, 6 solo, 3 QB hits, fumble recovery.

Defensive back: Eric Adams, NCCU, 5 tackles, 3 solo, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception returned 33 yards for TD, Josiah Harris, Gardner-Webb, 4 tackles, 2 solo, 0.5 TFL, 3 interceptions

Special teams:  Ty Roberson, Lenoir-Rhyne, 95-yard kickoff return for TD

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