The football seasons for both North Carolina Central and Winston-Salem finally kick off with a matchup on Saturday evening at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. Fans of each side have been waiting months to see their team take the gridiron. Both teams are likely studying the film from their last meeting in 2022. That one ended in a 41-0 win for North Carolina Central.
North Carolina Central (10-2 Overall in 2022)
The Eagles will enter this season after a 10-2 campaign last year. They averaged 38.6 points and 445 offensive yards per contest in 2022. Defensively, the Eagles conceded an average of 21.5 points per game.
It’s the first game of the season for North Carolina Central. Last season, North Carolina Central’s offensive play selection split was 42% pass, 58% run.
The Eagles went 10-2 in 2022. They’ll want to capitalize on this opportunity, as this is the first time they’ve had home field advantage all year. This is North Carolina Central’s only game against a CIAA opponent this season.
Winston-Salem (3-6 Overall in 2022)
The Rams will come into this season after securing a 3-6 record in 2022. They averaged 17.1 points and 238 offensive yards per contest in 2022. The Rams’ defense allowed an average of 20.9 points per game.
It’s the first game of the season for Winston-Salem. Last season, Winston-Salem’s offensive play selection split was 29% pass, 71% run.
Winston-Salem enters after putting up a 3-6 campaign in 2022. They’ll want to capitalize on this opportunity, as this is the first time they’ve been on the road all year. This is Winston-Salem’s only game against an FCS HBCU opponent.