North Carolina A&T is hosting Winston-Salem State (WSSU) for the fourth time this century, and for the fourth time this century, it is selling the game out.
NC A&T announced on Friday evening that its Sept. 7 matchup with WSSU has sold out.
“North Carolina A&T State University is excited to announce that the highly-anticipated opening night game against Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) on September 7th is officially sold out,” the school said in a release. “Excitement and Aggie Pride are at an all-time high as fans gear up for the first meeting between these two old-school rivals – the A&T Aggies and the WSSU Rams – in 14 years.”
This will be the second game of the 2024 season to sell out for NC A&T. Its homecoming matchup against Hampton sold out, as it has for decades.
Non-homecoming sellouts are a bit more rare. It had only happened four times since the year 2000 prior to this matchup, with three of those sellouts coming from WSSU visits to East Greensboro.
The 2006, 2008 and 2010 games in the series all sold out as WSSU attempted to move to Division I-AA and join the MEAC. The only other non-homecoming sellout came against arch-nemesis North Carolina Central in 2017.
The rivalry between North Carolina A&T and Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is one of the most storied and intense in HBCU sports. Dating back to their first meeting in 1944, the two schools, located just 30 minutes apart, have faced off numerous times in football. This rivalry is not just about proximity but also a deep-seated competition that has shaped the athletic identities of both institutions.
North Carolina A&T leads the series with a commanding 36-12 record. However, WSSU has had its moments of triumph, including the last time the teams met in 2010 when the Rams defeated the Aggies 21-14 in Greensboro. This victory added fuel to the rivalry even though the two schools play on two different levels.
NC A&T lost its opener to Wake Forest 45-13 in Winston-Salem. WSSU won its opener, defeating CIAA foe Bluefield State 34-3 on the road.
Saturday’s game will be streamed live on FloSports.com. It will also be broadcast in the Winston-Salem and Greensboro areas on My48.