North Carolina A&T has officially put a date on history. The Aggies announced that the 100th edition of the Greatest Homecoming on Earth (GHOE) will take place Friday, October 31, 2026, with a Halloween night matchup against Elon University at Truist Stadium. For one of the most iconic traditions in HBCU culture, the milestone moment now has both a date and an opponent, and the stage is set for a celebration that extends far beyond the scoreboard.
While Elon is not an HBCU, the matchup still carries weight. The Phoenix are located roughly 25 miles from Greensboro, giving the centennial homecoming a distinctly local feel. It’s a regional opponent, a packed stadium, and a national spotlight. All wrapped into a Halloween edition of the Greatest Homecoming on Earth.
Why GHOE 100 Matters More Than Ever
GHOE has never just been about football. It’s about culture, alumni, and community. And for North Carolina A&T — the largest HBCU in the nation — the 100th homecoming represents a century of tradition, pride, and influence.
That’s what makes the timing and significance of GHOE 100 especially powerful. The Aggies are navigating a difficult stretch on the field as members of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). Head coach Shawn Gibbs didn’t mince words after one of the lopsided losses this season.
“Honestly, those guys are bigger, stronger and faster. They wore us out… We better get on this recruiting trail and get us some dudes.”
That honesty underscores the moment. GHOE 100 arrives not during a dominant era, but during a defining one. When institutional strategy, competitive reality, and HBCU identity intersect.
A Look at A&T’s 2025 Schedule Leading Into GHOE
The Halloween homecoming highlights a 12-game slate that blends HBCU tradition, old rivals, and the unforgiving grind of the CAA.
- Aug. 29: Morgan State at Truist Stadium
A&T opens the season at home against a familiar HBCU foe. The Bears lead the all-time series 44-38-3, and the matchup offers an early measuring stick. - Sept. 5–19: Road stretch at Georgia State, NCCU, and Campbell
The Aggies will look to snap a four-game skid against North Carolina Central before opening CAA play at Campbell. - Sept. 26: Rhode Island at Truist Stadium
A&T hosts Rhode Island for the first time, looking to avenge a 2023 loss. - Oct. 3–17: Bryant, New Hampshire, and Norfolk State
A mix of first-time opponents and familiar HBCU competition rounds out the non-conference slate before a bye week. - Oct. 31: Elon at Truist Stadium — GHOE 100
The centerpiece. Halloween night. A packed house. One hundred years of homecoming history.
After GHOE, the Aggies close the season with road games at Monmouth and Hampton, then host UAlbany.
Halloween Night, History, and the Greatest Homecoming on Earth
GHOE has survived conference changes, coaching transitions, and generational shifts. It has outlasted eras of dominance and stretches of adversity. The 100th edition won’t be defined solely by the opponent or the record.
On October 31, under the lights at Truist Stadium, North Carolina A&T will celebrate 100 years of the Greatest Homecoming on Earth — exactly where an HBCU of its stature expects to be: center stage.
The self acclaimed GHOE, is just that, self acclaimed. Other HBCU homecoming are just as good, if not better. PLUS, most HBCU homecoming pit HBCUs against each other. No matter how you spend the distance between A&T and this years’ opponent it won’t be the same as traditional rivalries. A&T is all about the money, and has sold its heritage to be accepted by PWIs.