Chicago State is set to launch a brand-new chapter in 2026, and North Carolina A&T will be part of the Cougars’ first steps onto the college football stage.
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In a statement released after HBCU Gameday’s report on an apparent schedule change, North Carolina A&T confirmed it has reached a two-year agreement with Chicago State. The Cougars added football for the first time in the school’s 159-year history. The new series begins this fall, with Chicago State scheduled to travel to Truist Stadium in Greensboro on Oct. 17. The return game will send the Aggies to SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, during the 2027 season.
The matchup comes as Chicago State prepares to compete at the NCAA Division I FCS level as an independent in 2026. It will then joining the Northeast Conference (NEC) in 2027. For North Carolina A&T, it’s another fresh opponent as the program continues a recent trend of adding new faces to its slate. The Aggies have played 17 first-time opponents since 2021, per the school’s statement.
The Oct. 17 date is notable beyond the opponent. The game will serve as the contest immediately preceding A&T’s “Centennial Homecoming” showdown with Elon on Oct. 31. The schedule sets up an open week between games, giving the Aggies additional time to reset before one of the most anticipated dates on the calendar in Greensboro.
The statement also addresses the change that sparked the initial questions. According to North A&T, Chicago State replaces previously scheduled opponent Norfolk State, which “opted to play against another opponent.” The update provides clarity after outside schedules created confusion about who would be making the trip to Greensboro on Oct. 17.
Chicago State moving quickly
Chicago State has been aggressively laying the groundwork for its inaugural season. The school recently introduced a National Signing Day class of 55 student-athletes, selected from a pool of more than 230 applicants, as it begins building the roster and identity of its first team.
Leading the program will be head coach Bobby Rome II, a Norfolk, Virginia native with deep ties to the region. Rome played for and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill, giving the first-year Cougars a coach familiar with North Carolina football culture as the program takes the field. Chicago State is scheduled to open its first season on Aug. 26 at home against Roosevelt University.
Now, with the agreement official, North Carolina A&T and Chicago State have turned an “apparent” schedule change into a confirmed two-year series — and a small but meaningful piece of history for a program playing its first season ever.