North Carolina A&T delivered an upset Saturday, defeating a nationally ranked team to secure its first victory of the 2026 season.
North Carolina A&T knocked off Rhode Island 22-18 at Truist Stadium in Greensboro, ending an 0-4 start with a significant CAA victory. The result gave head coach Shawn Gibbs a breakthrough in his second season leading the HBCU program.
North Carolina A&T with a statement win
Rhode Island entered the matchup ranked No. 19/22 nationally and carrying a 2-2 overall record. A&T improved to 1-4 overall and 1-1 in conference play. The visiting Rams slipped to 2-3 and 1-2 in the CAA.
For North Carolina A&T, the upset provided an immediate response to a difficult conference opener. Campbell handed A&T a 42-14 loss one week earlier, extending a frustrating opening stretch. Saturday brought a different outcome against another challenging opponent.
The victory also marked A&T’s first win against Rhode Island in the programs’ brief series. Their only previous meeting came in November 2023, during A&T’s first season in the CAA.
Rhode Island won that game 31-24 after scoring the deciding touchdown with less than three minutes remaining. This time, A&T finished on the winning side of another close result.
Saturday’s breakthrough adds to the progress Gibbs began making last season. A&T earned its first CAA victory against Hampton in 2025, then added another conference win against Campbell. Those victories followed consecutive one-win seasons during the program’s difficult transition into the league.
Now, North Carolina A&T has added an upset of a nationally ranked team to that rebuilding effort.
One victory does not erase the opening four losses. It does, however, give A&T a concrete result to build upon as conference play continues.
After spending September searching for its first win, A&T closed Saturday with one that carries weight beyond the win column.