September 24th, 2026 7:00am
North Greenville's historic climb into the national rankings has been the headline of the week, but it's far from the only storyline as Conference Carolinas play heats up and cross-conference matchups continue across the region. Programs like UNC Pembroke keep piling up signature wins, while others — from winless Ferrum to a scuffling Barton squad — are still hunting for success on both sides of the ball. There's plenty to unpack heading into another eventful weekend.
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS(home team in bold)
UNC Pembroke 44, No. 9 Valdosta State 41
Brevard 27, Erskine 14
*Chowan 34, Barton 0
North Greenville 24, No. 19 West Alabama 14
Delta State 21, Mississippi Valley State 6
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)
*denotes Conference Carolinas contest
Saturday, Sept. 26
Monroe (1-2) at UNC Pembroke (3-1) | Pembroke, N.C. | 1:00 PM | STATS | VIDEO
Monroe University enters Saturday's road trip to UNC Pembroke looking to bounce back from a lopsided 59-3 loss at Pace, a game in which quarterback Zavry Ward and the offense could only muster 109 passing yards and just one net rushing yard as a team while Nasir Hawkins hauled in seven catches for the Mustangs' lone bright spot. On the season, Ward has thrown for 400 yards and a touchdown, with Hawkins (74 yards) and Diasian Noakes (88 yards, one score) splitting time as his top targets, though Monroe's offense has managed just 8.67 points per game. The defense has had some moments of its own despite allowing over 30 points per game, though, picking off three passes — one apiece from Al-sajade Pray, Willie Stewart and Da'Vaine Cushnie.
UNC Pembroke pulled off its second win over a ranked opponent this season last week, outlasting then-No. 9 Valdosta State 44-41 in a shootout that saw Josh Ehrlich rush for over 200 yards and multiple touchdowns while Malik Brown added a 91-yard kickoff return score and kicker Navidad drilled three field goals. The Braves have now scored 103 points and racked up 1,289 total yards through four games, with Ehrlich leading the way at 340 rushing yards and 636 passing yards, while Brown (194 receiving yards) and Avery Curtis (17 catches, 121 yards) give the offense plenty of options through the air. Defensively, Jadin Baptist has been all over the field with 27 tackles, and the unit has piled up 10 sacks and five interceptions on the season, with Fred Giles contributing three of those sacks.
Prediction: UNC Pembroke
*Shorter (1-2, 0-1 CC) at Erskine (2-1, 0-0 CC) | Due West, S.C. | 3:00 PM | STATS | VIDEO
Shorter heads to Erskine searching for its first Conference Carolinas win after falling 31-24 to UNC Pembroke two weeks ago, a game in which Jeb Walls threw for 283 yards and three touchdowns on 20-of-35 passing while Kyree Jenkins turned four catches into 106 yards and two scores. Walls has been prolific through the air all season, already piling up 756 yards and 10 touchdowns, with Silas Hinson (211 yards, two TDs) and Dennis Sims (11 catches) rounding out a passing attack that has helped the Hawks average 420 yards per game. The running game has leaned on David Hill, who has 211 yards on the ground, but Shorter's defense has struggled to match that offensive output, managing just six sacks and two interceptions while allowing chunks of yardage, with Marshall Combee (16 tackles) and DJ Walker (nine tackles in the Pembroke loss alone) leading the effort.
Erskine readies for a Conference Carolinas opener against Shorter looking to rebound after a lopsided 27-14 loss to Brevard, a game in which the Flying Fleet's offense sputtered to just 155 total yards while managing only one net rushing yard as a team; Gary Maddox III at least kept the defense competitive with 12 tackles. That stumble came after two blowout wins to open the year, and Erskine's season numbers still reflect plenty of firepower — Ryan Killmer has thrown for 675 yards and seven touchdowns, Jo Burson has hauled in 258 receiving yards and four scores, and the team is averaging nearly 38 points per game. Defensively, Maddox leads the way with 21 tackles, and Skyler Vega has chipped in 2.5 sacks, part of a unit that has forced three turnovers on the season.
Prediction: Shorter
*No. 24 North Greenville (3-0, 0-0 CC) at Ferrum (0-3, 0-0 CC) | Ferrum, Va. | 2:00 PM | STATS | VIDEO
North Greenville has cracked the D2Football.com Top 25 for the first time in program history, checking in at No. 24 after knocking off then-No. 19 West Alabama 24-14 on the road. Defensive back Kaliber Hoey came up with two interceptions and Kam Montgomery contributed both on the ground and through the air.Montgomery has been the driving force behind the Trailblazers' 3-0 start, already accounting for 236 rushing yards and 653 passing yards with nine total touchdowns, while Sam Washam (129 yards) and Mikhai Isaac (128 yards, one score) have emerged as his top targets. The defense has been just as instrumental, picking off five passes on the season, including Jeremiah Lomax's interception to go with his 22 tackles, while Brannon Teamer leads the unit with 25 stops heading into its Conference Carolinas opener.
Ferrum hosts a red-hot North Greenville squad on Saturday, still searching for its first win after a heartbreaking 34-28 overtime loss at Shaw two weeks ago, a game in which Jycen Anciso rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns and Omarza Gray turned eight catches into 111 yards and two scores, while quarterback Eli Foutz accounted for four total touchdowns of his own. Foutz has been productive through the air all season, throwing for 640 yards and five touchdowns, and Gray has developed into his top target with 169 receiving yards and two scores, but the Panthers have still been outscored 102-51 and outgained by more than 500 yards through three games. Defensively, Zavion Wilson has paced the unit with 13 tackles and an interception, part of a group that has forced three picks overall but has struggled to slow down opposing offenses.
Prediction: No. 24 North Greenville
West Alabama (3-1) at Barton (1-3) | Wilson, N.C. | 4:00 PM | AUDIO | STATS | VIDEO
West Alabama's three-game win streak came to an end last week, falling 24-14 at home to North Greenville despite Luther Richesson throwing for 286 yards and two touchdowns, though three interceptions on the day proved costly as the Tigers managed just 99 rushing yards as a team. Richesson has still been one of the more productive quarterbacks in the region this season, piling up 964 passing yards and 10 touchdowns, with Jaylon York (194 yards) and TD Parker (182 yards, two TDs) giving him a deep group of targets, while Joseph Harper anchors a defense that has racked up 25 tackles of his own and six interceptions as a unit.
Barton was blanked 34-0 in its Conference Carolinas opener against Chowan, a game in which the Bulldogs' offense could only muster 240 total yards and two interceptions while never finding the end zone, though Emmanuel Miller did register two sacks defensively. That shutout dropped Barton to 1-3 on the season, but Dakauri Davis (163 rushing yards) and Jayden Brown (153 yards) have kept the ground game competitive, and Tyler Davis remains a steady presence at receiver with 219 yards and three touchdowns; the passing attack overall has been the bigger issue, with Barton averaging just 16.5 points per game while allowing more than double that. Defensively, Sean-Jacob Bethea (23 tackles, two sacks) and Alex Evans (22 tackles, one interception) have provided some bright spots.
Prediction: West Alabama
Columnist Picks
Last week: 0-5
2026 season: 19-7