NCCU vs. Richmond Game Notes, How To Watch | 2023 FCS Playoffs

The NCCU Eagles will travel to play the Richmond Spiders in the 2023 NCAA Division I-FCS Playoffs.

The NCCU Eagles will travel to play the Richmond Spiders in the 2023 NCAA Division I-FCS Playoffs. Trei Oliver's team is ranked 13th in the nation, while Richmond is ranked 22nd. Usually, the higher-ranked team would host the playoffs after paying the NCAA $40,000.00 for the bid. North Carlina Central only knew its fate once Howard defeated Morgan State in Week 12, 14-7.

GAME INFO  

• #13 North Carolina Central University "Eagles" vs. #22 University of Richmond "Spiders"
• Game: Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023 – Kickoff at 2:00 PM ET
• Site: Robins Stadium (8,700 capacity) - Richmond, VA
• Records: #13 N.C. Central (9-2 overall, 4-1 MEAC); #22 Richmond (8-3, 7-1 CAA)
• Media: TV/Video: ESPN+

Sep 16, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; North Carolina Central Eagles head coach Trei Oliver watches game action against the UCLA Bruins during the second half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

GAME NOTES

•     NCCU makes its first appearance in the NCAA Division I-FCS playoffs, since reclassifying to the Division I level at the start of the 2011 gridiron season.

•     NCCU is ranked 13th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Top 25 poll and 16th in the Stats Perform FCS poll. The Eagles have been among the top 18 in one of these polls each week this season, including NCCU's highest-ever FCS ranking at No. 7 on Nov. 6.

•     Richmond is ranked 22nd in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll and 25th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS poll.

•     Richmond (8-3) is making its 13th NCAA FCS playoff appearance after winning six straight games to end the season and earn a share of its fifth Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) title. The Spiders' three setbacks this year came to Morgan State, Michigan State, and Hampton.

•     In the past two seasons, NCCU is 3-0 against nationally-ranked FCS opponents.

•     The 2023 Eagles are just the seventh team in NCCU history to win nine games in a season. Trei Oliver is only the second NCCU head coach to lead his team to two of those seasons, joining Rod Broadway, who accomplished 11 and 10-win campaigns in 2006 and 2005, respectively, with Oliver as an assistant coach.

•     NCCU's 8-1 start was the best during the program's NCAA Division I-FCS era. In NCCU's final season of NCAA Division II competition, the 2006 Eagles won their first 11 games before losing in the second round of the NCAA playoffs.

•     The Eagles are 22-4 (.846) dating back to the last three games of the 2021 season, including road wins over three nationally-ranked FCS teams (2023: #25 Elon; 2022: #5 Jackson State, #25 New Hampshire).

•     Saturday will be the first gridiron meeting between NCCU and Richmond.

•     After a senior day victory over Delaware State (Nov. 18), the Eagles extended their home win streak to 11 games, including a 5-0 record inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium this season. NCCU's last setback at home was on Oct. 30, 2021, to SC State.

•     NCCU leads the nation (FCS) in fourth down conversions (81.8%) and ranks second in turnovers lost (6 = 3 fumbles, 3 INT), third in red zone offense (92.9%), third in punt returns (19.4-yard avg.),and seventh in scoring offense (36.6 points per game).

•     NCCU quarterback Davius Richard tops the nation (FCS) in points responsible for (210 points/21.0 points per game), and ranks second in rushing touchdowns (15), and fourth in scoring (9.0 points per game).

•     NCCU return specialist Brandon Codrington ranks second the nation (FCS) in punt returns, averaging 21.5 yards per return, and is one of only three players in the nation with two punt return touchdowns. A three-time All-MEAC honoree as a dynamic playmaking return specialist, Codrington has accounted for four return touchdowns in his college career (3 punt, 1 kickoff).

•     NCCU quarterback Davius Richard holds NCCU career records for yards of total offense (10,704), pass completions (695), rushing touchdowns (41), total touchdowns (41), and touchdowns responsible for (113). Richard needs two rushing touchdowns to break NCCU's single-season record, currently held by NCCU hall of fame running back Joe Simmons with 16 in 1993.

•     NCCU kicker Adrian Olivo tallied 13 points on Nov. 18 to become NCCU's all-time leading scorer with 281 points. Olivo broke the NCCU career scoring record held by kicker Brandon Gilbert (2004-08) with 279 points. He also surpassed Gilbert's career extra-point kicks made record (149) and needs one field goal top Gilbert's school career standard (44).

•     Senior running back Latrell "Mookie" Collier ranks eighth in NCCU career rushing yards with 2,265.

•     A host of NCCU Eagles are leading the way in the MEAC, including quarterback Davius Richard (15 rushing touchdowns/90 points/2,494 yards of total offense), wide receiver Devin Smith (505 receiving yards), Joaquin Davis (6 receiving touchdowns), linebacker Jayden Flaker (2 forced fumbles), defensive back Kole Jones (2 forced fumbles), and return specialist Brandon Codrington (21.5 punt return avg., 2 TD).

•     NCCU senior quarterback Davius Richard rushed for four touchdowns against Campbell to tie the school record, which was last accomplished 24 years ago.

•     NCCU's Davius Richard ranks second in NCCU history with 8,729 career passing yards and 72 career passing touchdowns, trailing only NCCU hall of famer Earl "Air" Harvey (1985-88).

•     Davius Richard's career-high 386 passing yards versus Delaware State on Nov. 18 is the sixth-best effort in NCCU history. Richard now owns two of the top-7 single-game passing performances in NCCU history (384 vs. Norfolk State, 2019). Only Earl Harvey (1985-88) has had better days.

•     Senior quarterback Davius Richard completed 64.0% of his passes in 2022 to break NCCU's single-season record. During his standout four-year career at NCCU, Richard owns a completion percentage of 58.6%, which is on pace to break the school's career completion percentage of 56.6% held by Malcolm Bell (2013-16).

•     As a team, the 2023 Eagles have already broken the NCCU record for most points scored in the second quarter with 148, eclipsing the prior record of 134 from a season ago. Richmond has out-scored its opponents 113-53 in the second quarter.

•     The Eagles registered 407 passing yards and 262 rushing yards for 669 yards of total offense against Delaware State (Nov. 18), the most by NCCU since collecting 676 total yards on Sept. 17, 2016, versus Saint Augustine's. The 407 passing yards represents the sixth-most by the Eagles and the highest passing figure since the aforementioned 2016 triumph.

•     NCCU's 62 points scored versus SC State on Oct. 26 are the most by the Eagles against a MEAC opponent and the seventh-most points scored in program history.

•     Oct. 26 versus SC State marked the first time NCCU had two Eagles with 100 receiving yards in a game (receiver Devin Smith, 103 yards; running back J'Mari Taylor, 100 yards) since Sept. 29, 2007, against Presbyterian.

•     Walker Harris passed for five touchdowns, the most by a NCCU quarterback in 18 years, during a 45-3 victory over Mississippi Valley State University in the Circle City Classic inside Lucas Oil Stadium. Harris's five touchdowns through the air are the most by an Eagle since Aug. 27, 2005, when Adrian Warren set the NCCU game record with seven touchdown passes versus Edward Waters.

•     Since the start of the 2012 season, NCCU has scored 47 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including four scores this season.

•     Following the 45-3 win over Mississippi Valley State in Lucas Oil Stadium on Sept. 23, 2023, NCCU improved its record to 7-2 in games played in an NFL stadium since 2000.

•     NCCU is under the direction of fourth-season head coach Trei Oliver, who was an all-region safety and punter (1994-97) at NCCU, as well as an Eagles' assistant coach (2003-06).

Credit: NCCU Athletics

2022 NOTES

•     NCCU is coming off a 10-win campaign that included a MEAC championship and an HBCU national title.

•     In 2022, NCCU won its first MEAC football championship since 2016, and defeated No. 5 Jackson State University, 41-34, in an overtime thriller in the Cricket Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The victory delivered the university's fourth HBCU national championship title, joining those captured in 1954, 2005 and 2006.

•     The 2022 NCCU Eagles became just the third team in school history to win 10 games in a season and earned the program's highest NCAA Division I-FCS national ranking (at the time) at No. 17 in the final American Football Coaches Association Coaches' Poll.

•     Under the direction of 2022 MEAC Coach of the Year Trei Oliver, last season the Eagles celebrated non-conference FCS triumphs over North Carolina A&T, Tennessee Tech, No. 25 New Hampshire, and No. 5 Jackson State.

•     The 2022 Eagles shattered NCCU single-season offensive records, including points scored (463 points), first downs (273), and total offense (5,344 yards/445.3 ypg). NCCU led NCAA Division I-FCS in third down conversions (55.8%) and ranked fifth in the nation in scoring (38.6 points per game). Defensively, NCCU topped the NCAA Division I-FCS in red zone defense and ranked 20th in the nation in both scoring defense (21.5 points allowed per game) and total defense (333.6 yards allowed per game).

•     During NCCU's 22-20 road victory over Tennessee Tech on Nov. 19, 2022, NCCU played its first penalty-free game, dating back to at least 1994.

•     NCCU's Davius Richard is just the second quarterback in NCCU history to record 2,000 passing yards in three consecutive seasons, joining NCCU hall of famer Earl Harvey (1985-88). Richard threw for 2,020 yards in 2019, 2,133 yards in 2021, and 2,661 yards in 2022.

•     NCCU kicker Adrian Olivo broke the NCCU single-season record with 51 extra-point kicks in 2022.

THE COACHES 

NCCU: Trei Oliver (N.C. Central, 1998) is in his fourth season as a college head coach. With more than two decades of college coaching experience that includes six conference championships and four Black college football national titles, Oliver returned to his alma mater as North Carolina Central University's 24th head football coach in December 2018. A native of Yorktown, Virginia, Oliver earned all-conference and all-region honors as a defensive back and punter during his four-year playing career at NCCU from 1994-97. The 1998 graduate later returned to NCCU as an assistant coach from 2003-06, helping the Eagles to back-to-back Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championships in 2005 and 2006.

Richmond: Russ Huesman (Chattanooga, 1983) is in his seventh season as head coach of the University of Richmond football program and his 15th season overall as a collegiate head coach. This is Huesman's second stint with the Spiders after spending five seasons (2004-08) as an assistant coach, including part of the 2008 National Championship team. In his 30-plus years of coaching, Huesman has coached 49 All-Americans and 21 NFL Draft Picks, while being a part of 10 conference championships and the 2008 National Championship with the Spiders. He has spent 24 years coaching in the Colonial Athletic Association.

EAGLES IN TOP-25  

The NCCU Eagles received their first national ranking as a Division I-FCS program on Nov. 7, 2016, when the FCS Coaches Poll announced NCCU at No. 25. By the end of the 2016 regular season, the Eagles jumped to No. 18 and finished at No. 19 in the final FCS Coaches poll. NCCU ranked No. 22 in the final 2016 STATS FCS Top 25 poll. NCCU achieved a national ranking of No. 17 in the final 2022 AFCA FCS Coaches' poll. On Nov. 6, 2023, the Eagles soared to their highest national ranking at No. 7 in the AFCA Coaches poll and the Stats Perform poll.

Nov. 20, 2023 - #13 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 / #16 Stats Perform

Nov. 13, 2023 - #14 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 / #17 Stats Perform

Nov. 6, 2023 - #7 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 / #7 Stats Perform

Oct. 30, 2023 - #9 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 / #12 Stats Perform

Oct. 23, 2023 - #10 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 / #13 Stats Perform

Oct. 16, 2023 - #10 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 / #16 Stats Perform

Oct. 9, 2023 - #9 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 / #14 Stats Perform

Oct. 2, 2023 - #11 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 / #14 Stats Perform

Sept. 25, 2023 - #13 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 / #15 Stats Perform

Sept. 18, 2023 - #18 Stats Perform FCS Top 25 / #19 AFCA Coaches'

Sept. 11, 2023 - #17 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 / #17 Stats Perform

Sept. 4, 2023 - #18 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 / #18 Stats Perform

Jan. 9, 2023 - #17 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 / #21 Stats Perform (Final 2022)

Nov. 21, 2022 - #21 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25

Nov. 14, 2022 - #25 AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25

Sept. 19, 2022 - #25 Stats Perform FCS Top 25

Oct. 16, 2017 - #25 STATS FCS Top 25

Oct. 9, 2017 - #25 STATS FCS Top 25

Jan. 9, 2017 - #19 FCS Coaches Poll / #22 STATS FCS Top 25 (Final 2016)

Nov. 21, 2016 - #18 FCS Coaches Poll / #20 STATS FCS Top 25

Nov. 14, 2016 - #20 FCS Coaches Poll / #24 STATS FCS Top 25

Nov. 7, 2016 - #25 FCS Coaches Poll

HOME SWEET HOME   

The Eagles extended their home win streak to 11 games with a senior victory over Delaware State (Nov. 18) and by posting a 5-0 record inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium this season. In those five triumphs, NCCU out-scored its opponents, 251-135, averaging 50.2 points and 473.6 yards of total offense per contest.

EAGLES AGAINST NATIONALLY-RANKED OPPOSITION

Since the start of the transition to NCAA Division I-FCS in 2007, NCCU is 6-13 against nationally-ranked FCS opponents. In the past two seasons, the Eagles are 3-0 in these contests. The Eagles knocked off No. 25 Elon on the road on Oct. 7, 2023. Last season, the Eagles took down No. 25 New Hampshire on Sept. 17, 2022, and No. 5 Jackson State on Dec. 17, 2022.

11/25/2023 - #22 Richmond

10/7/2023 - #25 Elon - 34-23 W

12/17/2022 - #5 Jackson State - 41-34 OT W

9/17/2022 - #25 New Hampshire - 45-27 W

9/7/2019 - #8 Towson - 3-42 L

11/17/2018 - #12 North Carolina A&T - 0-45 L

11/18/2017 - #7 North Carolina A&T - 10-24 L

12/17/2016 - #14 Grambling - 9-10 L

11/19/2016 - #9 North Carolina A&T - 42-21 W

11/21/2015 - #13 North Carolina A&T - 21-16 W

11/22/2014 - #24 North Carolina A&T - 21-14 W

11/1/2014 - #20 Bethune-Cookman - 20-34 L

11/2/2013 - #13 Bethune-Cookman - 14-38 L

9/21/2013 - #4 Towson - 17-35 L

10/23/2010 - #14 Bethune-Cookman - 10-23 L

9/18/2010 - #1 Appalachian State - 16-44 L

10/10/2009 - #9 Appalachian State - 21-55 L

9/12/2009 - #24 Liberty - 10-35 L

11/8/2008 - #3 Cal Poly - 3-49 L

9/6/2008 - #8 James Madison - 7-56 L

ELITE COMPANY OF NINE-WIN SEASONS   

The 2023 Eagles are just the seventh team in NCCU history to win nine games in a season. Trei Oliver is only the second NCCU head coach to lead his team to two of those seasons, joining Rod Broadway, who accomplished 11 and 10-win campaigns in 2006 and 2005, respectively, with Oliver as an assistant coach.

NCCU Football Nine-Win Seasons

2023: 9-2 (Trei Oliver)

2022: 10-2 (Trei Oliver)

2016: 9-3 (Jerry Mack)

2006: 11-1 (Rod Broadway)

2005: 10-2 (Rod Broadway)

1988: 9-2 (Henry Lattimore)

1972: 9-2 (George Quiett)

EAGLES TURN DEFENSE, SPECIAL TEAMS INTO POINTS  

Since the start of the 2012 season, the Eagles have demonstrated a knack for finding the end zone when the offense is off the field. In the past 124 games, NCCU has scored 47 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including four this season. In 2023, the Eagles have tallied 85-yard and 81-yard punt returns by Brandon Codrington, along with a 20-yard fumble return by Max U'Ren and a kickoff return recovery by Romeo Stancil. Other non-offensive touchdowns include a 33-yard interception return by Khalil Baker at New Hampshire in 2022, two in 2021, two in 2019, two in 2018, three in 2017, three in 2016, six in 2015, five in 2014, nine in 2013 and 10 in 2012. In that time, the Eagles have made trips to the end zone on 17 punt returns, eight kickoff returns, three blocked field goal returns, 13 interceptions and five fumble recoveries.

ABOUT NCCU FOOTBALL     

•     North Carolina Central University is in its 12th season of full NCAA Division I (FCS) athletics competition as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

•     The Eagles have won 12 conference championships as members of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1953, 1954, 1956, 1961, 1963, 1980, 2005, 2006) and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (1972, 1973, 2016, 2022), and have made three appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs (1988, 2005, 2006). The Eagles won back-to-back football conference championships and a Black College National Championship in their final two years in the Division II ranks (2005 and 2006) before starting the transition to Division I in 2007.

•     During its storied gridiron tradition, NCCU has produced 156 all-conference selections (first team), 71 all-Americans, 41 NFL draft picks, 12 conference championships and four Black College National Championships (1954, 2005, 2006, 2022).

•     Three Eagles have represented NCCU on the National Football League's grandest stage - the Super Bowl. The first NCCU Eagle to make a Super Bowl appearance was Richard Sligh, who was a reserve tackle with the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl II against the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 14, 1968. Sligh, who holds the distinction as the tallest player in NFL history (7'0"), played at NCCU from 1962-64 and was later drafted by the Raiders in the 10th round of the 1967 NFL draft. On Jan. 24, 1982, former NCCU Eagle Louis Breeden was a starting cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI against the San Francisco 49ers. Earlier in the season (Nov. 8, 1981), Breeden intercepted a pass thrown by San Diego Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts and returned it a team-record 102 yards for a touchdown. The following year, he was selected as a First-Team All-Pro. He completed his 10-year NFL career with 33 interceptions for 558 return yards and two touchdowns. The third Eagle to play in the Super Bowl was Ryan Smith with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Feb. 7, 2021, as Smith became the first NCCU Eagle to play in a Super Bowl victory.

•     The first Eagle selected in the NFL Draft was Matt Boone, who was taken by the Giants with the eighth pick in the 18th round in 1956. The latest Eagle announced during the NFL Draft was Ryan Smith, who was chosen by the Buccaneers in the fourth round in 2016. NCCU's highest draft pick was Doug Wilkerson, who was selected in the first round with the 14th overall pick of the 1970 NFL Draft by the Oilers. The Eagles have also had three second-round NFL draft picks, including Robert Massey in 1989 by the Saints, Charles Smith in 1975 by the Broncos and Chuck Hinton in 1962 by the Browns.

•     HBCU football pioneer John Brown, who represented NCCU (then North Carolina College) on the gridiron in the 1940s, was one of the first to play professional football out of a historically Black college or university. Brown shares the honor with Ezzret Anderson of Kentucky State and Elmore Harris of Morgan State, who all began their professional football careers in 1947. Brown and Anderson were teammates on the Los Angeles Dons, while Harris was a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers. According to NCCU records, Brown was the first of the three to sign a professional football contract. He played center and linebacker with the Dons from 1947-49, before moving to the Canadian Football League.