MEAC Football Week 2 Features Power Four Matchups, Aggie-Eagle Classic

Football | 9/10/2026 4:09:16 PM

NORFOLK, Va. – Following a strong opening to the 2026 season, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) heads into Week 2 with two Power Four matchups and the Aggie-Eagle Classic highlighting the weekend slate.

Norfolk State opens the weekend Friday at Virginia, while Saturday features Howard at defending national champion Indiana and North Carolina Central hosting North Carolina A&T State.

Week 2 Schedule
Friday, Sept. 11
Norfolk State at Virginia | 7:00 PM | ACC Network

Saturday, Sept. 12
Howard at Indiana | 12:00 PM | B1G Network
North Carolina A&T State at North Carolina Central | 12:00 PM | ESPN+
Bowie State at Delaware State | 3:00 PM | MEAC Network
Virginia Lynchburg at Morgan State | 6:00 PM | MEAC Network
Virginia State at South Carolina State | 6:00 PM | MEAC Network
 
*All Times ET
 
MEAC Football Notes
Week 2 Overview
South Carolina State enters Week 2 as the only MEAC team with a pair of wins, following a 31-13 victory over Florida A&M in Sunday’s Orange Blossom Classic.

Howard and Norfolk State will face their first Power Four opponents of the season, with the Bison traveling to defending national champion Indiana and the Spartans heading to Virginia.

North Carolina Central will host North Carolina A&T State in the Aggie-Eagle Classic, with kickoff moved up to noon. Delaware State and Morgan State will both look to bounce back from road losses in Week 1.

Pickett-Hicks Leading the Way
South Carolina State sophomore running back Mason Pickett-Hicks ranks second nationally with 313 rushing yards after rushing for a career-high 210 yards in Sunday’s win over Florida A&M.

MEAC in the Rankings
Four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) football programs were recognized in this week’s Black College Football Poll, headlined by top-ranked South Carolina State. Delaware State (No. 5), Howard (No. 7) and North Carolina Central (No. 8) joined the Bulldogs in the Top 10, while Morgan State also received votes.

The remaining national polls are listed below:
Stats Perform AFCA BOXTOROW
Delaware State - - #5
Howard - - #8
Morgan State - - RV
Norfolk State - - RV
North Carolina Central - - #7
South Carolina State #22 #20 #1
 
Around the League
  • Orange Blossom Classic Win
    • South Carolina State took control early and pulled away for a 31-13 victory over Florida A&M in Sunday’s Orange Blossom Classic at Hard Rock Stadium. After Florida A&M opened the scoring with a field goal, the Bulldogs answered with three consecutive touchdowns, including a 58-yard touchdown run by Mason Pickett-Hicks and two rushing scores from Josh Shaw, to take a 21-6 lead into halftime.
    • Pickett-Hicks added a 32-yard touchdown run in the third quarter as South Carolina State finished with 479 yards of total offense, including 292 on the ground, while averaging 7.7 yards per rushing attempt. The Bulldogs also held Florida A&M to 161 total yards and recorded five sacks.
  • Peterson Shines in Home Opener
    • North Carolina Central improved to 1-1 with a 27-6 victory over Elizabeth City State in its home opener at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. Freshman quarterback Nelson Layne completed 12-of-18 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with Chance Peterson for a 74-yard score and Brendon Wyatt for an 11-yard touchdown, while freshman running back Gino Addison added a one-yard touchdown run.
    • Peterson finished with five catches for 109 yards, his first 100-yard game of the season, and Riley Daniels added two field goals to extend his season total to 5-for-5. The Eagles led 21-0 at halftime and finished with 326 yards of total offense while holding Elizabeth City State to 145 yards, including just 39 rushing, with Zarion Walters recording eight tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.
 
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) enters its 56th year of intercollegiate competition with the 2026–27 academic year. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, the MEAC is comprised of eight distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) along the Atlantic seaboard: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, and South Carolina State University. Since its founding in 1970, the MEAC has been dedicated to promoting academic excellence, sportsmanship, and the personal growth of student athletes. For more information, visit www.MEACSports.com.