North Carolina A&T celebrated 100 years of homecoming with a late victory, while close finishes highlighted the Oct. 31 football schedule.
North Carolina A&T gave its centennial homecoming celebration a winning finish Saturday, defeating Elon 13-10 before 22,401 spectators at Truist Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The Aggies overcame a third-quarter deficit, moved ahead on a late field goal and secured the victory with a defensive takeaway. It was A&T’s first homecoming football victory since 2022, coming during the university’s celebration of a tradition that began in 1926.
Elsewhere, Allen defeated Morehouse by three points, while Bluefield State and Tuskegee earned road victories at Shaw and Lane, respectively. The broader weekend featured narrow wins in the Magic City Classic and the HBCU Battle of the Legends Classic.
A&T delivers a centennial homecoming victory
Asher Holland kicked a 34-yard field goal with 2:18 remaining to put North Carolina A&T ahead of Elon.
The Phoenix threatened to answer, but A&T’s defense ended the final drive when Tyrek Brown forced quarterback Brady Stober to fumble and Cadricus Stanley recovered.
The Aggies led 3-0 at halftime before Elon scored 10 consecutive points in the third quarter. Kevin White connected with Jayvonne Dillard on an 8-yard touchdown pass with 31 seconds remaining in the period, tying the game at 10.
Holland’s fourth-quarter field goal completed the scoring, and the defensive stop preserved A&T’s three-point victory.
The Aggies improved to 4-5 overall and 3-2 in Coastal Athletic Association play. The university reported a sellout, and the official box score listed attendance at 22,401 on a sunny, 62-degree afternoon.
The result carried significance beyond the homecoming celebration. A&T’s four victories matched its combined win total from the previous three seasons.
A century of Aggie tradition
A&T’s homecoming tradition dates to 1926. This year’s centennial recognized generations of students, graduates and supporters who helped establish the Greatest Homecoming on Earth as a signature event in historically Black college life.
The anniversary connected Saturday’s football game to a broader institutional history. For returning graduates, the centennial represented a shared milestone across class years. For current students, it offered a connection to a tradition that has continued for a century.
The university developed a dedicated centennial website and a historical countdown leading into the celebration. Its anniversary observance also included plans for activities extending through the end of the calendar year.
On the field, the Aggies supplied a fitting centerpiece: a close game decided by a late kick and a defensive recovery.
Allen holds off Morehouse
Allen defeated Morehouse 26-23 in Columbia, South Carolina, giving the Yellow Jackets a homecoming victory in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.
The three-point result made Allen one of the weekend’s successful homecoming hosts. Its official schedule identified the Morehouse matchup as the university’s homecoming game.
For Morehouse, the loss followed a month that included a victory over Tuskegee in the Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic, a homecoming win against Savannah State and a defeat at Howard.
Saturday’s result added another close finish to that October schedule, with Allen earning the victory on its own alumni weekend.
Bluefield State wins a high-scoring game at Shaw
Bluefield State defeated Shaw 45-42, winning a game in which the teams combined for 87 points.
The three-point margin matched the difference in the A&T-Elon and Allen-Morehouse games, but the scoring offered a different kind of contest. While A&T and Elon combined for 23 points, Bluefield State and Shaw reached that total several times over.
The result gave Bluefield State a road victory and left Shaw with a narrow defeat on its homecoming weekend.
In Jackson, Tennessee, Tuskegee defeated Lane 27-14. Lane’s official homecoming program identified the Golden Tigers as the opponent for its Oct. 31 celebration.
Together, those games reflected the mixed outcomes for homecoming hosts. A&T and Allen finished with victories, while Shaw and Lane saw the visiting teams leave with wins.
HBCU homecoming recap: Oct. 31 results
| Homecoming host | Final score |
|---|---|
| North Carolina A&T | North Carolina A&T 13, Elon 10 |
| Allen | Allen 26, Morehouse 23 |
| Shaw | Bluefield State 45, Shaw 42 |
| Lane | Tuskegee 27, Lane 14 |
Around HBCU football
Several notable results occurred outside the homecoming schedule.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff defeated Bethune-Cookman 63-21, and Southern beat Florida A&M 42-14. Texas Southern followed its previous weekend’s homecoming victory with a 23-20 overtime win over Grambling State.
North Carolina Central shut out Howard 34-0. Johnson C. Smith defeated Virginia State 39-33 in overtime, while Fayetteville State edged Bowie State 21-17.
Earlier in the weekend, South Carolina State defeated Morgan State 51-10 on Thursday. Virginia Union followed with a 62-0 victory over Lincoln University of Pennsylvania on Friday.
Classics recap: Alabama A&M ends rivalry skid
Alabama A&M defeated Alabama State 31-28 in the 85th Magic City Classic at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Bulldogs ended a four-game losing streak in the rivalry. Alabama State’s official game report credited Alabama A&M’s defense and rushing attack with helping decide the contest in the closing minutes.
The celebration was followed by a shooting outside Legion Field. Birmingham police said one person was killed and eight others were wounded after the game Saturday night. The investigation remained ongoing Sunday.
In Philadelphia, Delaware State defeated Norfolk State 36-33 at Lincoln Financial Field in the HBCU Battle of the Legends Classic, completing another closely contested showcase on the weekend’s HBCU football schedule.
To see prior HBCU football homecoming recaps, click here.
