Sports · MEAC footballNorth Carolina Central comeback: 29–28 win keeps Eagles unbeaten in MEACWritten November 8, 2026 at 12:34 PM UTCWatchTranscript0:07Joshua Jones threw North Carolina Centrals winning touchdown with twenty-seven0:10seconds left.0:11The Eagles beat Norfolk State twenty-nine twenty-eight, protecting their share of0:15first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.0:18How did they erase a fourteen point halftime deficit and survive Norfolk State's0:22final chance?0:23Norfolk State missed a thirty-seven yard field goal with four seconds left.0:27That preserved North Carolina Central's victory at William Dick Price Stadium in0:30Norfolk, Virginia, on November seventh, twenty twenty-six.0:34Norfolk State had built its lead with fourteen points in the opening quarter and0:38seven in the second.0:39North Carolina Central scored seven in the first quarter and went scoreless in the0:42second.0:43The Spartans took a twenty-one seven lead into halftime, leaving the Eagles needing0:46to recover two touchdowns.0:48Jones found Luke Bracie for an eight-yard touchdown, and Riley Daniels kicked a0:52twenty-five-yard field goal.0:53Norfolk State's lead shrank to twenty-one seventeen, but Jelen Daniels answered with0:58a thirteen yard touchdown run early in the fourth, making it twenty-eight seventeen.1:02Jones brought the Eagles back within reach with a seven-yard touchdown run.1:05Norfolk State still led twenty-eight.1:07Twenty-three, North Carolina Central had won the third quarter ten to nothing, but1:11now needed another touchdown.1:13A field goal alone wouldn't put the Eagles ahead.1:15Norfolk State missed a twenty-five-yard field goal with two minutes, twenty-four1:19seconds remaining.1:20The Spartans also lost a fumble late in the game.1:23North Carolina Central recovered it and turned that opportunity into a1:26thirty-seven-yard drive in five plays.1:28Jones finished that possession with a twenty-six-yard touchdown pass to Mackie Wall.1:32With twenty-seven seconds left, North Carolina Central moved ahead twenty-nine1:36twenty-eight.1:37The Eagles had overcome both the fourteen point halftime gap, and Norfolk State's1:41renewed eleven point lead in the fourth quarter.1:44The Eagles tried for two points after the touchdown, but the pass fell incomplete.1:48Their lead stayed at one point.1:50So Norfolk State could still win with a field goal.1:52The Spartans reached kicking range before that final thirty-seven-yard attempt1:56missed.1:56Jones accounted for four touchdowns altogether.1:59He threw for one hundred and fifty, six yards and three scores, and added that2:02fourth quarter rushing touchdown.2:04Geno Addison led North Carolina Central's ground game with one hundred and seventy.2:08Four yards on eighteen carries, giving the offense another substantial source of2:12yardage.2:13Tyree Saunders caught six passes for sixty yards and a touchdown.2:16Wall finished with four catches for thirty, eight yards and a touchdown, including2:20the winning twenty-six yard reception.2:22Jones's three passing scores went to Saunders, Bracie and Wall.2:25Hareem Thompson finished with six tackles, including three tackles for loss.2:29His defensive performance also included a sack and a forced fumble.2:32The Eagles' late recovery gave their offense the shortfield it used for the winning2:35possession.2:36North Carolina Central scored twelve points in the fourth quarter to Norfolk State's2:40seven.2:40Across the second half, the Eagles outscored the Spartans twenty-two seven.2:44South Carolina State had already beaten Howard thirty, five twenty-eight on2:49Thursday, November fifth, so this comeback kept North Carolina Central alongside the2:53Bulldogs.2:53North Carolina Central improved to five and five overall and three and zero in2:57conference play.2:58Norfolk State fell to four and six, and zero and three in the league.3:02The Eagles remained tied for first with South Carolina State, both unbeaten at three3:06and zero.Read the articleStory timelineHeyDex
