2016 season: 9-3, 8-0 in the MEAC
Head coach: Jerry Mack (4th season)
N.C. Central will cross town to visit Wallace Wade Stadium for the Bull City Gridiron Classic for the third straight year and the sixth time since David Cutcliffe took charge of the Blue Devils in 2008. The Eagles have never come within 30 points of Duke, but they enjoyed their best season in more than a decade last year and won every regular-season game they played against FCS opponents on their way to an outright MEAC championship.
But N.C. Central enters this season having to replace its unquestioned leader on offense, dual-threat quarterback Malcolm Bell, and will likely rely on redshirt sophomore Naiil Ramadan under center. Ramadan appeared in five games last season off the bench behind Bell and threw two touchdown passes.
The Eagles return their top running back tandem of Ramone Simpson and Dorrel McClain, who combined for 12 touchdowns on the ground in 2016 and could provide an early look at how well a Blue Devil defensive line that returns just one starter is meshing.
N.C. Central's top performer on defense is also back in redshirt senior linebacker Reggie Hunter. A second-team All-MEAC selection last season, Hunter led the Eagles with 81 tackles and four interceptions.
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