CHARLOTTE – In a surprising turn of events, the Charlotte 49ers have dismissed head football coach Biff Poggi after just over a year at the helm. The decision comes following a challenging season marred by injuries and a 3-7 start to the current campaign.

Poggi, known for his unique sideline style and impressive resume from his time at Saint Frances Academy and The Gilman School, took over the Charlotte program in 2023. Despite his efforts to revamp the 49ers through extensive use of the transfer portal, the team struggled to find consistent success, finishing 3-9 last season and starting this year with a 3-7 record. 

Poggi's tenure was marked by his commitment to the team and his unique approach to coaching, but ultimately, the results on the field did not meet the expectations of the administration and fans alike. “I am thankful to Biff Poggi for his leadership and mentorship of our student-athletes over these past two seasons,” Charlotte Athletics Director Mike Hill said. “No one can question Biff’s passion for helping young people succeed in life, both personally and professionally, but our on-field results have unfortunately fallen short of everyone’s expectations. As we move forward into the next chapter of Charlotte 49er Football, we will be looking for a leader to take our program to the next level as a consistent bowl and championship contender.”

The 49ers will now look to regroup and rebuild under new leadership as they continue their journey in the American Athletic Conference. Tight ends coach and associate head coach Tim Brewster will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA Division II Football Committee released the 2024 championship bracket Sunday afternoon and both Wingate and Lenoir-Rhyne will represent North Carolina in the race for the championship, continuing the South Atlantic Conference's strong football tradition.

The Wingate Bulldogs (9-1) earned the No. 2 seed in Super Region Two and will host Virginia Union (8-3) in the first round on November 23 at Irwin Belk Stadium. Meanwhile, Lenoir-Rhyne (9-2) will travel to face third-seeded West Alabama (9-1) in Livingston, Alabama.

Wingate enters postseason play as one of the hottest teams in the country, riding a seven-game winning streak that includes three shutouts. The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 222-50 over their last seven games, culminating with Saturday's 28-13 victory over #19 Carson-Newman in the SAC title game. The victory secured Wingate's third SAC championship in program history.

The Bulldogs' success has been built on one of the nation's most dominant defenses. Wingate leads the nation in third-down defense while ranking second nationally in total defense and red zone defense. They're third in pass defense, fifth in scoring defense and eighth in tackles for loss. Reigning SAC and Region Defensive Player of the Year Marquise Fleming leads the nation in tackles for loss. The defense has held six different opponents to their lowest point total of the season this year.

For Lenoir-Rhyne, the path to the playoffs included bouncing back from an early October loss to Emory & Henry. The Bears responded by winning five of their final six games, with their only loss coming in a tight 14-10 battle against Wingate on November 2. They closed the regular season strong with victories over Catawba (33-14) and Anderson (27-24).

The Bears were particularly effective through the air, with quarterback Jalen Ferguson throwing for 2,613 yards and 14 touchdowns. The team showed good balance, adding 1,349 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns for the season, led by Alex Boyd and Zayvion Turner-Knox. The Bears' defense was a significant strength, forcing 19 interceptions and recording 20 sacks while holding opponents to under 17 points a game.

The two North Carolina schools could potentially meet again in the second round. If Wingate defeats Virginia Union, they would host the winner of the West Alabama-Lenoir-Rhyne matchup on November 30 at Irwin Belk Stadium.

Valdosta State (10-0) earned the top seed in Super Region Two and receives a first-round bye. Miles (9-2) rounds out the region's representation, hosting Carson-Newman (9-2) in the first round.

First-round games are scheduled for 1 p.m. local time on November 23, unless otherwise approved by the committee. The tournament will continue with second-round games on November 30, quarterfinals on December 7, and semifinals on December 14, leading up to the national championship game in McKinney, Texas on December 21. The championship game will be broadcast live on ESPN2 HD.

NCAA DII football championship history 

Harding, which won its first-ever DII football championship last season by defeating Colorado School of Mines 38-7, enters the tournament looking to become the first repeat winner since Ferris State captured back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022.

CHAPEL HILL – Omarion Hampton rushed for 244 yards on 35 carries as North Carolina defeated Wake Forest 31-24 in a late-night Old North State Showdown at Kenan Stadium. The victory improved North Carolina’s record to 6-4 (3-3 ACC), while Wake Forest dropped to 4-6 (2-4 ACC).

Wake Forest opened the scoring with a 33-yard field goal by Matthew Dennis in the first quarter, following a nine-play, 65-yard drive. The Tar Heels responded in the second quarter when quarterback Jacolby Criswell scored on a 4-yard touchdown run, capping an 11-play, 75-yard drive. Noah Burnette added a 24-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, giving UNC a 10-3 lead.

The third quarter saw a flurry of scoring from both teams. Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne, who finished with 95 yards rushing and two touchdowns, tied the game at 10 with a 2-yard touchdown run. UNC quickly countered when Criswell connected with J.J. Jones for a 15-yard touchdown pass.

The game’s turning point came shortly after when Power Echols intercepted Wake Forest quarterback Michael Kern and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown, extending North Carolina’s lead to 24-10. Wake Forest responded immediately, as Claiborne scored his second touchdown on a 7-yard run following a North Carolina fumble.

In the fourth quarter, Hampton sealed his impressive performance with a 6-yard touchdown run with 2:26 remaining. Wake Forest managed a final score when Kern found Taylor Morin for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 1:15 left, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit.

Despite the loss, Wake Forest’s defense recorded five sacks against Criswell, with Jasheen Davis leading the effort with 2.5 sacks. The Demon Deacons’ defense also registered 11 tackles for loss totaling 57 yards.

North Carolina’s offensive success came primarily on the ground, as they accumulated 230 rushing yards compared to Wake Forest’s 114. The Tar Heels controlled the clock with 35:01 in possession time, while Wake Forest had the ball for 24:59.

The passing game told a different story, with Wake Forest quarterbacks Hank Bachmeier and Michael Kern combining for 240 yards through the air, while Criswell finished with 132 passing yards for North Carolina. However, two critical interceptions thrown by Kern proved costly for the Demon Deacons.

Both teams struggled with penalties, as Wake Forest was flagged nine times for 90 yards and North Carolina ten times for 83 yards. The teams were nearly equal in total offense, with North Carolina gaining 362 yards to Wake Forest’s 354.

Defensively, Wake Forest’s Branson Combs led all tacklers with 14 (11 solo), while Power Echols and Alijah Huzzie each recorded eight tackles for North Carolina.

The game marked North Carolina’s sixth win of the season, making them bowl eligible. Wake Forest will need to win their remaining games to reach bowl eligibility.

Chancellor Lee-Parker rushed for a career-high 208 yards as Brevard College defeated Kentucky Christian University 41-25 on Saturday afternoon at KCU Stadium in Grayson, Kentucky. The victory gave the Tornados their first six-win season since 2021, finishing the 2024 campaign with a 6-3 record.

Lee-Parker, playing in his final collegiate game, recorded two rushing touchdowns while carrying the ball 28 times. His 208-yard performance ranks as the second-highest single-game rushing total in Brevard's Division III history, trailing only Mitchell Yoder's 220-yard mark set in 2021.

After a scoreless first quarter, Brevard built a 17-7 halftime lead. Hugo Taylor opened the scoring with a 20-yard field goal, followed by Lee-Parker's five-yard touchdown run. Kentucky Christian responded when Rey Graciano returned a fumble 28 yards for a touchdown, but Brevard quickly countered as Ethan Beamish connected with Zackary Orr on a 66-yard touchdown pass.

The Tornados dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Knights 17-0. Lee-Parker broke free for a 27-yard touchdown run, Beamish found Joseph Cuellar for a 17-yard scoring pass, and Taylor added a 41-yard field goal to extend the lead to 34-7.

Kentucky Christian (2-9) mounted a fourth-quarter rally behind quarterback Calvin Kafando, who threw two touchdown passes to Davari Morris. However, Brevard's Dre Burton, playing in his first varsity game, sealed the victory with a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Orr, completing his five-year career at Brevard, caught six passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. His season totals of 837 yards and 10 touchdowns both rank second in program single-season history. The graduate receiver finished his career as Brevard's all-time leader in receptions (123) and receiving yards (1,893).

Defensively, Robert Dorsey led Brevard's pass rush with three-and-a-half sacks, bringing his conference-leading season total to 11.5. Kentrayle Holloway recorded a team-high nine tackles, while Brandon Broughton and Burton each intercepted passes.

The win marked the fifth time this season Brevard scored 40 or more points, contributing to the program's fourth-best winning percentage in school history.

WINGATE – The Wingate Bulldogs captured their first South Atlantic Conference championship since 2017, stifling 19th-ranked Carson-Newman's potent rushing attack in a 28-13 victory Saturday afternoon at Irwin Belk Stadium.

The Bulldogs' defense, which entered the game as one of the nation's best units, held Carson-Newman to just 84 total yards - including a mere 54 yards rushing. The Eagles had been averaging 295 yards on the ground and 386 total yards per game before meeting Wingate's defensive wall.

Place-kicker Caleb Bonesteel earned MVP honors, connecting on all five of his field goal attempts from distances of 43, 38, 48, 36, and 36 yards. His consistent performance kept the Bulldogs in control throughout a game that remained close into the fourth quarter.

Wingate (9-1) took command in the third quarter after leading just 9-6 at halftime. Jake Snapp's 49-yard kickoff return to open the second half set up the Bulldogs at the Carson-Newman 44-yard line. The drive culminated in Noah Bell's one-yard touchdown plunge on fourth down, extending the lead to 16-6.

The Eagles (9-2) showed life early in the fourth quarter when Zane Whitson scored on a one-yard run to cut the deficit to 19-13. But Wingate responded immediately with an explosive four-play, 81-yard drive, highlighted by quarterback Brooks Bentley's 26-yard run and capped by Corey Siemer's 38-yard touchdown burst.

Siemer finished with 86 yards on 13 carries to lead all rushers, while O'Brien Barnett added 70 yards on 13 attempts for the Bulldogs. The Wingate ground game accumulated 165 yards overall, complemented by Bentley's 91 passing yards.

The Bulldogs' defense, which has now held Carson-Newman under 180 rushing yards in both meetings this season, was led by Kai Russell's 10 tackles, including 1.5 for loss. Daniel Morrison and Dontorian Best each contributed seven tackles, while Joseph Reddish sealed the victory with two fourth-quarter interceptions.

Carson-Newman's offensive struggles were particularly evident in the second half, when they managed just 10 yards of total offense. The Eagles' passing game never found rhythm, completing only 2 of 6 attempts for 30 yards with two interceptions.

The game's tone was set early when Wingate capitalized on field position and Carson-Newman miscues. After a methodical 12-play drive resulted in Bonesteel's first field goal, the Bulldogs quickly added another three points following a fumble recovery by Darius Randolph at the Carson-Newman 25-yard line.

The Eagles briefly showed life in the second quarter with two field goals from Bennett Smith, including a 45-yarder that tied the game at 6-6. However, Wingate reclaimed the lead just before halftime on Bonesteel's 48-yard kick and never trailed again.

The Bulldogs' defense took over in the fourth quarter, with Russell and Morrison recording consecutive sacks that pushed Carson-Newman into a fourth-and-28 situation. The defensive effort helped Wingate control the clock, holding possession for nearly 34 minutes in the contest.

Wingate now awaits Sunday's NCAA Division II playoff selection show to learn its postseason fate. The Bulldogs entered the game ranked second in Super Region 2, positioning themselves for a potential home playoff game when the bracket is announced.

The victory marks Wingate's third conference championship in program history, achieved through a suffocating defensive performance that limited one of the conference's most productive offenses to its lowest output of the season by more than 150 yards.

ELIZABETH CITY – Marcus Hilliard, the head football coach at Elizabeth City State University, announced his resignation on November 15, 2024, after three seasons with the Vikings.

Hilliard, a former ECSU player and defensive coordinator, took over the program in 2022. While he expressed gratitude for his time at the university, his tenure was marked by mixed results on the field. Hilliard led ECSU to an 8-22 record in his three seasons, including a 5-18 record in CIAA play.

In a statement, Hilliard thanked the university's faculty, staff, students, and alumni for their support. He also expressed his appreciation for the players he coached.

"As I reflect on my time at ECSU, I remember being an 18-year-old freshman with little idea of what I wanted in life," Hilliard said. "The journey here has been filled with both trials and triumphs, each one steering me closer to the coaching world. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to lead young men both on and off the field."   

Hilliard's departure comes as ECSU seeks to improve its football program and achieve greater success in the future. The university will begin a search for a new head coach immediately.

Defensive coordinator David Castillo has been named interim head coach.