North Carolina A&T Breaks Two-Year D1 Drought with Stunning Upset Over Hampton

Isn’t there something thrilling about a comeback story that sneaks in under the wire—like a last-minute touchdown or a buzzer-beater that has you jumping off the couch? Well, North Carolina A&T just served one up in spades, clinching their first Division I win in nearly two years against Hampton University in a heart-stopping 33-30 overtime thriller. The Shawn Gibbs era? It’s not just a fresh start; it’s a pulse-raising saga of grit, resilience, and those small, electrifying moments that remind us why we love college football. Could this victory be the shot in the arm the Aggies needed to reclaim their storied legacy—or just a tease of what’s to come? Either way, emotions ran high on the sidelines, and you couldn’t wipe the smiles off those players’ faces if you tried. Intrigued yet? LEARN MORE.

The Shawn Gibbs era is fully in effect at North Carolina A&T, as they notched their first Division I win since 2023 over Hampton University in a 33-30 thriller. The Aggies and Pirates were largely evenly matched, and it ultimately took overtime to determine the winner.

A&T found themselves back in the game after an Andrew Brown 37-yard field goal capped off a six-play, 17-yard drive to tie the game at 20-20 at the end of regulation. North Carolina A&T then jumped out to a 27-20 lead after Noah Sanders’ one-yard run capped off a three-play, 25-yard drive to start the overtime period. Hampton answered back with an Isaiah Freeman 25-yard pass to Khaioz Watford that tied the game at 27-27.

Hampton then looked to seal the win after Brett Starling kicked a 42-yard field goal, which put them up 30-27. But North Carolina A&T called game once they got the ball back. Wesley Graves’s five-yard run iced the game and secured the 33-30 victory.

The win meant a lot to North Carolina A&T, as evident by the emotions from Shawn Gibbs and the Aggie players on the sidelines following their victory. The triumph over Hampton much more than a notch in the win column. It was a return to a tradition of success, even if just for one evening.

This win is North Carolina A&T’s first in the CAA, as well as their first FCS victory since beating Norfolk State on September 30, 2023. In that game, the Vincent Brown-led Aggies beat the Dawson Odoms-led Spartans 28-26.

North Carolina A&T is set to play against rival North Carolina Central on September 20 at 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Flo Sports.

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