Carolina Football Season is in full swing!

If you live in the Carolinas, you can feel it in the air—football season is almost here. From the glow of Friday‑night lights to the roar of packed college stadiums, and yes, the hopeful chants echoing from Bank of America Stadium on Sundays, this fall promises to deliver. Whether you root for the Panthers, bleed orange for Clemson, or make catching the next high‑school phenom a Friday ritual, the Carolinas are where football memories are made.

Sundays in Charlotte: The Panthers’ 2025 Road Back

After a bruising 5–12 campaign in 2024, the Panthers are ready to change the narrative under second‑year coach Dave Canales. With a friendlier schedule and rising confidence behind QB Bryce Young, hope is in the air in Charlotte.

Fans at Carolina Panthers Football Game Credit: Dan Alden

Mark your calendars: Carolina hosts Dallas on Sunday, October 12, 2025, and heads west for a Monday night clash against San Francisco on November 24, 2025. It will be the Panthers’ first Monday night appearance in nearly two seasons—a big moment for a club hungry to end its prime‑time drought.

Enter Will Johnson, the Panthers’ first‑round pick and high‑octane cornerback. His speed and coverage skills give hope to a defense that stumbled in 2024. If Young keeps trending upward and the new additions gel, playoff football might finally return to Charlotte.

Saturdays of Rivalry and Glory

College football in the Carolinas isn’t just another sport—it’s a tradition etched deep in Southern pride. Rivalries define our fall, and 2025 promises some classic matchups.

Clemson vs. South Carolina—the Palmetto Bowl returns to Williams‑Brice Stadium in Columbia, rekindling one of the fiercest in‑state showdowns with history stretching back to 1896. South Carolina shocked Clemson 17‑14 last year; expect Death Valley’s roar to follow the Tigers down I‑26 for revenge.

In Chapel Hill, UNC takes on Duke each October in a game that lights up Kenan Stadium and the surrounding neighborhoods. These matchups are electric—ACC positioning and bragging rights hang in the balance.

And don’t forget the Textile Bowl: Clemson vs. NC State, where the Tigers rolled 59–35 in 2024 to cap another dominant ACC season. Though no Carolina team claimed the College Football Playoff crown—Ohio State took it this year—the Carolinas remain fertile ground for future champions.

Friday Nights: Where Legends Begin

Before the roar of Death Valley or Bank of America Stadium, Carolina football legends are forged under Friday‑night lights. Here are four North Carolina programs to watch this season:

Greensboro: Grimsley High (Whirlies) – 16–0 in 2024, state 4A champions. Led by five‑star QB Faizon Brandon (Tennessee commit) and ranked top‑20 nationally.

Weddington High (Wildcats) – 13–1 in 2024, top‑five in the state, with senior standouts Thomas Davis, Brody Anson, and Jon Manley drawing Division I attention.

Rolesville High (Rams) – 2024 4A state runner‑up, top‑70 national ranking, with explosive WR/DB talent expected to sign major offers this fall.

Huntersville: Hough High (Huskies) – Playoff mainstay powered by Tyran Evans, a Miami‑bound offensive star, and Texas commit cornerback Samari Matthews.

Friday Night Lights

Faizon Brandon — North Carolina’s Rising Star

Greensboro’s Faizon Brandon, the 6′4″ quarterback from Grimsley High School in Greensboro, NC, is the brightest young star in North Carolina football. The five‑star recruit and No. 1 player in the 2026 class powered the Whirlies to a 16‑0 season and the 4A state championship in 2024, piling up 2,814 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and nine rushing scores.

Brandon has already captured national attention. He committed to the Tennessee Volunteers, earned North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year, and secured an invite to the Elite 11, the nation’s premier quarterback camp series and competition since 1999.

For Tar Heel football fans, Brandon is more than a local standout—he’s a homegrown phenom on the cusp of SEC stardom, with every perfect spiral hinting at a career that could soon light up Saturdays on a national stage.

Must‑See Matchups & Players to Watch

NFL

• Cowboys at Panthers – Oct. 12, 2025 – Bryce Young vs. America’s Team under the lights in Charlotte
• Panthers at 49ers – Nov. 24, 2025 – Monday Night Football returns for Carolina
• Players to Watch: Bryce Young, Will Johnson (rookie CB), Brian Burns

College

• Clemson at South Carolina – Nov. 29, 2025 – The Palmetto Bowl in Columbia
• UNC vs. Duke – Oct. 18, 2025 – Tobacco Road bragging rights at Kenan Stadium
• Clemson at NC State – Oct. 25, 2025 – Textile Bowl sparks ACC rivalry week
• Players to Watch: Cade Klubnik (Clemson QB), Juice Wells (South Carolina WR), Drake Maye Jr. (UNC QB)

High School

• Grimsley vs. Weddington – 4A playoff rematch looms late November
• Rolesville vs. Hough – Battle of top‑ranked programs with college scouts in the stands
• Players to Watch: Faizon Brandon (QB, Grimsley), Tyran Evans (RB, Hough), Thomas Davis (LB, Weddington)

From Friday night lights to Sunday showdowns, this season promises goosebumps, rivalries, and the thrill of new legends in the making. In the Carolinas, football isn’t just a game, it’s the highlight of the fall season.