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Michael Vick and Norfolk State are shaping up to be one of the top stories of the 2025 season. As Vick continues his inspiring journey as the head coach of his hometown HBCU, he faces a challenging start with an exciting out-of-conference matchup, followed by a demanding slate of games in MEAC play.
Norfolk State's football schedule hasn’t been officially released yet, but out-of-conference matchups reported by FBSchedules and other team schedules suggest that Vick’s debut season leading the Spartans will be a challenging one. However, it will undoubtedly test the mettle of his Spartans and showcase his coaching style, setting the team up for crucial in-conference games.
| Date | Opponent |
|---|---|
| 08/28 | Towson |
| 09/06 | Virginia State |
| 09/13 | at Rutgers |
| 09/20 | Sacred Heart |
| 09/27 | at Wagner |
| 10/04 | at Hampton |
| 10/11 | at Wofford |
| 10/25 | South Carolina State |
| 11/1 | at Delaware State |
| 11/8 | at North Carolina Central |
| 11/15 | Morgan State |
| 11/22 | at Howard University |
Vick starts off his coaching career on Thursday, August 28th as his team hosts CAA competitor Towson University. Towson finished last season 7-5 and won over the Spartans 28-23 last season. Vick will look to get the first win of his young coaching career and make a statement against a scrappy Tigers team that won all of their HBCU matchups last season.
Vick then plays in his first rivalry game against Virginia State University. Although they're a Division II opponent, the Trojans have proven to be a championship-caliber team that can compete any given Saturday. The Spartans lost to Virginia State in the 2023 season in an odd occurrence of events that caused then-head coach Dawson Odoms to apologize to Norfolk State fans. Vick certainly will want to enter the rivalry with a win, adding on to the team's winning streak that started last year with a 28-23 victory.
Norfolk State will then face Rutgers, which will be Vick's first matchup against an FBS opponent. The Scarlet Knights finished with a 7-6 record in the 2024 season and started the year with a commanding 44-7 victory against the reigning MEAC champion Howard University Bison. The game will prove to be a test for Vick, as he looks to have the Spartans competing against FBS teams in the near future.
After matchups against Sacred Heart and Wagner, Vick finds himself in another rivalry matchup that hits close to home. Norfolk State and Hampton's “Battle of the Bay” is always one of the most intriguing matchups on the HBCU football calendar but, with Vick's wife Kijafa Vick being a Hampton alumna, the game will surely hold much significance. Hampton won the matchup 37-7 last season, and Vick will look to reverse fortunes and leave his first “Battle of the Bay” victorious.
After a final out-of-conference game against Wofford, the Spartans start their MEAC schedule with an intriguing matchup against Chennis Berry and the reigning conference champion South Carolina State Bulldogs. Norfolk State's viability as a contender will certainly be tested, as the team must face the Bulldogs' trademark physicality on the defensive line while finding a way to disrupt their offensive attack and navigate South Carolina State's formidable offensive line.
Then, arguably the most anticipated matchup of the regular season will take place on November 1st as Vick's Spartans will face off against the Delaware State University Hornets led by former Philadelphia Eagle and first-year head coach DeSean Jackson. It will certainly be a matchup that the college football world will have their eye on and should be competitive as both teams will have rounded into form for their late season push.
They round out the year facing off against North Carolina Central and Howard University, two more of the MEAC's top contenders and the MEAC Champions from the 2022 and 2023 seasons. If Vick plays his cards right, he can follow in Chennis Berry's footsteps and clinch a bid in the Celebration Bowl in his first season at the helm of the program.
Regardless, Norfolk State aims to establish a perennial powerhouse and kick off the Coach Vick era with a strong foundation for success.
