| Campbell Fighting Camels football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1925; 101 years ago (1925)[a] | ||
| Athletic director | Hannah Bazemore | ||
| Head coach | Braxton Harris 2nd season, 5–19 (.208) | ||
| Stadium | Barker–Lane Stadium (capacity: 6,200) | ||
| Location | Buies Creek, North Carolina | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | CAA Football | ||
| All-time record | 61–126 (.326) | ||
| ConsensusAll-Americans | Caleb Snead (2018) | ||
| Rivalries | Davidson Wildcats | ||
| Colors | Black and orange[1] | ||
| Fight song | Campbell University Fight Song | ||
| Mascot | Gaylord the Camel; Gladys the Camel | ||
| Marching band | Sound of the Sandhills | ||
| Website | GoCamels.com | ||
TheCampbell Fighting Camels football program representsCampbell University inAmerican football. The team is located inBuies Creek, North Carolina. Campbell competes in theNCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of theCAA Football, the football league operated by the multi-sportsCoastal Athletic Association (CAA). Campbell's first football team was fielded in 2008, and they play home games at the 5,000-seatBarker–Lane Stadium inBuies Creek, North Carolina.
The Fighting Camels transitioned to offeringscholarships in football (they already offered them in other sports) and joined theBig South in 2018, where most of the school's other sports teams were already competing.[2] In 2023, the football team transitioned into CAA Football, coinciding with the rest of the athletic program joining the multi-sports CAA.[3]
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Initial Football Program: 1925-1950
Prior to being renamed after university founder J.A. Campbell in 1926, the Buies Creek Academy added football in 1925. The then newly named Campbell Junior College would win North Carolina Junior College State Championships in 1929 and 1932 along with a shared state title in 1939 withBelmont Abbey College andBrevard College.
Campbell would see football halted due toWorld War II, but would go on to win three straight North Carolina Junior College State titles in 1946, 1947, and 1948. TheKorean War brought further strain on the athletics department as well as the increasing number of Campbell's opponents making the transition to 4-year colleges and universities, causing Campbell to drop football as a varsity sport indefinitely.[4]
Non-Football Period: 1951-2007
In the period between football programs, Campbell became a 4-year school in 1961 and began competing in theNational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. In 1977, Campbell moved to theNational Collegiate Athletic Association and became a founding member of theBig South Conference in 1983.
Football Revival: 2008-Present
In 2006, Campbell University announced that they would be restarting their football program and playDivision 1 FCS football in 2008. The Camels would play at the newly builtBarker-Lane Stadium, which has hosted Campbell since the revival of Camel Football.
The Camels would begin play in the non-scholarshipPioneer Football League and remain in the conference through 2017. In 2018, Campbell upgraded it's program to offer football scholarships and joined the rest of Campbell's athletic programs in theBig South Conference. In 2023, Campbell announced that they would be moving to theColonial Athletic Association with the Campbell football program joining theCoastal Athletic Association Football Conference.
Dale Steele was hired as the program's first head coach since bringing back football, and coached Campbell football from 2008 until his dismissal in 2012. Steele's record at Campbell was 14-41.
After the 2012 season,Mike Minter was hired as head coach and would coach the Camels until his resignation in2023. Minter had a record of 49-66 during his time at Campbell.
In2024, former Campbell assistant coachBraxton Harris was named head coach and led Campbell to a 3-9 record in his first season since coming back fromHouston Christian University.
| Name | Title | Position coach |
|---|---|---|
| Braxton Harris | Head coach | N/A |
| Eric Daniels | Defensive Coordinator | Linebackers |
| Matt Kubik | Offensive coordinator | Quarterbacks |
| Eric Amoako | Assistant Coach | Cornerbacks |
| Matt Chiappelli | Assistant Coach/Video Coordinator | Tight Ends |
| Larry Hart | Assistant Coach | Defensive line |
| Ross Hornor | Offensive Run Game Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator | Offensive line |
| Mike Ridings | Assistant Coach | Safeties |
| Larry Dace | Assistant Coach | Running Backs |
| Trey Lowe | Assistant coach | Wide Receivers |
| Luke Sutton | Assistant Coach | Wide Receivers |
| David Crane | Director of Football Operations | N/A |
| Trevor Kana | Director of Sports Performance | N/A |
| Marcus Olivieri | Director of Equipment Operations | N/A |
Notable alumni include:
| NCAA Division I champions | NCAA Division I FCS champions | Conference Champions | Division Champions | Bowl Eligible | Undefeated Season |
| Year | NCAA Division | Conference | Overall | Conference | Coach | Final Ranking | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Loss | Pct. | Win | Loss | Pct. | Standing | |||||
| 2008 | FCS | Pioneer | 1 | 10 | .091 | 0 | 8 | .000 | 9th | Dale Steele | – |
| 2009 | FCS | Pioneer | 3 | 8 | .273 | 2 | 6 | .250 | 8th | – | |
| 2010 | FCS | Pioneer | 3 | 8 | .273 | 2 | 6 | .250 | T–7th | – | |
| 2011 | FCS | Pioneer | 6 | 5 | .545 | 5 | 3 | .625 | 4th | – | |
| 2012 | FCS | Pioneer | 1 | 10 | .091 | 0 | 8 | .000 | 10th | – | |
| 2013 | FCS | Pioneer | 3 | 9 | .250 | 1 | 7 | .125 | 8th | Mike Minter | – |
| 2014 | FCS | Pioneer | 5 | 7 | .417 | 4 | 4 | .500 | T–4th | – | |
| 2015 | FCS | Pioneer | 5 | 6 | .455 | 3 | 5 | .375 | 7th | – | |
| 2016 | FCS | Pioneer | 5 | 5 | .500 | 3 | 4 | .429 | 6th | – | |
| 2017 | FCS | Pioneer | 6 | 5 | .545 | 5 | 3 | .625 | T–3rd | – | |
| 2018 | FCS | Big South | 6 | 5 | .545 | 1 | 4 | .200 | 5th | – | |
| 2019 | FCS | Big South | 6 | 5 | .545 | 3 | 3 | .500 | 4th | – | |
| 2020 | FCS | FCS Independent | 0 | 4 | .000 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 2021 | FCS | Big South | 3 | 8 | .375 | 2 | 5 | .286 | 8th | – | |
| 2022 | FCS | Big South | 5 | 6 | .455 | 2 | 3 | .400 | 3rd | – | |
| 2023 | FCS | CAA | 5 | 6 | .455 | 4 | 4 | .500 | 9th | – | |
| 2024 | FCS | CAA | 3 | 9 | .250 | 1 | 7 | .125 | 14th | Braxton Harris | – |
| 2025 | FCS | CAA | 2 | 10 | .167 | 2 | 6 | .250 | T–10th | – | |
| Totals | 61 | 126 | .326 | 41 | 82 | .333 | |||||
Announced schedules as of December 16, 2025.[8]
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|
| atEast Tennessee State | atWake Forest | atNC State |
| Western Carolina | atWestern Carolina | |
| atFlorida | ||
| atNorth Carolina Central |
