The Campbell football program will be making its formal debut in the Coastal Athletic Association for the 2023 season, though the Camels did get a sampling of CAA action in 2022, facing William & Mary and fellow newcomer, North Carolina A&T.

Campbell will be making the move from the Big South Conference, where it played from 2018-2022. The Camels were 5-6 overall in 2022 and 2-3 in conference competition.

They’ll be led into the CAA by head coach Mike Minter, who will be in his 11th season as the team’s head coach.

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CAA Football returns eight programs that finished with winning records in 2022. That includes William & Mary, which went 11-2 overall and tied with New Hampshire atop the CAA standings with a 7-1 record. 

CAA football action will be streamed live on FloFootball and the FloSports app, including all of William & Mary’s CAA games.

Here’s What To Know About Campbell Football:

What Year Did Campbell Start Playing Football?

The history of the Campbell football program is two-fold.

The school fielded a varsity program from 1925-1950 (minus the World War II years of 1940-1945). 

Despite much success during this “junior college era,” the football team was dropped after the 1950 season and remained dormant until a resurgence in 2008.

It was announced in April 2005 by Campbell President Jerry Wallace that football would be returning for the 2008 season. Dale Steele was the first head coach of the new program. His team went 1-10 overall and finished 0-8 in the Pioneer Football League.

The Camels are 58-101 since returning to action in 2008.

When Did Campbell Join Division I College Football? 

Beginning with its 2008 return to action, Campbell played at the NCAA Division I-AA/FCS level.

How Many Times Has Campbell Football Made It To The FCS Playoffs?

Campbell has not yet had a chance to experience the FCS Playoffs, but the first iteration of the team won a state junior college championship in 1932 and tied for the title in 1939. They added three consecutive North Carolina Junior College Championships from 1946-1948.

In 1947, the Camels won the Eastern United States Junior College Championship and nearly repeated it in 1948, falling short in the big game.

When Did Campbell Football Join The CAA?

The 2023 season will mark Campbell’s debut in the CAA.

The modern-era Camels played in the Pioneer Football League from 2008-2017 and the Big South Conference from 2018-2022. 

Their best record overall has been 6-5, which they’ve done four times, including three in a row from 2017-2019. Their best effort in conference play has been 5-3 on two occasions.

Last year, the Camels were 2-3 in the Big South Conference and 5-6 overall.

Has Campbell Football Ever Won The CAA title?

No. 

The 2023 season will be the team’s first year in the CAA.

Who Is The Campbell Football Head Coach?

Mike Minter is the head coach for the Campbells, a role he began in 2013, taking over for Dan Steele, who helped rebuild and reintroduce the team in 2008.

Minter is 44-60 with the Camels and will be entering his 11th season at the helm.

Prior to joining Campbell, Minter was an assistant coach at Liberty University in 2012 and Johnson C. Smith University in 2011. Those stops came after three successful seasons at First Assembly Christian School, where he led the team to two state titles.

As a player, Minter was a high school standout in Oklahoma, and he went on to play at Nebraska, where he helped the Huskers to national championships in 1994 and 1995 as a linebacker, free safety and strong safety.

Minter also went on to enjoy 10 years in the NFL, where he played safety for the Carolina Panthers. During his time there, the Panthers went to the playoffs three times, won the 2003 NFC Championship and played in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Who Is Campbell’s Football’s Biggest Rival? 

Campbell’s short history (2008-current) would suggest there really hasn’t been a chance to develop any serious rivalries, especially now that the Camels will be in their third conference since 2008.

Campbell has faced Davidson College 11 times (7-4), Butler 10 times (4-6), Morehead State 10 times (5-5) and Jacksonville University nine times (0-9).

In 2022, Campbell met eight opponents for the first time.

Where Do The Campbell Fighting Camels Play Football?

The new era in Campbell University football in 2008 included a new venue—Barker-Lane Stadium and Ed Gore Field—located on the university’s campus in Buies Creek, North Carolina.

The facility also is home to the women’s lacrosse team and has room for 5,500 fans. The largest crowd to date was 5,845 for the inaugural game in August 2008.

The groundbreaking for the stadium was in March 2007. Lights were added in 2012.

The stadium has undergone several other renovations in recent years, including the addition of a new scoreboard and video display in 2016 and new turf in 2018.

Where Is Campbell University?

Campbell University is located in Buies Creek, North Carolina.

The school was opened in 1887 by Baptist minister James Archibald Campbell in a small church and included 16 students. It was called Buies Creek Academy. By the end of the first term, there were nearly 100 students.

The institution became Campbell Junior College in 1926, Campbell College in 1961 and Campbell University in 1979. The school has remained true to its Christian values.

Notable Campbell Alums

Among the most noteworthy Campbell alums are:

• Clay Aiken (singer and runner-up on American Idol)
• Paul Green (playwright)
• Gaylord Perry (MLB hall of famer)
• Kristin Cooper (first lady of North Carolina)

Seven Campbell players have gone on to join the NFL ranks, including three who signed as undrafted free agents in 2023.

Campbell Football Schedule 2023 

• Aug. 31: William & Mary, 7 p.m. ET, FloSports
• Sept. 9: at The Citadel, TBA
• Sept. 16: at Monmouth, 1 p.m. ET, FloSports
• Sept. 23: Elon, 6 p.m. ET, FloSports
• Sept. 30: at NC Central, TBA
• Oct. 7: at Hampton, 2 p.m. ET, FloSports
• Oct. 21: Maine, 4 p.m. ET, FloSports
• Oct. 28: at Richmond, 3:30 p.m. ET, FloSports
• Nov. 4: at North Carolina, TBA
• Nov. 11: Delaware, 1 p.m. ET, FloSports
• Nov. 18: at North Carolina A&T, 1 p.m. ET, FloSports