The Norfolk State Spartans football team represents Norfolk State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level, as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The Spartans play home games at William "Dick" Price Stadium in Norfolk, Virginia.
History
Classifications 1956–1972: NCAA College Division 1965–1969: NAIA 1970–1984: NAIA Division I 1973–1996: NCAA Division II 1997–present: NCAA Division I-AA/FCS
Conference memberships 1938–1939: Independent 1940–1961: Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 1962–1996: Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association 1997–1998: NCAA Division I-AA independent 1999–present: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Championships
Conference championships 1941 James Gill Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 3–0–1 1949 Leroy Porter Eastern Athletic Intercollegiate Conference 5–0 1950 Leroy Porter Eastern Athletic Intercollegiate Conference 4–0–1 1957 Joe Echols Eastern Athletic Intercollegiate Conference 4–0 1959 Joe Echols Eastern Athletic Intercollegiate Conference 5–1 1974 Dick Price Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association 8–0 1975 Dick Price Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association 7–1 1976 Dick Price Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association 7–1 1984 Willard Bailey Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association 6–1 Norfolk State won the 2011 MEAC football title, but the championship was subsequently stripped by the NCAA in June 2016.
Division championships 1984 Willard Bailey CIAA Northern Division
Postseason results Bowl games The Spartans have appeared in four bowl games, with a record of 0–3–1. 1947 Cotton-Tobacco Bowl Richmond T 0–0 1974 Gate City Bowl Tuskegee L 14–15 1976 Bicentennial Bowl South Carolina State L 10–26 1979 Gold Bowl South Carolina State L 7–39
NCAA Division I playoffs The Spartans have appeared in the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs one time with an overall record of 0–1.
2011 First Round Old Dominion L 18–35
NCAA Division II playoffs The Bears have appeared in the NCAA Division II football championship playoffs one time with an overall record of 0–1.
1984 Quarterfinals Towson State L 21–31
Rivalries Old Dominion NSU and Old Dominion played for the first time on November 26, 2011 in the first round of the FCS playoffs which resulted in a 35–18 Spartan loss. Old Dominion and NSU announced a new deal for a home and away series in 2013 and 2015 to help fill out open game dates for ODU's transition to the FBS. ODU plays at Foreman Field; NSU at Dick Price Stadium.
Hampton
As of the 2025 season, Norfolk State has a 30–29–1 series lead over the Pirates of Hampton University, another historically black university in the Hampton Roads area.
Future non-conference opponents Announced schedules as of September 15, 2026 Winston–Salem State at Campbell vs Jackson State1 Campbell at East Carolina at Old Dominion at Old Dominion at Rutgers at Wake Forest at James Madison at Virginia Richmond Elon at Miami (OH) Hampton at Towson VMI at Chicago State at Elon at Robert Morris Virginia–Lynchburg MEAC/SWAC Challenge, Atlanta, GA
Notes
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External links