Campbell Fighting Camels football

The Campbell Fighting Camels football program represents Campbell University in American football. The team is located in Buies Creek, North Carolina. Campbell competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the CAA Football, the football league operated by the multi-sports Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). Campbell's first football team was fielded in 2008, and they play home games at the 5,000-seat Barker–Lane Stadium in Buies Creek, North Carolina.

The Fighting Camels transitioned to offering scholarships in football (they already offered them in other sports) and joined the Big 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]

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 with Belmont Abbey College and Brevard College.

Campbell would see football halted due to World War II, but would go on to win three straight North Carolina Junior College State titles in 1946, 1947, and 1948. The Korean 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 the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. In 1977, Campbell moved to the National Collegiate Athletic Association and became a founding member of the Big South Conference in 1983.

Football Revival: 2008-Present

In 2006, Campbell University announced that they would be restarting their football program and play Division 1 FCS football in 2008. The Camels would play at the newly built Barker-Lane Stadium, which has hosted Campbell since the revival of Camel Football.

The Camels would begin play in the non-scholarship Pioneer 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 the Big South Conference. In 2023, Campbell announced that they would be moving to the Colonial Athletic Association with the Campbell football program joining the Coastal 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 in 2023. Minter had a record of 49-66 during his time at Campbell.

In 2024, former Campbell assistant coach Braxton Harris was named head coach and led Campbell to a 3-9 record in his first season since coming back from Houston Christian University.

• 2008–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS

• 1925–1950: Independent
• 1951–2007: No team
• 2008–2017: Pioneer
• 2018–2022: Big South
• 2023–present: CAA Football

Notable alumni include::

• Brian Hudson
• Julian Hill, Miami Dolphins player and the first Camel to make an NFL final roster.^[5]
• Brevin Allen, Los Angeles Chargers player and the first Camel to play in an NFL game.

Statistics correct as of the end of the 2025–26 college football season

^[6][7]

Announced schedules as of December 16, 2025.^[8]

• Official website