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.
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.
Classifications • 2008–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS
Conference memberships • 1925–1950: Independent • 1951–2007:
No team • 2008–2017:
Pioneer • 2018–2022:
Big South • 2023–present:
CAA Football ==Current coaching staff== ==Notable former players==