Way-too-early predictions for Michael Vick, Norfolk State 2026 season

Norfolk State’s 2026 schedule is out, and the HBCU football world is highly anticipating how Michael Vick rebounds in his second season with the program. When Vick was hired in December 2024, there were high hopes for his homecoming to Virginia. Building on the Deion Sanders blueprint at Jackson State, Vick seemingly had an advantage that even Sanders didn’t enjoy: he was coaching a team not far from his hometown of Newport News, Virginia.

The former NFL number one pick was expected to get the top players in Virginia to suit up for the Spartans. With a natural pipeline to the state’s best high school recruits due to his legend in Virginia football, it was also believed that his legacy in college and the NFL would persuade several talented transfers to come to Norfolk State and help the team compete for the HBCU National Championship.

But last season didn’t go the way that Vick hoped. In 2025, the Spartans finished 1-11, with their only win coming against Virginia State University in overtime. Norfolk State struggled in both out-of-conference play and MEAC play, ultimately finishing at the bottom of the conference.

But Vick has been adamant that the team turn its fortunes around in his second year and truly contend for an MEAC Championship and, eventually, a Cricket Celebration Bowl. Looking at Norfolk State’s schedule for the 2026 season, there is literally nowhere else to go but up. For a Norfolk State team that only won one game in Year 1, finishing the season with at least four to five victories is certainly on the board.

2026 Season Win Prediction: 4-7 wins

The schedule is ripe to showcase a proof of concept to Norfolk State stakeholders and alumni, and also generate buzz among HBCU fans around the nation and HBCU prognosticators. I believe Norfolk State’s surefire wins in 2026 are against Winston-Salem State, Chicago State, Robert Morris, and Virginia University of Lynchburg. I believe the minimum number of wins they will get is four.

Now, with the foundation of four victories, perhaps Vick can get to seven. Could his retooled Spartans beat the Hampton University team that is retooling itself after firing Trent Boykin and hiring former Kansas State assistant Van Malone? It’s very possible. Could Norfolk State catch a victory over Ted White and Howard University as White begins his first season coaching his alma mater? That certainly is on the board. Could Michael Vick and Norfolk State head to Maryland and steal a victory over Damon Wilson and Morgan State? I think that’s a possibility.

If Vick were to win seven games, that’s a marked improvement over Year 1 and certainly keeps his seat safe as he looks to build a team that can truly contend against North Carolina Central, South Carolina State, and DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State Hornets in the conference. But I still believe that Vick is a year off from truly competing against those three contenders.

However, if Vick were to somehow lose to Robert Morris, Chicago State, or Virginia University of Lynchburg, there would be some real conversations in Virginia about the efficacy of his coaching campaign. A loss to Winston-Salem State, while many would think it’s disqualifying, would not be horrible. But a loss against those other three teams could spell danger for Vick’s coaching chances.

Nevertheless, there truly is nowhere to go but up for Norfolk State, and the Spartans should definitely be punching above their weight in 2026.

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