BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — The 2025 Mountain East Conference football season begins in earnest Thursday night as four league teams get underway with non-conference contests.
The University of Charleston, the defending MEC champions who were voted the preseason favorite by league head coaches, will be among the teams who will kick off the season. UC hosts Livingstone College at 7 p.m. at UC Stadium in Charleston, West Virginia.
Wheeling University hits the road to play Clarion at 6 p.m., and Fairmont State (at Seton Hill) and West Liberty (at Walsh) also open the 2025 season away from home. Fairmont State was voted to finish second in this season’s preseason poll, receiving one first-place vote.
The action continues Saturday with one game at noon, two at 1 p.m., and two at 6 p.m. West Virginia State hits the road to play Carson-Newman at noon. West Virginia Wesleyan is at Post at 1 p.m. Glenville State, picked to finish third in the MEC preseason poll, will host Emory & Henry at Herbert Hoover High School in Elkview, West Virginia. In the evening, Frostburg State hosts Shepherd and Concord plays at UVA Wise, both which kick off at 6 p.m.
Week 0 Matchups
Thursday, Aug. 28
Wheeling (0-0) at Clarion (0-0) | 6 p.m. | Clarion, Pa.
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Notes: The Cardinals hit the road looking to build off its third non-losing season in a row … Zac Bruney returns eighth season at the helm, which includes a 36-30 overall record and 23-29 mark in the MEC … Wheeling has four full-time returning starters on the offseason line, including All-MEC second teamer Alex Goodrick … Landon Lutz returns at quarterback for the Cardinals after starting the final five games of the season and throwing for 19 touchdowns against two interceptions … Clarion was picked to finish seventh in the PSAC West Division … The Golden Eagles return 13 starters, including eight on offense … Clarion returns five starters on the offensive line, including All-PSAC West Division selection Devin Webb … Anthony Guercio is back as a dual-threat QB who passed for over 2,000 yards last season with 12 total touchdowns, all rushing.
Fairmont State (0-0) at Seton Hill (0-0) | 7 p.m. | Greensburg, Pa.
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Notes: Luke Barker returns for his second season after leading Fairmont State to a 7-4 record … the Falcons hit the road with a three-game winning streak … Nino Marzullo is back at quarterback after being named the 2024 MEC Offensive Freshman of the Year … The Falcons’ defense will be anchored by Nick Longo, a returnee who made the All-MEC second team a season ago … Also returning is Emmanuel Richardson, who is 90-for-90 on career extra points and 24-for-34 on career field goals … Seton Hill was picked to finish fifth in the PSAC West preseason coaches poll … The Griffins have a new head coach, Kevin May, who takes over for Dan Day … May spent the past six seasons as Seton Hill’s defensive coordinator … The Griffins will lean heavily on running back Ky’Ron Craggette, who was named to the D2Football.com Preseason Elite 100 Watch List … Craggette was a D2CCA All-Super Region Team and All-PSAC West first team selection in 2024.
Livingstone (0-0) at Charleston (0-0) | 7 p.m. | Charleston, W.Va.
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Notes: Livingstone will face the defending MEC champions after posting a 6-4 overall record in 2024, including 4-3 in CIAA play … the Blue Bears are picked to finish seventh out of 11 teams in the CIAA football preseason poll … Sophomore defensive lineman Davion Watkins was chosen for the 2025 Preseason All-CIAA Preseason Team after a breakout season … Watkins recorded 47 tackles, 15.0 tackles for a loss, and 6.5 sacks in 2024 … The University of Charleston is under the direction of first-year head coach Michael Tesch, who was elevated from offensive coordinator in the offseason … UC has won consecutive MEC titles and enters the 2025 season on a 12-game winning streak in conference play … The Golden Eagles topped the MEC preseason coaches poll, receiving seven first-place votes … UC entered the 2024 postseason ranked No. 6 nationally … The Golden Eagles finished No. 4 nationally in scoring offense, No. 7 in total offense, and No. 3 in rushing offense … All-MEC offensive linemen Nick Tinerajo (first team) and Will Belongia (second team) return to provide protecting for All-MEC second team QB Ean Hamric … UC’s 2024 leading tackler, Aden Miller, returns at linebacker … the Golden Eagles were voted No. 22 in the D2Football.com national preseason poll.
West Liberty (0-0) at Walsh (0-0) | 7 p.m. | North Canton, Ohio
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Notes: West Liberty hits the road to open its 100th football season … Roger Waialae returns for his 21st season at West Liberty … The Hilltoppers were picked to finish seventh in the MEC preseason coaches poll … The offense will be centered around Hunter Patterson, who was an All-MEC second team selection a season ago … Patterson is expected to be used more in the passing game in 2025 … Walsh was picked to finish sixth in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference preseason poll … The Cavaliers finished 5-6 overall last season, including 4-5 in league play … Thursday’s matchup will be the 17th all-time meeting between West Liberty and Walsh, with the Cavaliers holding a 9-7 advantage in the series matchup … Walsh defeated WLU, 42-21, in last season’s Thursday night opener.
Saturday, Aug. 30
West Virginia State (0-0) at Carson-Newman (0-0) | Noon | Jefferson City, Tenn.
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Notes: John Pennington returns for his ninth season as the Yellow Jackets’ head coach … West Virginia State is coming off a 6-5 season, including 5-4 in MEC play … Justin Pessoa returns as an All-MEC honorable mention running back to give Pennington a marquee piece on offense … WVSU also returns five starters on the offensive line, providing experience and stability up front … Carson-Newman is coming off a … The Eagles’ Jayden Sullins was named to the D2Football.com’s Elite 100 Watch List … Sullins finished 2024 with 1,2247 rushing yards, the most in the South Atlantic Conference and eighth-most nationally, and 12 touchdowns … Carson-Newman is coming off a 9-3 season, including 7-1 in conference play … All three losses were to teams who were nationally ranked or receiving votes in the national polls.
West Virginia Wesleyan (0-0) at Post (0-0) | 1 p.m. | Waterbury, Conn.
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Notes: The Bobcats hit the road for Northeast-10 opponent Post … West Virginia Wesleyan, under fifth-year head coach Dwayne Martin, was picked to finish ninth in the MEC preseason coaches poll … Martin will lean on an experience offensive line, which includes junior Emmanuel Watkins, sophomore Eric Carter, and freshman Tre Webster … Post was picked to finish eight in the Northeast-10 preseason poll … Wesleyan is looking to end its 24-game losing streak … Post is coming off a 1-9 season … the Eagles, who are under the direction of fourth-year head coach Adam Schultz, have lost nine straight games since the 2024 season opener.
Emory & Henry (0-0) at Glenville State (0-0) | 1 p.m. | Elkview, W.Va.
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Notes: Glenville State begins its off-campus home schedule at Herbert Hoover High School … The Pioneers will play their five home games at different venues during the construction of the Morris Family Health & Fitness Complex … GSU will also play home games at Roane County High School, Robert C. Byrd High School, Nicholas County High School, and Parkersburg South High School … The Pioneers are coming off a second-place MEC finish in 2024 (7-2) … Fourth-year starter Anthony Garrett returns at QB … Garrett has 27 career starts … Leading rusher Zavione Wood and leading receiver Tariq Miller also return to give Garrett weapons in the backfield and down the field … Emory & Henry was picked to finish fourth in the South Atlantic Conference preseason poll … Last season, E&H finished in a three-way tie for third overall and second place in the Mountain Division at 6-2 … Senior defensive back Shawn Collins was recognized this month on D2Football.com’s Elite 100 Watch List … Williams was a D2CCA All-Super Region Two first team selection and honorable mention All-American in 2024 … Williams was one of six Wasps who made the SAC Preseason Watch List.
Shepherd (0-0) at Frostburg State (0-0) | 6 p.m. | Frostburg, Md.
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Notes: A non-league matchup, the campuses of Shepherd University and Frostburg State University are separated by a mere 91 miles … Shepherd was picked to finish fourth in the 2025 PSAC East preseason coaches poll … The Rams finished last season 6-5 overall … The team returns multiple players who received All-PSAC recognition last season, including versatile weapons Malakai Brown and Jordan Barnett, and offensive linemen Brandon Carr and Ty Lucas … Carr was named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List … Frostburg State Eric Wagoner returns for his fourth season at the helm … The Bobcats were picked to finish fourth in the Mountain East Conference preseason coaches poll, behind UC, Fairmont State, and Glenville State … Frostburg State is coming off a 6-5 season, including 4-5 mark in MEC play … The Bobcats’ lone All-MEC first team selection to return is Jaylen Boyd, who ranked in the top 10 among MEC linebackers in tackles (61) and added 1.5 sacks in 2024 … Boyd will be joined by Carter Mazalewski at linebacker
Concord (0-0) at UVA Wise (0-0) | 6 p.m. | Wise, Va.
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Notes: The Mountain Lions begin the 2025 season with consecutive non-conference road games … Concord begins the season under the direction of first-year head coach Cody Edwards … CU returns four of its top 12 tacklers from 2024 … Edwards’ offensive line will be anchored by junior Aidan Parson, who has 18 career starts … QB Kameron Howard played in eight games, throwing for 1,259 yards and seven touchdowns … UVA Wise was picked to finish ninth in the 2025 South Atlantic Conference preseason coaches poll … Six players were named Players to Watch by the coaching staff: Ian Scammell, Seth Fischbach, Jake Corkren, Kenneth Long, Brub Hines III, and DaCorian Jones-Montgomery … Scrammell led the team in rushing last season … Fischbach is the top returning receiver … Cockren played in six games at QB before having his season cut short because of an injury … UVA Wise is in the second year under the direction of head coach Gary Bass.