After playing a disjointed schedule a year ago, Mars Hill football will enjoy the comforts of Meares Stadium often in 2025 — and early.
Mars Hill has unveiled its 11-game 2025 football schedule, featuring seven home games — including the first four in September. It’s a welcome change after the Lions had just two games under their belts entering October last season.
Among the most intriguing matchups on the Mars Hill 2025 football schedule are the two non-conference foes: Winston-Salem State and Mary Hardin-Baylor. Both foes are perennial contenders — the Rams from the CIAA and the Crusaders (Belton, Texas) from the Division III ranks.
READ MORE: North Carolina college football’s top 10 D2 non-conference match-ups for 2025
Winston-Salem State comes to Mars Hill on Sept. 6 to open the season. The Rams finished 7-3 a year ago and are expected to be among the top CIAA squads this season.
Mary Hardin-Baylor, a D3 powerhouse with three NCAA titles since 2016, visits on Sept. 27. The Crusaders made a deep playoff run again in 2024, reaching the national semifinals.
The Lions also will face nine South Atlantic Conference opponents, with no divisions in the league this year. Homecoming is set for Oct. 11 vs. Emory & Henry, and Senior Day will be celebrated Nov. 8 against UVA Wise.
Mars Hill, like the rest of the SAC, had been set to play 10 league games in 2025. But Limestone University announced in late April it was shutting down and discontinuing athletics. The Lions were able to find two non-league games to fill out a complete schedule.
⚔️ 7 HOME GAMES. 7 BATTLES FOR THE HILL. ⚔️
This isn’t just a schedule — it’s a call to battle.
Every snap. Every hit. Every roar.
We fight. We defend. We PROTECT THE HILL.
No excuses. No mercy. Be there.
Full schedule:#ProtectTheHill | #RollHill pic.twitter.com/iCtkE8rrgT — MHU Football (@MarsHill_FB) May 14, 2025
Mars Hill finished 5-4 in 2024 despite an unorthodox season that included two early bye weeks in September and a canceled road game against Wingate at the end of September due to Hurricane Helene.
Still, there were bright spots: a dominant win at Newberry, a three-game winning streak in October, and another solid showing under head coach Tim Clifton, who has prowled the Mars Hill sidelines for more than three decades.
Clifton remains the longest-tenured head coach in North Carolina college football — and the only one in the state who’s held the same position since the year 2000.
With seven home games, a legendary coach and a hunger to contend in the South Atlantic, Mars Hill looks poised to make some noise in 2025.
🏈 Mars Hill 2025 Football Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time/Result | TV/Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 6 | vs | Winston-Salem State | 6:30 p.m. | |
| Sept. 13 | vs | Carson-Newman* | 1 p.m. | |
| Sept. 20 | vs | Anderson* | 1 p.m. | |
| Sept. 27 | vs | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 1 p.m. | |
| Oct. 4 | at | Catawba* | 6 p.m. | |
| Oct. 11 | vs | Emory & Henry* | 2:30 p.m. | |
| Oct. 18 | at | Newberry* | 6 p.m. | |
| Oct. 25 | vs | Lenoir-Rhyne* | 1 p.m. | |
| Nov. 1 | at | Tusculum* | 2 p.m. | |
| Nov. 8 | vs | UVA Wise* | 1 p.m. | |
| Nov. 15 | at | Wingate* | 3 p.m. | |
| * denotes conference game |
📊 Mars Hill 2024 Football Results
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Overall | Conference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 29 | vs | Delta State | L | 16-47 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| Sep. 7 | BYE | |||||
| Sep. 14 | BYE | |||||
| Sep. 21 | vs | Lenoir-Rhyne* | L | 21-29 | 0-2 | 0-1 |
| Sep. 28 | at | Wingate* | ||||
| Oct. 5 | at | Newberry* | W | 34-9 | 1-2 | 1-1 |
| Oct. 12 | vs | Carson-Newman* | L | 27-28 | 1-3 | 1-2 |
| Oct. 19 | vs | Tusculum* | W | 30-3 | 2-3 | 2-2 |
| Oct. 26 | at | UVA Wise* | W | 31-17 | 3-3 | 3-2 |
| Nov. 2 | vs | Emory & Henry* | W | 31-23 | 4-3 | 4-2 |
| Nov. 9 | at | Anderson* | W | 31-16 | 5-3 | 5-2 |
| Nov. 16 | at | Limestone* | L | 26-31 | 5-4 | 5-3 |
| *denotes conf. game |
