The University of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä and West Virginia State University are gearing up for the start of the 2025 football season.
UC will welcome Livingstone College to University of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Stadium at Laidley Field on Thursday, marking their second straight season-opening meeting.
WVSU hits the road for a contest on Saturday against Carson-Newman University in Tennessee.
Livingstone at UC
The Michael Tesch era will kick off in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä on Thursday.
The Golden Eagles' first fixture under Tesch is against an opponent that, when he was UC's offensive coordinator last season, hung 38 points on the Blue Bears.
Tesch inherits a program that went 11-1 last season, including 9-0 in Mountain East Conference play.
The 2024 Golden Eagles averaged 43.9 points per game. They relied heavily on the rushing attack, which netted 271 yards per game last season.
However, UC will be without four of its top five rushers last season, including top back Chavon Wright, who rushed for more than 2,200 yards and 38 touchdowns in 2024.
Quarterback Ean Hamric returns for UC after an impressive sophomore season, which saw the Glenville native account for more than 2,200 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Livingstone capped last season with a 6-4 record. The Blue Bears split their first four games before winning four of their last six contests. However, they dropped two of their last three.
Livingstone does not return a quarterback who threw for a touchdown last season.
The Blue Bears get somewhat of a boost with Calvin Scott back for the running attack, but he only carried the ball 22 times for 98 yards and one score last season.
Thursday's meeting will be the teams' second all-time meeting.
WVSU at Carson-Newman
The Yellow Jackets will start their season on the road for the third consecutive year, this time in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
West Virginia State hosted Carson-Newman last season on Sept. 13 in Institute, with the Eagles winning, 56-25. It was the Yellow Jackets' first contest after the death of Jyilek Harrington, who had played for both teams.
The Yellow Jackets have won two of their last three season openers, with the lone loss coming in 2023 to Morehead State, 37-35, in Kentucky.
West Virginia State welcomed 57 newcomers to this year's roster. They'll be called on to replace running back Joel Felder, who finished his career at WVSU with more than 3,000 yards rushing and 35 touchdowns, and starting quarterback Isaiah Bess, who threw for more than 1,600 passing yards.
Carson-Newman had a strong 2024 campaign, going 9-3. The Eagles won their first seven games before dropping three of their final five, including the last two.
WVSU coach John Pennington enters his ninth season with the Yellow Jackets, where he's compiled a record of 44-36.
The Yellow Jackets will try and go for their seventh winning season under Pennington.
Saturday's matchup in Tennessee will be the second all-time meeting between the two.
Around the MEC
Three other MEC schools join UC on Thursday's slate.
Wheeling kicks off the MEC season at Clarion University (Pennsylvania) at 6 p.m.
Fairmont State and West Liberty also open on Thursday. They also both go on the road, as the Falcons travel to Seton Hill in Pennsylvania, while the Hilltoppers make the trek to North Canton, Ohio to face Walsh University.
West Virginia Wesleyan and Concord both go on the road on Saturday. The Bobcats will make the furthest trip out of anyone in the MEC in Week 1, as they travel to Connecticut to face Post University.
The Mountain Lions go to Virginia-Wise.
Glenville State will play at Herbert Hoover High School on Saturday against Emory & Henry University.
Frostburg State joins UC as the only MEC schools to play a true home game to open the season, as the Bobcats will welcome Shepherd to Frostburg, Maryland.
