By the Mars Hill football team’s recent standards, the 2024 season was a bit of a down year, so there’s no doubt the Lions will be looking to return to the level of play they’ve enjoyed since emerging from the effects of COVID-19.

Last year, Mars Hill was 5-4 overall and 5-2 in the South Atlantic Conference, but that saw the Lions disappear into the crowd, rather than remain at the front of the pack.

As a result, the Lions quietly landed in the No. 5 spot among the conference’s 10 teams in the recent 2025 SAC Preseason Football Coaches’ Poll.

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Prior to the pandemic slowing things down, Mars Hill hadn’t had a winning season since 2015. Each full season since, the Lions have been 8-3 (2021), 7-3 (2022), 8-2 (2023) and 5-4 (2024).

They won the SAC’s Mountain Division title in 2022, but were defeated by Newberry in the championship game, 27-24.

The Lions made another run at the title in 2023, sharing the Mountain Division title with Tusculum, but because the Pioneers beat the Lions in their head-to-head matchup, Tusculum got to play Lenoir-Rhyne for the trophy, losing 48-7.

For 2025, the SAC will eliminate its divisional format and see all 10 teams play each other once, with the team at the top of the standings at the end of it all taking the conference title - something Mars Hill and longtime head coach Tim Clifton got to enjoy in 2011 as the co-champions with Lenoir-Rhyne.

To help the trajectory head back in the right direction, Mars Hill signed 39 players for the 2025 season. 

However, those players won't get the chance to play for Clifton, who announced his retirement Aug. 11 after 32 seasons in charge. 

He leaves second among SAC coaches with more than 170 career wins, behind only legendary Carson-Newman coach Ken Sparks, who collected 338 victories in his career. 

The day after Clifton’s retirement was reported, Mars Hill announced that Kevin Barnette, the team’s defensive coordinator for the past 31 years, would be the Lions’ new head coach. Barnette also played for Mars Hill in the 1980s.

The Lions’ new campaign will begin at home Sept. 6 against Winston-Salem. Conference play will start the following week, also at home, against Carson-Newman. 

How To Stream Mars Hill Football Games In 2025

Every SAC and home Mars Hill football game will stream live on FloCollege and the FloSports app. 

Game replays, highlights and breaking news will also be available on both platforms.

Mars Hill Football Schedule 2025

All Times Eastern

• Sept. 6 (Sat): 6:30 p.m. vs. Winston-Salem
• Sept. 13 (Sat): 1 p.m. vs. Carson-Newman
• Sept. 20 (Sat): 1 p.m. vs. Anderson
• Sept. 27 (Sat): 1 p.m. vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor
• Oct. 4 (Sat): 6 p.m. at Catawba
• Oct. 11 (Sat): 2:30 p.m. vs. Emory & Henry – Homecoming
• Oct. 18 (Sat): 6 p.m. at Newberry
• Oct. 25 (Sat): 1 p.m. vs. Lenoir-Rhyne
• Nov. 1 (Sat): 2 p.m. at Tusculum
• Nov. 8 (Sat): 1 p.m. vs. Virginia-Wise – Senior Day
• Nov. 15 (Sat): 3 p.m. at Wingate

What Was The Mars Hill Football Record In 2024?

5-4 (5-2 SAC)

• Delta State 47, Mars Hill 16
• Lenoir-Rhyne 29, Mars Hill 21
• Mars Hill 34, Newberry 9
• Carson-Newman 28, Mars Hill 27
• Mars Hill 30, Tusculum 3
• Mars Hill 31, Virginia-Wise 17
• Mars Hill 31, Emory & Henry 23
• Mars Hill 31, Anderson 16
• Limestone 31, Mars Hill 26

2025 SAC Preseason Football Coaches’ Poll

1. Lenoir-Rhyne
2. Wingate
3. Carson-Newman
4. Emory & Henry
5. Mars Hill
6. Catawba
7. Newberry
8. Anderson
9. UVA Wise
10. Tusculum

When Do The 2025 NCAA Division II College Football Playoffs Start?

The first round of the 2025 NCAA Division II Playoffs will be Nov. 22.

The 2025 Division II Football Championship title game will be played Dec. 20, 2025, at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas

College Football Rankings 2024 – Final AFCA Division II Coaches Poll

End Of 2024 Season

1. Ferris St. (Mich.) (27) 14-1  
2. Valdosta St. (Ga.) 13-1  
3. Slippery Rock (Pa.) 12-2  
4. Harding (Ark.) 12-2  
5. Kutztown (Pa.) 11-1  
6. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 11-2  
7. Minnesota St. 11-4  
8. Colorado St.-Pueblo 10-2  
9. Central Oklahoma 11-2  
10. Western Colorado 11-2  
11. Virginia Union 10-4  
12. California (Pa.) 10-3  
13. Bemidji St. (Minn.) 10-4  
14. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 10-2  
15. Charleston (W.Va.) 11-1  
16. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 10-3  
17. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 8-3  
18. West Alabama 9-2  
19. Indianapolis (Ind.) 10-2  
20. Angelo St. (Tex.) 9-3  
21. Wingate (N.C.) 9-2  
22. Miles (Ala.) 10-3  
23. Ashland (Ohio) 9-4  
24. Central Washington 8-4  
25. Augustana (S.D.) 8-4  

Others Receiving Votes: Colorado School of Mines, 56; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 47; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 38; Central Missouri, 35; West Florida, 20; Southern Arkansas, 16; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 14; New Haven (Conn.), 1; Truman St. (Mo.), 1.

Five Hours Of Division II Football Highlights | 2024 College Football Touchdowns

Watch five hours of college football highlights, featuring touchdowns from Ferris State Football, GVSU Football, Central Missouri Football and more across Division II during the 2024 season.

Archived Footage On FloCollege

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Don't miss the latest college football action by bookmarking the FloCollege schedule page for the latest games. 

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