Year two of the Mike Gennetti Era already feels different.

There was a buzz on the field and in the stands in North Andover despite the terrible weather last weekend as the Warriors closed out spring ball with their annual spring game. The physicality and intensity for a meaningless scrimmage in April was hard to ignore.

While that doesn’t win you games in September, October and November, the tone has been set early for a bounce-back season.

Merrimack went 5-6 in 2024, going 2-3 at Duane Stadium. That’ll certainly need to change if the Warriors are going to be respectable. More importantly, a winning season would also go a long way in earning some looks from a conference. Merrimack is entering year two as an independent, which is always a tough life to live for a program, especially at the FCS level.

The full 2025 schedule was unveiled on Wednesday morning:

August 30th – @ Kent State
September 6th – vs. St. Anselm
September 13th – @ Kennesaw State
September 20th – vs. CCSU
September 27th – @ Stony Brook
October 4th – vs. Robert Morris (Homecoming game)
October 11th – vs. Maine
October 18th – @ Harvard
November 1st – @ Colgate
November 15th – @ Sacred Heart
November 22nd – vs. Fordham

The games against Kent State and Kennesaw State will be interesting, the Warriors aren’t backing down from the FBS challenges. Really every game on the schedule should be considered somewhat of a tossup as of this very moment, although Harvard and Maine will be extremely tough, as will CSSU coming off an NEC title and playoff appearance a year ago. There’s also the rematch with the Pioneers for what will be the second ‘return’ of the Yankee Conference title.

The Warriors will have to be good on the road too, with six of those games away from North Andover.