Football Looks To Extend Win Streak Against Wagner

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College football team will try to extend its win streak when it hosts the Wagner Seahawks at Duane Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Kickoff is set for 12 pm ET.

Much like the Warriors have this season, the Seahawks (1-7, 0-4 in Northeast Conference) challenged themselves with a schedule featuring a pair of FBS teams in Cal-Berkeley and James Madison. It marks the first time Wagner has traveled to North Andover since 2022.

Merrimack head football coach Mike Gennetti knows his team will be presented with another challenge as it looks for its second-consecutive victory.

"Wagner is a program that we have a lot of respect for," coach Gennetti said. "Wagner is talented on both sides of the football. They've played a difficult schedule including two FBS opponents.  At this point in the season, every team has developed an identity, and we understand the importance of being disciplined, executing in all three phases, and taking care of the little things."

Merrimack (3-5)  is coming off a thrilling 24-17 victory against the University of New Hampshire, which marked Merrimack's second victory over a Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) opponent this season. The Warriors have won each of their last two home games at Duane Stadium, including a win over the New Haven Chargers who also represent the Northeast Conference.

"For us, it's about continuing to build on the progress we've made and making sure we bring the right mindset and preparation into Saturday," Gennetti said.

Merrimack enters the contest averaging 17 points per game. On defense, the Warriors allow 355 yards and 28 points per game. 

With Wagner head coach Tom Maslla in his seventh season, the Seahawks average 13 points and 265 yards per game. On the opposite side, Wagner's defense is allowing 38 points and 393 yards per game.

Gennetti continues to be pleased with the effort of his players, and is hoping Merrimack's second-to-last game on home turf will go a long way to finishing the season strong.

"I think the biggest thing our players have embraced is the importance of finishing what we've started," Gennetti said. "We've talked all year about building something here at Merrimack that goes far beyond wins and losses. It's about establishing a culture of toughness, accountability, and playing for one another. Everyone playing football right now wants to finish the season strong, and our team is no different. 

"Coming off a win gives us an opportunity to build some momentum, but our focus remains on taking things one week at a time," he continued. "We want to continue improving, play our best football down the stretch, and make sure that when this season ends, we can look back knowing we continued to grow and laid a strong foundation for the future."

Merrimack leads the head-to-head series against Wagner, 3-1.