Venue & Logistics
Venue: Meares Stadium, Mars Hill, North Carolina (home of the Lions)
Kickoff Time: 1:00 PM ET
Weather Forecast (Mars Hill, NC)
Conditions: Partly sunny, mild early fall afternoon
Temperature: ~71°F (22°C) at kickoff, cooling to 65°F (18°C) by the fourth quarter
Winds: 5–8 mph from the northwest
Precipitation:
Impact: Excellent football weather; no disruptions expected
Injury Report
Anderson Trojans:
QB Tyler Wesley (ankle soreness) – Probable
RB Bryson James (hamstring) – Questionable
LB Jerrod Woods (shoulder) – Out
Mars Hill Lions:
WR2 (groin) – Game-time decision
DB1 (concussion protocol) – Out
OL starter (knee) – Probable
Key Player Matchups
QB Tyler Wesley (Anderson) vs. Mars Hill Secondary – Wesley threw for 218 yards and 2 TDs in the Trojans’ 30-0 win over Tusculum. He’ll test a Lions’ secondary that has been inconsistent.
Mars Hill RB Committee vs. Anderson Front Seven – The Lions’ rushing attack is their offensive anchor; Anderson’s defense just held Tusculum to 74 rushing yards.
WR Jalon Warthen-Carr (Anderson) vs. Mars Hill Corners – Warthen-Carr is Wesley’s top target; Mars Hill must double him to avoid explosive plays.
Special Teams: Both squads have shown inconsistency in the kicking game; field position could be decisive.
Series History
All-Time Meetings: First-ever meeting between Anderson (SC) and Mars Hill as Anderson is in its inaugural SAC football season.
Trend: Mars Hill has been a steady SAC contender, while Anderson is quickly establishing itself as a dangerous newcomer.
Betting Trends
Anderson is 3-0 ATS in 2025 (all covers by double digits).
Mars Hill is 2-4 ATS in last 6 home games.
The Under has hit in 2 of Anderson’s 3 games due to defensive dominance.
Mars Hill is 5-2 SU in last 7 home openers.
Historical Betting Results
2025 (Anderson): -3.5 vs. Tusculum, won 30-0 → Cover, Under
2025 (Mars Hill): -7.5 vs. Winston-Salem State, won 31-10 → Cover, Under
2024 (Mars Hill): -6.5 vs. Carson-Newman, won 28-21 → Cover, Over
Game Odds
Anderson (SC) Trojans – 6.5
Mars Hill Lions 47.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 19, 2025
