Kickoff: 3:00 PM ET
Venue: Duane Stadium, North Andover, Massachusetts (Capacity: ~4,000)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Weather Forecast (North Andover, MA)
Temperature: ~72°F (22°C) at kickoff, cooling into the upper 60s by the 4th quarter
Conditions: Partly cloudy, light winds (5–8 mph)
Impact: Excellent football weather; no disruptions expected.
Injury Report
Central Connecticut State (NEC):
QB Brett Olson – Healthy, 118 yards passing in opener vs. UConn.
RB Elijah Howard – Healthy, 59 yards rushing and 1 TD vs. UConn.
WR Dante Pardo – Healthy, 64 yards receiving vs. UConn.
Merrimack (NEC):
QB Anthony Pereira – Healthy, 176 yards passing, 1 TD vs. Kent State.
RB Anthony Pereira (dual-threat) – Also rushed for 103 yards vs. Kent State.
WR Sean Sweitzer – Healthy, 59 yards and 1 TD vs. Kent State.
Key Player Matchups
QB Brett Olson (CCSU) vs. Merrimack Secondary
Olson will need to improve efficiency after a tough opener; Merrimack’s defense has been opportunistic.
RB Elijah Howard (CCSU) vs. Merrimack Front Seven
Howard’s ability to establish the run will be critical to keeping CCSU balanced.
QB Anthony Pereira (Merrimack) vs. CCSU Linebackers
Pereira’s dual-threat ability (176 passing, 103 rushing vs. Kent State) makes him the X-factor.
WR Dante Pardo (CCSU) vs. Merrimack Corners
Pardo’s big-play ability could stretch the field against a secondary that has given up chunk plays.
Recent Team Form
Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (0–1)
8/30: L 59–13 @ UConn (FBS)
End of 2024: Finished 4–7, with wins over Duquesne, Robert Morris, and Stonehill.
Trend: Offense struggled vs. FBS, but defense showed flashes late in 2024.
Merrimack Warriors (1–2)
9/13: L 27–13 @ Kennesaw State
9/6: W 31–6 vs. Sacred Heart
8/30: L 21–17 @ Kent State
Trend: Defense strong in FCS play (allowing 16.5 PPG vs. FCS opponents).
Series History
All-time series: Central Connecticut leads 2–1.
Last meeting (2024): Merrimack defeated CCSU 27–24 in overtime.
The series has been competitive, with two of the three meetings decided by one score.
Betting Trends
Central Connecticut:
3–2 SU in last 5 games.
4–1 ATS in last 5.
Unders hit in 3 of last 5.
Merrimack:
1–4 SU in last 5 games.
3–2 ATS in last 5.
Unders hit in 2 of last 5.
Head-to-Head: Merrimack covered in 2024’s overtime win.
Historical Betting Results
CCSU: Profitable ATS in late 2024; unders common when defense holds.
Merrimack: Strong ATS as an underdog; unders frequent in NEC play.
NEC Trends: Home underdogs cover ~54% of the time in September league games.
Game Odds
Central Connecticut State Blue Devils – 2.5
Merrimack Warriors 45.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 19, 2025
