Purple graphic with football player in helmet
Credit: Ashland University

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was first published at the Ashland University sports information website.

ASHLAND — The 2025 Ashland University football team will be tested early and often on its road team abilities.

When the schedule was revealed March 26 is showed a slate front-loaded with road games and back-loaded with games at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field.
 
Ashland’s 103rd season will see six of its first eight games played on the road, including four of its first five. The flip side is that AU’s final three outings will be at home.
 
“It’s hard to win on the road in college football,” said Ashland head coach Doug Geiser. “We’re going to have to be pretty much on point, or we can put ourselves behind the eight ball.
 
“My job as the head coach is to get them prepared, and understand what it’s going to take to go into someone else’s home and beat them.”
 
The Eagles’ non-conference schedule will feature road games against Indiana, Pa. (7-3 record in 2024), on Sept. 4 at 7 p.m., then Indianapolis (10-2, NCAA postseason, Great Lakes Valley Conference champion) on Sept. 13 at 2 p.m.
 
The next nine games will see the Eagles looking to defend their 2024 Great Midwest Athletic Conference championship, starting with the annual Traveling Trophy game vs. Hillsdale on Sept. 20 at 1 p.m. at home. It will be the latest home opener for AU since 2013 (Sept. 21).
 
Ashland’s 101st Homecoming game will be Oct. 11 at 1 p.m. vs. Thomas More, then the Eagles will play their final three regular-season contests at home, all at 1 p.m. – vs. Walsh on Nov. 1, against Findlay on Nov. 8, and vs. Lake Erie on Nov. 15.
 
That will be the longest streak of home games to end a season since 2017, when AU played the last four (including two NCAA postseason games) on Broad Street.
 
Prior to the start of 2025, the spring practice season will come to an end with the annual Purple and Gold Spring Game on April 12 at 1 p.m. at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field.
 
In 2024, the Eagles finished 9-4 overall and 8-1 in the Great Midwest, winning the conference championship outright and earning a road NCAA Division II postseason victory for the first time in program history.

Ashland was 23rd in the final 2024 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches Poll.