CHICAGO, Ill. -- The University of Chicago football team kicks off the 2025 season on Saturday, September 6, when the Maroons host the #18 Carnegie Mellon Tartans at Stagg Field. The matchup marks the beginning of the Coach Craig Knoche era in Hyde Park.

UCHICAGO NOTES:

* The Maroons are coming off a 6-4 season in 2024, finishing 6-3 in Midwest Conference play to secure fourth place in the league.
* Saturday marks the debut of Craig Knoche as head coach. Knoche previously served as a UChicago assistant coach from 2009–16 in a variety of roles before returning to Hyde Park this offseason.
* Walter Kilgore headlines the returners after earning 1st-Team All-MWC honors as a freshman kicker. Kilgore went 9-for-15 on field goals, including three makes from 40+ yards and a career-long 51-yarder.
* Stirling Sakashita earned 2nd-Team All-MWC honors in the secondary, totaling 27 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and 3 interceptions in 2024.
* Josh Minton was also a 2nd-Team All-MWC selection as a return specialist. His 28.5 yards per return ranked third all-time in single-season program history.
* UChicago welcomed a 31-player freshman class representing 15 states. California leads the way with eight newcomers, followed by Florida and Texas with three apiece.
* After the home opener, the Maroons travel to Cornell College in Iowa on September 13 to open MWC play.

#18 CARNEGIE MELLON NOTES: 

* Carnegie Mellon finished 9-2 in 2024, capturing the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament's third round. The Tartans fell 27-17 to Mount Union, the eventual national runner-up.
* The 2025 campaign marks CMU's first year in the Centennial Conference after competing in the PAC.
* The Tartans ended 2024 ranked #15 in the d3football.com poll and enter 2025 at #18.
* Returning playmakers include receivers Brendan McCullough and Reece Kolke, who combined for 110 catches and 1,331 yards last fall.
* On special teams, senior kicker Justin Caputo earned Preseason All-American recognition from d3football.com.
* Head coach Ryan Larsen owns a remarkable 31-4 career record entering his fourth season. The Tartans have lost just twice in the regular season under Larsen, both to Grove City in 2023 and 2024. Their other two setbacks came against national powers North Central (2022 champions) and Mount Union (2024 runner-up).
* Following their game in the Windy City, Carnegie Mellon will return to Pittsburgh for their home opener on Saturday, September 13 against #11 UW-La Crosse.

SERIES HISTORY:

* Saturday marks the 30th all-time meeting between the two programs. Carnegie Mellon leads the series 22-7.
* The last meeting came on November 5, 2016, when Carnegie Mellon defeated UChicago 37-24 at Stagg Field.
* The Maroons' last win in the series was a 28-7 victory in 2014.
* Over the past eight matchups, the series is dead even at 4-4, with only one game decided by single digits.
The first meeting took place in 1988, a 20-6 win for the Tartans.

CAREER STATS RECORDS:

* Josh Minton - 1st in Yards per Kick Return (25.7)
* Jack Ruff - 7th in Completions (232) and 7th in Passing Yards (2,443)