MARYVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Maryville College football team has achieved a remarkable milestone, starting the season with a 4-0 record for the first time in ten years. This team’s victories are not just wins; they are making a significant impact.

The Scots continue their impressive momentum following an exceptional 2024 season, highlighted by a nine-win record and the program’s inaugural NCAA playoff triumph. Guided by head coach Ben Fox, an alumnus of Daniel Boone, the team has moved beyond the rebuilding stage.

“The seniors in this class were really the first ones that believed in our vision for what Maryville football could be,” Fox expressed. “They helped lay the foundation.”

This foundation is built with a core of East Tennessee talent, including standout senior quarterback Bryson Rollins, an Elizabethton graduate, who has delivered exceptional performances in the early season.

“Reflecting on our summer preparation, our focus was to build on last year’s achievements,” Rollins mentioned. “Carrying that momentum into this season feels great, and we’re off to a great start.”

This fall, the Scots have embraced a new challenge by joining the Southern Athletic Association (SAA), renowned as one of the most competitive NCAA DIII football conferences in the nation.

They made an immediate impact in their new league with a 40–7 win over Sewanee on Saturday.

“We jumped up to the SAA after beating their champion [Berry] in the playoffs last year,” said senior defensive tackle Noah Giger. “It’s a step up. Better schools, better competition. We feel disrespected seeing some of the rankings, but we’ve already proven ourselves.”

While the rest of Maryville’s athletic programs are set to join the SAA next year, football is leading the charge, and doing so with purpose.

“We want to launch our athletic department into this league,” Fox said. “We expect to be competitive. We want to roar into it, not walk. And I think we’ve got the team to do that.”

Maryville will look to start 5-0 for the first time since 1977 when it hosts Centre College this Saturday, October 11.