Weekly Previews & Power Rankings

Week 1 – September 14, 2024

Game of the Week

WESLEYAN AT MIDDLEBURY – 1 PM

2023 Game: Wesleyan 24, Middlebury 17 @ Wesleyan

Last Five: Wesleyan 3-2

When Wesleyan has the ball: Can the Cardinal offensive line, which struggled with sacks and generating yards in the run game in ’23, hold up against a dominant defensive line from Middlebury? QB Nick Candido will likely attack the Panthers through the air, looking early and often for WR Chase Wilson.

When Middlebury has the ball: Can new QB Brian Moran keep the Middlebury passing game humming with WR Patrick Jamin? Wesleyan features a playmaking secondary, led by one of the NESCAC’s best players: DB Wesley Abraham.

The Bigger Picture: This game features two of the league’s top teams, and although its only Week 1, it will likely have ramifications in terms of the NESCAC title.

BATES AT AMHERST – 1 PM

2023 Game: Amherst 17, Bates 7 @ Bates

Last Five: Amherst 4-1

When Bates has the ball: Can Bates be successful through the air, with a senior QB Colton Bosselait and two productive players in WR Sergio Beltran and TE Steven Guerrette? That approach will likely find resistance as Amherst had the league’s 2^nd best passing defense in ’23 and returns most all its players in the deep patrol.

When Amherst has the ball: Who starts at QB for Amherst, and can the Mammoths jump start an offense that has struggled for the past two seasons? Bates returns 9 of its defensive starters from ’23, but that unit finished last in the league a year ago.

The Bigger Picture: The young Bobcats head to Amherst, a team they played well against in ’23. This game will provide an early look at the potential improvement of Bates’ young players and Amherst’s offense.

COLBY AT TRINITY – 1 PM

2023 Game: Trinity 48, Colby 7 @ Colby

Last Five: Trinity 5-0

When Colby has the ball: This is a tough spot for QB Miles Drake to take the reins again for the Mules, and can he and his experienced skill players generate points in Hartford? Trinity’s D has been historically very good, although they break in some new starters in ’24.

When Trinity has the ball: Unlike Drake, Trinity’s new QB Zander Zebrowski has a more favorable opener – he gets his first start at home against a Colby defense looking to replace 8 starters from a year ago. Will he pick up where Spencer Fetter left off? The Mules have star LB Julian Young, but he will need help to slow RB Tyler DiNapoli and WR Sean Clapp.

The Bigger Picture: This game appears to be a challenging opening game for Colby, who has lost 12 straight games to Trinity, last beating the Bantams in 1995.

HAMILTON AT WILLIAMS – 1:30 PM

2023 Game: Williams 24, Hamilton 17 @ Hamilton

Last Five: Williams 4-1

When Hamilton has the ball: Expect the Continentals to run the ball with QB Luke Kurzum and RBs Kamau Hopewell and Nate Wildman featured. Can Hamilton run the ball against an experienced Williams’ front seven?

When Williams has the ball: Similarly to Hamilton, Williams will likely look to mount a ground attack behind QB Owen McHugh and RB Mario Fischetti. Can the Ephs generate a pass game to balance their attack against a Hamilton defense that has struggled over the past two seasons?

The Bigger Picture: Two very similar teams face off in Williamstown: both coming off 3-6 seasons, both returning sophomore quarterbacks and both with offenses that are run heavy. The game will be an early look at how well each team’s passing game and pass defense have improved since last season.

BOWDOIN AT TUFTS – 6 PM

2023 Game: Tufts 24, Bowdoin 10 @ Bowdoin

Last Five: Tufts 5-0

When Bowdoin has the ball: With QB Robby Long, who is a strong runner, and an experienced offensive line, Bowdoin will likely look to move the ball on the ground against Tufts, who has 5 new starters on their front 7. Can the Polar Bears win the ground game?

When Tufts has the ball: By contrast, one would expect Tufts to try to attack Bowdoin through the air, leveraging QB Michale Berluti and WR Cade Moore against a Bowdoin secondary that struggled against the pass in ’23. Can Tufts’ inexperienced offensive line hold up against Bowdoin’s seasoned front seven?

The Bigger Picture: Bowdoin has lost 8 straight to Tufts and last won in ’14, but the Polar Bears have been closing the gap in past seasons. This night game in Somerville should provide some insight into the Bowdoin’s growth and Tufts’ ability to reload at certain positions.

Week 2 – September 21, 2024

Game of the Week

TUFTS AT WESLEYAN 7pm

Last Game: Tufts 49, Wesleyan 14 @ Tufts

Last Five: Wesleyan 3-2

When Tufts has the ball: Tufts was more effective passing in Week #1 with RB Chartellis Reece out (321 yds via pass, 86 yds via the run), so expect the Jumbos to attack Wesleyan through the air. Can QB Michael Berluti and wideouts Cade Moore, Matt Rios and Henry Fleckner find success against DB Wesley Abraham and the talented and experienced Cardinal secondary?

When Wesleyan has the ball: Wesleyan may lean more on their run game as it was highly productive in Week #1 against Middlebury and Bowdoin found success on the ground last week against Tufts’ defense. Can the new faces in the front seven for Tufts limit Wesleyan’s running game?

Bigger Picture: Tufts beat Wesleyan soundly last year, so the Middletown faithful are looking for some revenge. If Wesleyan can start the season with wins over Middlebury and Tufts, it will set them up nicely for a title run. Tufts can do the same, with a key win as well.

WILLIAMS AT COLBY 1pm

Last Game: Williams 25, Colby 22 @ Williams

Last Five: Williams 4-1

When Williams has the ball: Eph QB Owen McHugh threw the ball very well against Hamilton, so the question is whether Williams can move the ball effectively through the air against a better secondary from Colby, led by Joshua East and Brody Rice.

When Colby has the ball: The Mule offense was limited by a strong Trinity defense, but unfortunately for the Mules, the Williams defense was impressive in their opener. Can the returning skill players at Colby, including the Sawyer brothers, Smart and McHugh generate more points?

Bigger Picture: Williams was impressive in their opener, and the Ephs will look to topple Colby before a big game against Trinity next weekend. Colby hung tough against Trinity and will look to do the same in their home opener.

AMHERST AT HAMILTON 1pm

Last Game: Amherst 17, Hamilton 14 @ Amherst

Last Five: Amherst 3-2

When Amherst has the ball: Amherst’s offense continues to struggle, generating less than 200 yards against Bates. Can new QB Mason Morrow get the passing game going against a Continental secondary that was vulnerable against Williams?

When Hamilton has the ball: Between Hamilton’s struggles in the passing game and Amherst’s top notch secondary, expect the Continentals to try to establish a running game on offense. Can QB Luke Kurzum, the running backs and a veteran offensive line generate an effective ground game?

Bigger Picture: This is a big game for both teams, as they appear somewhat evenly matched and may have trouble finding a lot of wins in ’24. Hamilton will look for improved play after a poor showing against Williams, while Amherst looks to jump start their offense after struggling against Bates.

MIDDLEBURY AT BOWDOIN 1pm

Last Game: Middlebury 34, Bowdoin 27 @ Middlebury

Last Five: 5-0

When Middlebury has the ball: Tufts threw for 321 yds in Week #1 against an inexperienced Polar Bear secondary, so expect Middlebury to attack Bowdoin through the air. Can QB Brian Moran improve his completion percentage, leverage his talented wideouts Patrick Jamin and Mike Ahonen, and find success in the passing game against Bowdoin?

When Bowdoin has the ball: Wesleyan was very productive using a run heavy approach against Middlebury on opening day and Bowdoin did the same against Tufts, so it’s likely the Polar Bears focus on the run with QB Robby Long. Can Middlebury’s defense rebound after a tough opener against Wesleyan?

Bigger Picture: Middlebury has 32 wins over the past 5 seasons, while Bowdoin only has 9, and the Panthers currently enjoy a 9-game win streak over Bowdoin, with the Polar Bears last winning in 2009. Bowdoin is clearly closing the gap with other top teams in the NESCAC, and this game provides a chance for the Polar Bears to end the streak.

TRINITY AT BATES 1pm

Last Game: Trinity 52, Bates 7 @ Trinity

Last Five: Trinity 5-0

When Trinity has the ball: The passing game under new QB Zander Zebrowski looked good in their opener, so one would expect Trinity to use an aerial assault with the Bantams’ WR trio of Sean Clapp, Nolan O’Brien and Matt Laughlin. Can the Bobcats young secondary slow Trinity’s passing attack?

When Bates has the ball: Rushing yards were hard for Bates to come by against Amherst and will likely be no easier against the Bantams. Can QB Colton Bosselait make some plays in the passing game to keep Bates in the game?

Bigger Picture: Trinity has a 27-game win streak against Bates, with the Bobcats last winning in 1979. This year may not be the year when the streak ends as there is a large experience gap between the two teams: Trinity’s line-up featuring several grad students and seniors while Bates’ starters have a large number of sophomores and freshmen.

Week 3 – September 28, 2024

NESCAC FOOTBALL POWER RANKINGS – After Week #2

1. Wesleyan (2-0)
2. Trinity (2-0)
3. Williams (2-0)
4. Tufts (1-1)
5. Amherst (2-0)
6. Middlebury (1-1)
7. Colby (0-2)
8. Bowdoin (0-2)
9. Bates (0-2)
10. Hamilton (0-2)

1-WESLEYAN (2-0)

The Cardinals blasted Middlebury and then followed up with a hard fought win over Tufts. Those two wins come against two of the top teams in the NESCAC, so those wins in the context of their strength of schedule put them at the top spot in my power rankings. One of my preseason questions for Wesleyan in my Team Overviews was whether their O-Line could improve the run game, and this far the answer on the run game is a resounding “yes”: the Cardinals lead the league in rushing yards (at 4.0 per carry average). The defense has yielded over 300 yds per game but offset limiting opponents to below 20% success on 3^rd down, recovering 5 fumbles (to losing none), leading the league with 10 sacks and stopping their opponents from scoring 3 out of 6 trips to the red zone.

2-TRINITY (2-0)

Another year and Trinity keeps rolling. In my preseason Team Overviews, one question was whether new QB Zander Zebrowski could pick up where Spencer Fetter left off, and so far, he has. Zebrowski is averaging 250 yds per game, has a completion percentage north of 80%, 4 TDs and no interceptions. No surprise that the WR trio of Clapp, O’Brien and Laughlin are producing, and the run game is also solid as well. RB Tyler DiNapoli (1^st team All-NESCAC in ’23) has been impactful and sophomore RB Jack Tosone has also looked good. The defense has been dominant, yielding just 7 points per game. Trinity has faced an easier slate that Wesleyan, hence the #2 ranking. One area for improvement: The Bantams have been flagged for the most penalties in the league with 15 penalties costing them 117 yards.

3-WILLIAMS (2-0)

One of the major questions in my preseason Team Overview for the Ephs was whether they could mount an aerial attack to complement their running game. So far in the ’24 season Williams has done that. Sophomore QB Owen McHugh has completed 76% of his passes for 220 yds per game with 6 TDs and 0 INTs; in ’23 he averaged 141 yds per game with a 48% completion rate. Two sophomore targets with size, Brody Stahelski (6’4”) and Owen Johansen (6’3”) have combined for 11-174 yds and 4 TDs in their two games. The Eph offense leads the league in points and is 2nd in yardage. The defense has been solid, but both units will be tested as the level of competition increases.

4-TUFTS (1-1)

The Jumbos lead the NESCAC in yards per game on offense with 387, but it hasn’t always translated into points. In their first game, Tufts outgained Bowdoin by 134 yards and won by 2 points, and in their second game the Jumbos outgained Wesleyan by 80 yds and lost by 11. Two issues have hurt them on offense, they are negative 4 in fumbles lost and they have converted just 2 TDs in 8 red zone trips. QB Michael Berluti leads the league in passing yards, but has not yet thrown a TD pass and has 3 INTs. Last year’s star running back Chartellis Reece is out, and the Jumbo rushing attack ranks 7^th in yardage in the league. The defense has been solid, and DB Ty Richardson already has 2 interceptions.

5-AMHERST (2-0)

Amherst has played 4 different quarterbacks in their past 11 games, and junior Mason Morrow is now the lead man for the Mammoths. His numbers have been average – 173 yds per game and 2 TDs and 1 INT. Amherst ranks 8^th in the league in total offensive yards, and Mammoths have turned to two freshman running backs in their last game to carry the load in Demitrius Smith and Zachary Curtain. The better news is on the other side of the ball: the defense has yielded just 2 TDs in two games, 2.0 yds per carry, and limited opponents to 115 yds per game through the air. No surprise that Luke Harmon is being impactful: he is 4^th in the league in tackles and tied for INTs with 2. Despite being 2-0, I have ranked Amherst 5^th as their wins have come against my 9^th and 10^th ranked units, Bates and Hamilton.

6-MIDDLEBURY (1-1)

Middlebury was blasted by Wesleyan in their home opener and found themselves down 15-7 to Bowdoin late in their second game. The Panthers ultimately hit their stride in the 2^nd half at Brunswick, scoring 32 unanswered points, and looking more like a team with eight returning All-NESCAC players. QB Brian Moran has only completed 47% of his passes, but tossed 3 TD passes in the Bowdoin win. To date, the Panther statistics across the board have been pedestrian, although WR Patrick Jamin is averaging close to 100 yds per game receiving. The rushing defense ranks 9^th in the league by yardage, which is a surprise based on their stars on defensive line, but could improve as four new starters at linebacker get better acclimated to NESCAC play.

7-COLBY (0-2)

The Mules have been lower to middle of the pack statistically but have struggled most in pass defense. Colby ranks 9^th in yards defended through the air and have yielded a league worst almost 9.9 yards per pass attempt. The Mule front seven has generated pressure – LBs Julian Young, Sebastian Romain and Locksley Burke have a combined 7 TFLs through 2 games. On offense, the trio of QB Mile Drake, RB Keon Smart and WR Duke Ferrara have all played well and rank in the top four in the NESCAC in passing, rushing and receiving yards, respectively. Both Colby and Bowdoin have played a tough early slate, but I have 0-2 Colby ranked slightly above Bowdoin based on their statistical advantage.

8-BOWDOIN (0-2)

The Polar Bears are 0-2, but their losses have come against quality opponents Tufts and Middlebury, both of whom they led in the 2^nd half. With several key member of Bowdoin’s 2023 aerial attack graduating, the Polar Bears have been run heavy on offense, sitting at 4^th in the league in rushing yards. They have employed two QBs who are running threats in Robby Long and Michael Wolfendale, with Long leading the team in rushing and Wolfendale 3^rd. The passing game has hurt Bowdoin on both sides of the ball: the Polar Bears rank 8^th in NESCAC in pass offense by yards and last in pass defense, losing on average over 100 yds per game to their opponents through the air. Bowdoin’s defense has given up 31.0 points per game.

9- BATES (0-2)

Bates played several underclassmen in ’23, which resulted in a winless campaign. This year is similar: in ’23 they started 11 sophomores or freshman, in ’24 they start 12, including two freshmen on the offensive line. The good news for the Bobcats is their defense ranks 3^rd in the NESCAC in yards allowed and 2^nd in rushing, a considerable improvement from ’23. LB Ryan Rozich leads the NESCAC in tackles. The bad news is the Bates offense is last in the NESCAC largely due to its passing game. The Bobcats have played three quarterbacks, connected on just 12 passes in ’24, completed just 33% of their passes and have thrown 6 INTs. Their top WR from last year, Sergio Beltran has not played, and Bates has faced two of the league’s toughest defense in Amherst and Trinity.

10- HAMILTON (0-2)

It’s been a tough early start for Hamilton in ’24, as they were beaten badly by Williams and lost their home opener to Amherst. The Continentals rank 9^th in offensive yardage and 10^th in defensive yardage on the year. On offense, despite accomplished runners in Luke Kurzum, Nate Wildman and Kamau Hopewell and an experienced offensive line, Hamilton is last in rushing averaging just 2.3 yds per carry. One bright spot on offense is sophomore WR Chester Boynton, who leads the NESCAC in catches and is 2^nd in receiving yards. On the defensive side, the Continental defense is yielding a league high 31.5 points per game, although DB Kyle Bratcher has made an impact with 3 PBUs and an INT in the first two games.

Game of the Week

WILLIAMS AT TRINITY 1:30 pm

Last Game: Trinity 41, Williams 14 @ Williams

Last Five: Williams 3-2

This match-up features two undefeated teams, with Williams looking to measure themselves against a tough opponent after looking impressive in their first two games.

BATES AT WESLEYAN 1pm

Last Game: Wesleyan 28, Bates 17 @ Wesleyan

Last Five: Wesleyan 5-0

Wesleyan is #1 in my Power Rankings and has beaten Bates 17 straight times, last losing to the Bobcats in 2005. Bates has been an improved unit in ’24, but this is a tough spot for the young team.

COLBY AT MIDDLEBURY 1pm

Last Game: Middlebury 35, Colby 28 @ Colby

Last Five: Middlebury 4-1

Winless Colby has been competitive in their opening games, but faces another tough foe in Middlebury, who hopes to carry over the level of play from their 2^nd half against Bowdoin.

HAMILTON AT BOWDOIN 1pm

Last Game: Bowdoin 26, Hamilton 12 @ Hamilton

Last Five: Hamilton 3-2

Two winless teams match-up in Brunswick, with Bowdoin looking to make progress in its pass defense and Hamilton hoping to find some semblance of a running game.

AMHERST AT TUFTS 1pm

Last Game: Tufts 34, Amherst 14 @ Amherst

Last Five: Amherst 4-1

Amherst’s defense has been outstanding in their first two games, but Saturday they will face the NESCAC’s most productive offense in terms of yards in Tufts.

Week 4 – October 5, 2024

NESCAC FOOTBALL POWER RANKINGS – After Week #3

1. Trinity (3-0)
2. Wesleyan (2-1)
3. Tufts (2-1)
4. Williams (2-1)
5. Middlebury (2-1)
6. Amherst (2-1)
7. Bates (1-2)
8. Bowdoin (1-2)
9. Colby (0-3)
10. Hamilton (0-3)

1-TRINITY (3-0)

The ’24 Trinity team is starting to look at a lot like the ’23 version: the Bantams have a positive 62-point differential (+20 points per game) with the next highest in the league at 31 points. Their offense ranks 1^st in yardage while the defense is 2^nd. Per the table below, new QB Zander Zebrowski has picked up where last year’s QB, Spencer Fetter left off:

Trinity has leaned heavier on the pass, as they are 8^th in league in rush attempts, which is a luxury considering they have a returning All-NESCAC back in Tyler DiNapoli back and are running at 3.8 yds per carry. The defense, which is yielding less than 10 points per game, is tied with Tufts for the most interceptions in the NESCAC with 6. The one potential issue is in pass protection, where the offensive line with 3 new starters has yielded 6 sacks through 3 games; last year they gave up 4 over the entire season. They are in the top spot as the only undefeated team in the NESCAC.

2-WESLEYAN (2-1)

I had Wesleyan at the top of my Power Rankings last week in large part due to their win over Tufts, a game at which the Cardinals capitalized on several Tufts’ miscues to secure the win. Last Saturday, the script was flipped: Bates upset Wesleyan taking advantage of a series of Wesleyan mistakes. The Cardinal air game has been predicated on big plays: QB Niko Candido has by far the league’s highest yards per completion (19.1) but has only completed passes at 44% which is 9^th in NESCAC. WR Chase Wilson is the big play threat. The Wesleyan defense is statistically middle of the pack, giving up over 300 yards a game, but LB Ben Carbeau leads the league in tackles. The Cardinals lead the NESCAC in penalties with 21 for 206 yards, giving up close to 70 yards per game in that area. I have Wesleyan ranked over one loss Tufts based on their head-to-head win.

3-TUFTS (2-1)

Tufts has been impressive in controlling their games: they average over 400 yds per game and have yielded 226 yds. As noted last week, they need to be more productive in cashing in that yardage success into points, as they have only scored 4 TDs in 12 red zone trips. Despite being 2^nd in overall offensive and passing yardage, there appears to be room for improvement for QB Michael Berluti, who is a multiple All-NESCAC performer. This season Berluti has 4 INTs to 1 TD pass (last year his ratio was the inverse, almost 4:1 in favor of TDs), his rushing yds per game is down (was 57.3 yds in ’23 versus 29.7 yds in ‘24) and his completion percentage is down 3% from a year ago. The defense has been very good: despite several new faces on defense, the Jumbos rank 1^st in overall yardage allowed, 1^st in pass defense and are tied with Trinity for most picks.

4-WILLIAMS (2-1)

The Ephs have a strong running game, led by RBs Mario Fischetti and Jon Oris and QB Owen McHugh, which ranks 1^st in NESCAC in yardage and averages 3.9 per carry. Those stats include playing against a tough Trinity defense. McHugh has been very efficient in the passing game: he is 2^nd in league in completion percentage, has 6 TDs to 1 INT and is getting 12.9 yds per completion. Williams’ strength in the running game helps them be very effective in red zone: they have scored every time they have gotten into the red zone and have 8 TDs in those 9 trips. The defense has not been as good: they sit 8^th in scoring defense and 7^th in yardage having played the best and worst scoring offenses to date. There is youth on defense at Williams: of their 4 top tacklers one is a freshman (Luke Mangini) and two are sophomores (Brady Carroll and Wyatt Cotton), so improvement may come as the season progresses.

5-MIDDLEBURY (2-1)

Middlebury topped Colby, after being tied at half. Through their first 3 games, the Panthers have been outscored 52-17 in the first half but have outscored their opponents 53-22 in the 2^nd half. The comebacks have worked against Bowdoin and Colby but may not be sustainable against better teams. Panther offensive yardage statistics have been in the middle of the pack in rushing and passing, QB Brian Moran is completing less than 50% of his passes, they have yielded the most sacks in the league, but WRs Patrick Jamin and Ethan Vashel rank in the Top 10 in receiving yards. The Middlebury defense ranks 9^th in the league in yards allowed and 9^th in rushing defense but lead the league in sacks (tied with Colby). I have the Panthers just slightly below Williams based on their inconsistency to date.

6-AMHERST (2-1)

A bit like I wrote about Trinity, the ‘24 Amherst team is starting to look at a lot like the ’23 version: a good defense with a struggling offense. The Mammoths are last in the league in total offensive yardage, last in rushing yardage and 9th in passing. They are a mere 6 for 36 on 3rd down and have thrown 4 INTs against 2 TDs. While Amherst looks to settle on a QB, its defense has been key to its two victories as it ranks 3^rd in yardage allowed and has only surrendered 13 pts per game. The question around the defense is can they maintain that level of play when they face better offenses than Hamilton and Bates; Tufts rolled up 427 yds in their game against Amherst. A bright spot for the Mammoths is that Carter Jung is 1^st in the league with 197 yds (28.1 yd avg) on kickoff returns. Amherst is my last one loss team based on their strength of schedule to date.

7– BATES (1-2)

The Bobcats, who went winless in ‘23, broke through with an upset win at Wesleyan. RB Ryan Lynskey has been an impactful workhorse for Bates – he leads NESCAC in carries and yards while averaging 100.3 yds per game and 4.1 yds per carry. The passing has not been good: they average just 6.3 completions a game and are last in the league in passing yards (179 yds behind the 9^th best team) and over 600 yds (over 200 per game) behind Trinity. WR Sergio Beltran saw some action in their last game, so he may help the Bobcat passing game. Bates is developing an identity with defense: they are 4^th in the league in yards allowed after finishing last in ’23. The Bobcats have cut their yards yielded per game by over 120 yds per game compared to ‘23, and that includes games against Trinity and Wesleyan in ‘24. Two players have shined on defense: LB Ryan Rozich in 3^rd in the league in tackles, and freshman DB Marquez Narvaez-Estrada is 1^st in PBUs. I have Bates over Bowdoin based on the quality of their win.

8-BOWDOIN (1-2)

The Bowdoin picked up their first win, topping Hamilton by 7. Bowdoin showed more in their passing game, with QB Robbie Long throwing for 273 yds after throwing for 215 yds in his first two game combined. The Polar Bears do not have a Top 10 receiver in the league. Long has averaged 224 yds per game of total offense -163 per game passing and 61 on the ground and is 4^th in the NESCAC in rushing yards. The Bowdoin defense is ranked 8^th in yards allowed but have some standout players. Aidan Ready and Koy Price are ranked 1^st and 2^nd in the league in TFLs, combining for 10.5, and LB Dan Fiore is 2^nd in tackles. The question is whether Bowdoin can continue its passing success against tougher competition.

9-COLBY (0-3)

Colby sits at 0-3 but have been competitive against a very difficult early slate of games: Trinity, Williams and Middlebury. On offense, the Mules have started Miles Drake at QB, but have begun mixing in QB Declan McNamara, who has been more of a running threat to date. Drake is 7^th in the NESCAC in completion percentage (51.8%) and has 3 TDs and 3 INTs on the year. RB Keon Smart and WR Duke Ferrara have provide the majority of the offense, and freshman WR Jack Nye has flashed in the last two games. On defense, the good news is the Mules have been stout against the run (2.4 rush per game), and DE Jack Mullen leads the league in sacks with 4.5 through three games. The bad news is Colby is last in the NESCAC in pass defense (giving up the most yards at 257 per game) with their opponent’s completion percentage at a league high 73.8% (the next highest team is yielding 64.8%). In the upcoming games, it will be interesting to see if these stats improve against a different level of competition. I have the Mules ranked above Hamilton based on the quality of their opponents and their point differential.

10- HAMILTON (0-3)

The Continentals are winless through three games and have yet to play 4 of the top 5 teams in my Power Rankings. On offense, they have scored the least points in the league (11.3 per game), in large part because of their rushing attack, which is 9^th in the NESCAC in yards per game (68.3 yds) and last in yards per carry at 2.6. The lack of production is odd as Hamilton returned their dual threat QB, RB and several offensive line starters from 2023, when they finished 4^th in the league in rushing, averaging 119.4 per game and 3.3 per carry. Hamilton switched from QB Luke Kurzum, who was the NESCAC ROY in ’23, to junior QB Henry Rubey in the 2^nd quarter of their last game. There is less mystery on the defensive side, where Hamilton has struggled for the past several seasons: the Continentals are last in yards surrendered and in rush defense. Both Amherst and Bowdoin QBs threw for more against Hamilton than in their other two games combined.

Game of the Week

TRINITY AT TUFTS 1:30pm

Last Game: Trinity 44, Tufts 19 @ Trinity

Last Five: Trinity 4-1

This match-up is a big game between two of the top teams in the NESCAC, and one which will go a long way to determine who claims the league title. A Trinity win puts them firmly in the driver’s seat.

BOWDOIN AT WILLIAMS 1pm

Last Game: Bowdoin 20, Williams 0 @ Bowdoin

Last Five: Williams 4-1

This game features a disruptive Bowdoin front seven against a powerful Williams ground game. This contest is a key game for both teams.

WESLEYAN AT HAMILTON 1pm

Last Game: Wesleyan 35, Hamilton 14 @ Wesleyan

Last Five: Wesleyan 4-1

Wesleyan looks to bounce back against winless Hamilton after last week’s upset, while the Continentals hope to get their rushing attack and defense on track.

MIDDLEBURY AT AMHERST 2pm

Last Game: Middlebury 21, Amherst 7 @ Middlebury

Last Five: Middlebury 3-2

Middlebury hopes to find some consistency as the Mammoths search to find answers on the offensive side of the ball.

BATES AT COLBY 7 pm

Last Game: Colby 30, Bates 24 @ Bates

Last Five: Colby 5-0

A CBB battle under the lights in Waterville features Colby searching for their first win and their 6^th win over Bates in this series. Bates looks to continue their momentum from a win at Wesleyan.