Week #1

Saturday, September 13, 2025

Game of the Week

MIDDLEBURY AT WESLEYAN at 1pm

Last Game: Wesleyan 43, Middlebury 7 @ Middlebury

Last Five: Wesleyan 3-2 

When Middlebury has the ball: One would expect the Panthers to use experienced QB Brian Moran to attack a revamped Wesleyan secondary.  Can four new faces on the Middlebury offensive line hold off an experienced Cardinal defensive front’s pass rush?

When Wesleyan has the ball: Expect the Cardinals to run the ball and leverage a strong returning stable of running backs including Matt Diaz.  Who wins the line of scrimmage battle that features all new starters on Wesleyan’s offensive line and Middlebury’s defensive line?

Bigger picture: This match-up is between the last two champions in the NESCAC, with Middlebury winning 21 games over the past 3 seasons and Wesleyan winning 20.  It will serve as an early barometer of the rebuild of these perennially strong football teams.

The Rest of the Slate

AMHERST AT BATES at 1pm

Last Game: Amherst 19, Bates 7 @ Amherst

Last Five: Amherst 4-1

When Amherst has the ball: Can the Amherst offense, which has struggled in past seasons, find a productive rhythm with sophomore QB Marek Hill at the controls?  Bates started several underclassmen in the past two seasons on defense, so it will be interesting to see if they have improved with more experience.

When Bates has the ball: Bates is a run first team, featuring the league’s top rusher from a year ago, RB Ryan Lynskey.  Amherst will have several new faces in their defensive front seven, so their ability to slow the Bobcat running attack will be a pivotal factor in this game.

Bigger Picture: Amherst has historically been dominant against Bates, but the Mammoths have struggled in recent seasons, and the Bobcats, who will be celebrating their 150^th anniversary of football in Lewiston, are looking to improve their standing in the league with a win.

TRINITY AT COLBY at 1pm

Last Game: Trinity 17, Colby 7 @ Trinity   

Last Five: Trinity 5-0 

When Trinity has the ball: As the Bantams are breaking in a new quarterback, they will likely initially attack Colby on the ground behind RB Tyler DiNapoli and an experienced O-line.  Can the Mules’ defensive front hold up?

When Colby has the ball: Assuming the Bantams focus their defensive attention on Colby WR Jack Nye, whom on the Mule offense will provide a complimentary weapon for QB Miles Drake?  Colby has not scored more than 7 points in a game against Trinity in the past three seasons.

Bigger Picture:  Colby last beat Trinity in 1995, having lost the 13 straight, and face another challenging game against the Bantams in their home opener.

WILLIAMS AT HAMILTON at 1:30pm

Last Game: Williams 42, Hamilton 7 @ Williams

Last Five: Williams 4-1

When Williams has the ball: Expect the Ephs to attack Hamilton on the ground, behind a strong running attack featuring RB Jon Oris and an experienced offensive line.  Can the new starters on the Continentals front seven slow Williams?

When Hamilton Has the Ball: The Continentals will look to run the ball with RB Nate Wildman and QB Luke Kurzum to avoid a strong Williams’ secondary.  Can their playmaking wideout, Chester Boynton, find success when needed against an experienced Eph secondary?

Bigger picture: Williams appears to be a program on the rise, while Hamilton is looking for overall improvement after a tough ’24 campaign.

TUFTS AT BOWDOIN  at 3pm

Last Game: Tufts 23, Bowdoin 21 @ Tufts

Last Five: Tufts 5-0

When Tufts has the ball: The Jumbos will likely attack Bowdoin on the ground behind RB Christian Shapiro, alleviating the pressure on their new QB and testing the new starters on the Polar Bear front seven.  Bowdoin, who plays an attacking style defense, will look to put consistent pressure on the new Tufts QB.

When Bowdoin has the ball: Bowdoin has an experienced offensive line and will likely look to leverage that against a retooled Jumbo front seven.  Can whomever emerges at running back for the Polar Bears find success on the ground?

Bigger Picture: Bowdoin has lost 9 straight games to Tufts, last winning in ’14, but played the Jumbos tough a year ago, losing on a late interception by Tufts.

Week #2

Saturday, September 20, 2025

Game of the Week

WESLEYAN AT TUFTS  7pm

Last Game: Wesleyan 20, Tufts 9 @ Wesleyan

Last Five: Wesleyan 4-1

When Wesleyan has the ball: The Cardinals struggled to get their running game going against Middlebury, so will likely use freshman WR Donte Kelly to attack Tufts through the air.  Can the Jumbos contain Kelly with an inexperienced secondary?

When Tufts has the ball: Tufts showed a balanced offensive attack against Bowdoin, but will they find the same success, including on the ground with their multiple running options, against a stout Cardinal defensive line?

Bigger Picture: Like last week’s Wesleyan-Middlebury contest, this game is an early indicator (under the lights) of where these perennially strong football teams stand.  If Wesleyan can pass this 2^nd early season test, it will put them in very good shape in the league standings.  Tufts has had success against Wesleyan in Somerville, winning the last two of three on their home field.

The Rest of the Slate

BOWDOIN AT MIDDLEBURY   1pm

Last Game: Middlebury 39, Bowdoin 15 @ Bowdoin

Last Five: Middlebury 5-0

 When Bowdoin has the ball: The Polar Bears will look to improve their offensive output and reduce their turnovers against the Panthers.  What complementary weapons will emerge for Bowdoin around QB Michael Wolfendale?

 When Middlebury has the ball: The Panthers will look to get their running game on track, but will likely start by attacking through the air, leveraging QB Brian Moran and WR Michael Ahonen.  Can Middlebury’s revamped line slow an aggressive Bowdoin pass rush?

 Bigger Picture:  The Panthers currently enjoy a 10-game win streak over Bowdoin, with the Polar Bears winning last in 2009.  Bowdoin’s defense held up against Tufts, but for the Polar Bears to have a chance in this one they will need to get better production from their offense.

COLBY AT WILLIAMS   1pm

Last Game: Williams 24, Colby 19 @ Colby

Last Five: Williams 4-1

 When Colby has the ball: Colby struggled on offense against a very good Trinity defense, but QB Miles Drake had success throwing to their star wideout, Jack Nye.  Can Williams DB Holden Gering and the Eph secondary slow Nye and can the Mules find some earn some yards on the ground to balance their attack?

 When Williams has the ball: A strong Williams rushing attack meets a very stout Colby rush defense; in ’24, Williams had the 2^nd best rushing attack and Colby had the best rush defense.  Can the Ephs find success on the ground against the Mules, and if not, can QB Owen Johansen make enough plays through the air to score?

Bigger Picture: This match-up features two teams that finished in the middle of the pack in ’24 and are looking to move up in ’25.  A win Saturday for Colby would be a key step for them earning their first winning season since 2005.

HAMILTON AT AMHERST  1pm

Last Game: Amherst 21, Hamilton 7 @ Hamilton

Last Five: Amherst 3-2

 When Hamilton has the ball: The Continental passing game found 2^nd half success against Williams, so Hamilton will likely look to attack Amherst through the air.  Can the young Continental offensive line provide adequate protection, and can the Hamilton wideouts find success against a veteran Mammoth secondary?

 When Amherst has the ball: The Mammoth offense could only muster 11 first downs against Bates but showed some promise in a 16-point third quarter.  Can the Mammoths find an offensive rhythm against an inexperienced Hamilton defense?

 Bigger Picture: These teams won a combined total of three games in ’24, so this game will be a good opportunity for both schools to notch a victory.

BATES AT TRINITY   1pm

Last Game: Trinity 28, Bates 7 @ Bates

Last Five: Trinity 5-0

When Trinity has the ball: Colby was able to bottle up Trinity’s offense, and the Bantam QB play, which had been outstanding for the past several seasons, will need to improve.  Can whomever takes the snaps for the Bantams limit the mistakes and get the offense rolling?

When Bates has the ball: Bates is a run first team while Trinity has a strong defensive line, so that battle will be a key factor in how this game unfolds.  Colby was able to find some success through the air against the Bantams, so can whomever is at quarterback for the Bobcats generate some passing offense?

Bigger Picture:  I haven’t looked it up, but it’s likely been a long while since an undefeated Bates team played a winless Trinity team.  Trinity has a 28-game win streak against Bates, with the Bobcats last winning in 1979.  The teams are coming into the game with different mindsets: Bates is coming off an emotional double overtime win as they celebrated 150 years of football, while Trinity is smarting over a tough loss in Waterville.

Week #3

Saturday, September 27, 2025

 NESCAC FOOTBALL POWER RANKINGS -Thru Week 2

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

1-Tufts (2-0)

Tufts won a critical home game over Wesleyan after a solid opening week shutout of Bowdoin.  On offense, the running game has been strong with RB Christian Shapiro and new QB Justin Keller, and the Jumbos have the benefit of RB Chartellis Reece back, who was a dominant runner in ’23.  The offensive line has been a strength – the Jumbos ran for 4.1 yards per carry and yielded just one sack and no QB hurries against a very good Wesleyan defensive line.  Those strengths should ease the need for immediate improvement in the passing game from their new quarterback, who is averaging below 120 passing yards per game.  Both the defense and special teams have made impactful plays early in the season, with LB Johnny Ferrelli, who leads the Jumbos in total tackles, making a game saving tackle against Wesleyan.  After this week’s game at Amherst, and major road test awaits Tufts against Trinity.  Tufts is in my top spot over Williams based on their win over Wesleyan.

2-Williams (2-0)

QB Owen Johansen has been the star for the Ephs in their first two games of ‘25, generating close to 230 yards of total offense per game.  Johansen moved from a productive wideout to quarterback at the end of the ’24 season and won the job over more traditional signal callers in ’25.  He and RB Jon Oris have fueled a dominant rushing attack: the Ephs rushed for 268 yards in their win over Hamilton, and then against a much better run defending team in Colby, rushed for a staggering 368 yards in their 2^nd win.  The Ephs have rushed the ball 89 times versus 25 pass attempts (completing just 15 through 2 games) and have yet to been forced to lean into a passing game.  The defense has been very good on 3^rd down, holding opponents to just 32% conversion rate and have generated 8 sacks through the first two games.  DE Ryan Carney has been effective in generating pressure through 2 games, notching 2.5 sacks, another 1.5 TFLs and 2 QB hurries.  The Ephs have big game this weekend in Williamstown against Trinity.

3-Wesleyan (1-1)

The Cardinals opened with an impressive win over Middlebury and then lost a tough game at Tufts.  Wesleyan matched Tufts’s offense but the Jumbos clearly won the special teams’ battle to edge the Cardinals.  Freshman WR Donte Kelly has had a major impact on the Cardinal offense, both as a receiver and returner, with 185 yards receiving and 82 yards on kickoff returns through two games.  New quarterback Matt Fitzsimons has won the starting job, has been an effective runner and has not turned the ball over.  On defense, the Cardinal defense has held opponents to under 3 rushing yards per carry and have 3 interceptions to date; returning All-NESCAC DB Dylan Connors leads Wesleyan in total tackles.  I have Wesleyan at the top of the 1-1 teams based on the strength of their schedule to date.

4-Trinity (1-1)

The Bantams opened with a loss at Colby, then rebounded nicely with a resounding win against Bates.  WR Nolan O’Brien is picking up where he left off in ‘24 as a dominant force in the passing and return game: he had generated 337 yds of total offense through two games.  QB Jaxon Carroll appears to be new starting QB in Hartford and will lean on O’Brien and a strong running game as he gets more experience and looks to reduce his interceptions.  On defense, Trinity has yielded just 2.1 yds per carry, the league’s lowest completion percentage of 51.2% and has 9 sacks, with LB Shane Mosia leading the Bantams in tackles.  I have Trinity second among the 1-1 team based on their defense and star players on offense.  The Bantams’ next two games, Williams and Tufts, will be big tests for their new quarterback.

5-Middlebury (1-1)

The Panthers lost to one of the top teams in the NESCAC, Wesleyan by 14 and then beat a rebuilding Bowdoin by 21 points.  The aerial assault looks good: WR Mike Ahonen has over 180 receiving yards through just 2 games, while QB Brian Moran is averaging over 260 yards a game through the air.  The offense will look to improve its 3^rd down efficiency of 30%. On defensive line, the Panthers lost all their returning starters including two 1^st team NECSAC players, but DL Owen Halter leads the team with 12 total tackles, has 1 sack and another 1.5 TFLs.  I have Middlebury slightly above Colby among the 1-1 teams, but that relative ranking will be settled on the field Saturday in Waterville.

6-Colby (1-1)

Colby opened with an impressive defensive effort in beating Trinity 13-6 and followed that up with getting steamrolled 38-0 by Williams’ run game.  The offense has struggled early, with QB Miles Drake completely close to 61% of his passes but throwing 5 interceptions in two games.  The offense has converted just 24% of its 3^rd down chances, but WR Jack Nye has built on his Rookie of the Year honors from a year ago: he had 99 receiving yards against a strong Trinity defense.  The Mule defense is led by DE Jack Mullen, who leads Colby with 14 total tackles to go along with 3 sacks.  Colby continues through a challenging early season slate, as they host Middlebury Saturday.

7-Bates (1-1)

Bates had an emotional double overtime win over Amherst and then a sobering loss at Trinity.  WR Sergio Beltran has played the role of quarterback, running back and wide receiver, compiling 90 yards rushing, 103 yards passing and 62 yards receiving.  Bates has played three quarterbacks in both of their games, so it will be interesting to see if they settle on one starter.  RB Ryan Lynskey continues to be a focal point of the offense, and the run heavy Bobcats will look to improve their 2.6 yd/rush average.  The defense features two productive linebackers in Ryan Rozich and Carmel Crunk, whom each have 22 total tackles after two games.  Bates takes on another tough opponent in Wesleyan on Saturday.

8-Amherst (1-1)

The Mammoths had a tough loss at Bates but then came home and handled Hamilton.  QB Marek Hill has been a dual threat weapon, passing for 4 TDs and rushing for 2 TDs on the season, and limiting his interceptions.  WR Carter Jung has 12 catches for 129 yards and 3 touchdowns in his first two games and is an asset in the return game.  Through two games the Mammoth defense has 5 sacks and 5 quarterback hurries, with LB Carson Skotak notching 24 total tackles and 2 fumble recoveries.  The Mammoths’ next two games, Tufts and Middlebury, will be stiffer tests for Amherst.

9-Hamilton (0-2)

Hamiton opened the season with a 7-point loss to Williams and a 10-point loss to Amherst, but the Continentals were down 24-7 and 23-0 in the 4^th quarter of each of those games, respectively.  Hamilton has a paltry 63 yards rushing through 2 games, but QB Luke Kurzum has compensated for that shortfall by leading the league in passing yards, averaging just under 300 yds per game, and throwing 4 TDs and no interceptions.  The Continental rush defense has been a sore spot, allowing over 200 yards per game and 5.7 yards per carry.  LB Mat Bucher has 16 total tackles across two games.  I have ranked Hamilton slightly above two loss Bowdoin based in large part due to Kurzum, but that ranking order will be sorted out on the field in Clinton on Saturday.

10-Bowdoin (0-2)

It’s been a tough start for the Polar Bears, who dropped their opener to Tufts and then were beaten soundly by Middlebury.  Through the opening two games, Bowdoin has gained the least yards in the league and yielded the most, but those statistics are impacted by a tough early schedule and several young players on the field.  Bowdoin turned to freshman QB Soren Hummel in the 3^rd quarter of last week’s game in an effort to improve the offense.  Of the Polar Bears’ 22 starters (assuming Hummel starts this coming week), half are sophomores or freshmen.  One of those sophomores, LB Zach Taylor, leads Bowdoin with 19 total tackles.  The Polar Bears have one of their better opportunities this season for a win this weekend against Hamilton.

Game of the Week

TRINITY (1-1) AT WILLIAMS (2-0) 1:30 pm

Last Game: Trinity 45, Williams 14 @ Trinity

Last Five: Trinity 3-2

Williams lost their last three games to Trinity by an average of almost 26 points (none closer than 19 points), but the Ephs have improved over the past three seasons.  This game provides a measuring stick for Williams’ improvement, especially to see if they can run effectively against Trinity’s stout defense, as well as another early road test for new Bantam QB Jaxon Carroll.

Rest of the Slate

WESLEYAN AT BATES 1pm

Last Game: Bates 24, Wesleyan 13 @ Wesleyan

Last Five: Wesleyan 4-1

Last year, Bates had a signature win in stunning eventual NESCAC champ Wesleyan in Middletown to snap a 17-game losing streak to the Cardinals.  Wesleyan will be looking for revenge and to use their strong defensive line to slow Bates’ rush heavy approach.

MIDDLEBURY AT COLBY  1pm

Last Game: Middlebury 24, Colby 16 @ Middlebury

Last Five: Middlebury 4-1

Both teams come into this game 1-1, and Colby, in their quest to have their first winning season since 2005, would love to win this one at home.  This series has produced close games in the past three matchups, and a key factor will be the battle between Middlebury’s passing game and Colby’s pass rush and experienced secondary.

BOWDOIN AT HAMILTON  1pm

Last Game: Bowdoin 28, Hamilton 21 @ Bowdoin

Last Five: Bowdoin 3-2

This game features the two teams at the bottom of my Power rankings, with both teams likely viewing the contest as one of their better chances for a win in ’25.  A key match-up will be the Continental passing game against an experienced Polar Bear secondary.

TUFTS AT AMHERST  1pm

 Last Game: Tufts 25, Amherst 0 @ Tufts

Last Five: Amherst 3-2

Tufts has won the past two meetings by a combined score of 59-14, but the Mammoths hope to close the gap behind new QB Marek Hill.  Can Amherst’s front seven, including LB Carson Skotak, hold up against an impressive Tufts running attack?

NESCAC FOOTBALL POWER RANKINGS – After Week 3

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

1-Trinity (2-1)

I have Trinity atop the list based on their impressive road win against Williams, but it was a close call between Trinity, Williams and Wesleyan.  The two offensive stars, Nolan O’Brien and Tyler DiNapoli have been delivered as expected, and QB Jaxon Carroll is showing improvement week to week – he had zero interceptions last week in their big win against Williams and increased his completions and meaningfully increased his yards per completion from the Bates win to the Williams win.  A consistent compliment to O’Brien, who has 20 catches, has yet to emerge; no other WR or TE has more than 2 catches in any of the Bantams’ first three games.  The Trinity defense’s yardage statistics are not as dominant as years past, but their front seven has generated the most combined sacks, quarterback hurries and tackles for loss in the conference.  DL Luke Ventura has 3.5 sacks.  The Bantams face two 2-1 teams, Tufts and Middlebury, over the next three weeks.

2-Williams (2-1)

The Ephs’ offense, fueled by QB Owen Johansen, has scored the most points (30 points per game), the most yards and by far the best yards per carry of 5.9 (the next best team is at 4.2).  After being a run heavy team in their first two games, Williams attempted and completed more passes in the Trinity game than their first two games combined, passing for 311 yards and 3 TDs.  With more experienced wideouts sidelined, WR Zack Falls had a big game against Trinity.  The Eph defense is in the middle of the pack in terms of yardage yielded but shut out Hamilton for the first three quarters and Colby for the entire game.  Freshman DB Connor Acheson has emerged as a major force; he leads the team with 24 tackles through 3 games.  I have ranked Williams slightly above Wesleyan, with the playmaking of Johansen being the difference.  After playing Bowdoin this week, Williams will host Middlebury.

3-Wesleyan (2-1)

Wesleyan’s offense is 6^th in terms of offensive yardage in the NESCAC.  Cardinal running backs are averaging just over 3.5 yards per carry, with RB Tyler Flynn the best, averaging 4.0 yds per carry.  Two wideouts, Donte Kelly and Blake Newcomb have provided chunk plays for Wesleyan.  The Cardinal defense continues to be stout; they have yielded the least points and the 2^nd lowest yards to date.  Like last year’s defense that scored 4 TDs, the ’25 squad is making game changing plays as LB AJ Morris has 2 INTs and a pick six.  Wesleyan’s next three games feature teams ranked in the bottom half of my power rankings: Hamilton, Colby and Bowdoin.

4-Middlebury (2-1)

The Panthers have shown good balance to date: they are 3^rd in the league in yards gained and 1^st in yards yielded.  The Panthers have the 2^nd most passing yards in the NESCAC, which is not a surprise with the return of QB Brian Moran and WR Mike Ahonen, who rank 2^nd and 3^rd in the league in passing yards and receiving yards, respectively.  RB Connor McClellan is 3^rd in the NESCAC in rushing yards, sports a 4.8 yard per carry average and has 5 TDs.  On defense, LB Michael Votta has 13 tackles, 4.5 TFLs which include 2 sacks.  I have Middlebury ranked 4^th in my power rankings based on their solid play across the board, but we will learn more about the Panthers in the next three weeks as they play Amherst, Williams and Trinity.

5-Amherst (2-1)

Last Saturday’s game was major victory for Amherst both in terms of the quality of win as well as the awakening of an offense that has been dormant for several seasons.  The Mammoths scored 30 points in the first half against a formidable Tufts defense, and for perspective the last time Amherst scored more than 30 points in a full game was October of 2019.   Sophomore Marek Hill has been a force averaging just about 200 yds passing and 50 yards running per game and has shown marked improvement: last year in 4 games, Hill had 3 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, while this year he has 7 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions.  Similar improvement is evident on the defensive side of the ball, with the Amherst front seven limiting opponents to 2.5 yards per carry and generating 8 sacks; in ’24 they had 12 sacks all season.  LB Carson Skotak is tied for 1^st in the NESCAC in tackles with 33.  I have Amherst just below Middlebury (although that ranking will be settled Saturday in Vermont), and slightly above Tufts based on their victory over the Jumbos.

6-Tufts (2-1)

Tufts opened the season 2-0, but was blitzed by Amherst last weekend, falling behind 30-0 at the half, before losing 30-14.  The running game has been solid, but the passing game hasn’t yet found its footing: the Jumbo are 7^th in league in passing yards, average just 6.0 yards per completion (which ranks 9^th) and have just 1 touchdown pass to 2 interceptions through a third of the season.  QB Justin Keller has gotten the majority of the snaps, but QB Hudson Weidman played four series in the first half on Saturday, so that position may still be in flux.  On defense, despite the first half onslaught by Amherst, Tufts has yielded the 2^nd least points in the league, with DB Cameron Pineda notching 2 interceptions (including a pick six) through three games.  Tufts heads to Hartford Saturday to face Trinity.

7-Colby (1-2)

After an impressive win over Trinity to open the season, the Mules dropped the next two to Williams and Middlebury.  The Colby offense sits 9^th in the league and last in rushing yards, but the Mules have played three of the best teams in the league.  WR Jack Nye has been a difference maker on offense, but no other Colby wideout had more than 3 catches in a game this season.  QB Miles Drake has yet to throw a touchdown pass and has 7 interceptions.  On defense, the Mules are 8^th in yards yielded, with the rush defense an issue through three games; Williams rushing for 364 yards against Colby impacts that statistic.  The Mules have two of the top three sack leaders in the conference, defensive lineman Cooper Bunnell and Jack Mullen.  I have Colby at the top of the 1-2 teams based on the quality of their win (Trinity), but they travel to Bates Saturday to validate the ranking.

8-Bates (1-2)

Bates started the season with a dramatic OT win over Amherst, but has since lost to tough NESCAC foes, Trinity and Wesleyan.  The offense is 8^th in the league in yards, and more surprising 7^th in rushing yards.  RB Ryan Lynskey, who led the league in rushing in ‘24, has approximately 100 less rushing yards and 1 yard per carry less from where he stood after 3 games a year ago, so Bates will look for improved play from its offensive line and complimentary rushers to help Lynskey.  Another major issue is QB/WR Sergio Beltran left last week’s game with an injury, and he is a multifaceted offensive weapon for the Bobcats.  The defense has surrendered the most points in the league, but some of that can be attributed to a tough early schedule.  Two Bates linebackers, Ryan Rozich and Carmel Crunk have been very productive and are tied for 1^st and 3^rd in the NESCAC, respectively, in total tackles.  I have Bates ahead of Hamilton based on their better win.  The Bobcats host a big CBB match-up Saturday night against Colby.

9-Hamilton (1-2)

The Continentals opened with two losses to Amherst and Williams and then beat Bowdoin at home.  Hamilton has struggled to run the ball (last in the league) but has found success through the air behind QB Luke Kurzum.  Kurzum, who leads the league in passing yards, is averaging 304 yards per game and has 7 touchdowns and no interceptions; for the full ’24 season he had 6 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.  WR Matthew Kearns has emerged as a big play wideout for the Continentals, with 238 yards receiving and 3 touchdowns through three games.  The Hamilton defense continues to struggle and ranks 9^th in the league in yards allowed.  The defensive line is inexperienced and the line rotation includes several freshmen, so the 5.0 rush yard per carry average yielded and lack of sacks (1) could be expected.  LB John Young has 20 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and pass breakup through their opening games.  Hamilton faces two very tough foes, Wesleyan and Trinity in their next two games.

10-Bowdoin (0-3)

It has not been pretty to date in Brunswick, with Bowdoin last in yards gained (trail 9^th by 52 yds per game) and last in yards yielded (trail 9^th by 68 yards per game) in the NESCAC, with just 2 offensive touchdowns on the year.  The results appear to be typical growing pains as the Polar Bears offense starts a freshman quarterback, sophomore running back and have two freshmen in their wideout rotation.  Former QB Michael Wolfendale has moved to wide receiver and was productive last week, with 6 catches for 83 yards.  On defense Bowdoin is young as well: their top eight tacklers are either sophomores or freshmen.  The Polar Bears lead the league with 23 tackles for loss, with DL Angus Leary having 6.5 (including 3 sacks on the year).  The schedule is not friendly over the next four games as Bowdoin takes on Williams, Amherst, Wesleyan and Trinity.

Game of the Week

TUFTS AT TRINITY   1:30pm

Last Game: Trinity 42, Tufts 24 @ Tufts

Last Five: Trinity 4-1

This match-up features two of the top teams in the NESCAC that are both looking for growth from their new signal callers.  A key match-up will be whether the Jumbo secondary can hold down an explosive WR Nolan O’Brien.

Rest of the Slate

WILLIAMS AT BOWDOIN  1pm

Last Game: Williams 34, Bowdoin 14 @ Williams

Last Five: Williams 4-1

This game features Williams, who has gained the most yards in the league, against Bowdoin, who has yielded the most.  Can the Polar Bear offense show some improvement led by their freshman quarterback?

HAMILTON AT WESLEYAN  1pm

Last Game: Wesleyan 19, Hamilton 7 @ Hamilton

Last Five: Wesleyan 5-0

Wesleyan appears to have the advantage on both lines and will likely look to leverage WR Donte Kelly against the Hamilton defense.  Can the Continental offensive line provide QB Luke Kurzum enough time to attack Wesleyan through the air?

AMHERST AT MIDDLEBURY 2pm

Last Game: Middlebury 29, Amherst 21 @ Amherst

Last Five: Middlebury 4-1

This is a pivotal contest between two 2-1 teams in the NESCAC.  Can QB Marek Hill keep the Amherst offense humming against a stingy Middlebury defense and can Panther QB Brian Moran find success against a veteran Mammoth secondary?

COLBY AT BATES  7 pm

Last Game: Colby 28, Bates 26 @ Colby

Last Five: Colby 5-0

These CBB foes meet under the lights in Lewiston and both teams look to snap 2 game losing streaks.  Colby has 6 straight wins over Bates in this series, and a key factor in the outcome will be whether Colby’s struggling offense can score against a young Bates defense.

Saturday October 12, 2024

MIDDLEBURY AT WILLIAMS 

Last Game: Middlebury 32, Williams 29 (OT) @ Middlebury

Last Five: Middlebury 4-1

AMHERST AT BOWDOIN 

Last Game: Bowdoin 35, Amherst 7 @ Amherst

Last Five: Amherst 3-2

WESLEYAN AT COLBY  

Last Game: Wesleyan 23, Colby 17 (OT)  @ Wesleyan

Last Five: Wesleyan 4-1

TRINITY AT HAMILTON 

Last Game: Trinity 31, Hamilton 7 @ Trinity

Last Five: Trinity 5-0

 BATES AT TUFTS

Last Game: Tufts 45, Bates 22 @ Bates

Last Five: Tufts 4-1

Saturday October 18, 2025

MIDDLEBURY AT TRINITY

Last Game: Middlebury 20, Trinity 15 @ Middlebury

Last Five: Middlebury 3-2

WILLIAMS AT BATES 

Last Game: Williams 24, Bates 21 @ Williams

Last Five: Williams 5-0

COLBY AT AMHERST

Last Game: Colby 38, Amherst 7 @ Colby

Last Five: Colby 4-1

BOWDOIN AT WESLEYAN

Last Game: Wesleyan 17, Bowdoin 14  @ Bowdoin

Last Five: Wesleyan 4-1

TUFTS AT HAMILTON

Last Game: Tufts 20, Hamilton 13  @ Tufts

Last Five: Tufts 3-2

Saturday October 25, 2025 

WILLIAMS AT TUFTS 

Last Game: Tufts 27, Williams 24   @ Williams

Last Five: Tufts 3-2

HAMILTON AT COLBY

Last Game: Colby 16, Hamilton 13  @ Hamilton

Last Five: Hamilton 3-2

AMHERST AT WESLEYAN

Last Game: Wesleyan 31, Amherst 14 @ Amherst

Last Five: Wesleyan 4-1

BATES AT MIDDLEBURY 

Last Game: Bates 21, Middlebury 20  @ Bates

Last Five: Middlebury 4-1

TRINITY AT BOWDOIN

 Last Game: Trinity 34, Bowdoin 14 @ Trinity

Last Five: Trinity 5-0 (Trinity has won the last 25 games)

Saturday November 1, 2025

WESLEYAN AT WILLIAMS

Last Game: Wesleyan 25, Williams 24  @ Wesleyan

Last Five: Wesleyan 4-1

MIDDLEBURY AT HAMILTON

Last Game: Middlebury 35, Hamilton 0  @ Middlebury

Last Five: Middlebury 5-0 (Middlebury has won the last 28 games)

COLBY AT TUFTS

Last Game: Tufts 28, Colby 21  @ Colby

Last Five: Tufts 5-0 (Tufts has won the last 14 games)

AMHERST AT TRINITY  1pm

Last Game: Trinity 45, Amherst 20 @ Amherst

Last Five: Trinity 5-0

BATES AT BOWDOIN

Last Game: Bowdoin 35, Bates 24  @ Bates

Last Five: Bates 3-2

Saturday November 8, 2025

TRINITY AT WESLEYAN  

Last Game: Wesleyan 27, Trinity 21 @ Trinity

Last Five: Trinity 3-2

TUFTS AT MIDDLEBURY

Last Game: Tufts 17, Middlebury 7 @ Tufts

Last Five: Tufts 3-2

WILLIAMS AT AMHERST

Last Game: Williams 21, Amherst 0  @ Williams

Last Five: Williams 4-1

BOWDOIN AT COLBY

 Last Game: Colby 34, Bowdoin 10 @ Bowdoin

Last Five: Colby 3-2

HAMILTON AT BATES

Last Game: Hamilton 24, Bates 21 @ Hamilton

Last Five: Bates 3-2

To come…