Very quiet week on the D3Boards with a third of the NESCAC season in the books...looking forward to another exciting day of NESCAC action as we head into week #4...nice to see the weather cooperating here in the Northeast, unlike in other parts of the country...enjoyed the day!
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#1
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
Yesterday at 08:52:49 AM #2
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 09, 2026, 11:05:24 AM
2026 Week 4 NESCACMAN Picks
Welcome NESCAC 2026 Week #4 "in the league where they pay to play".
Our NESCAC game of the week is in Amherst, Mass where the Amherst Lord Mammoths host the Middlebury Panthers. This is the only battle in Week #4 that pits two winning teams against one another.
We went 5-0 picking winners last week and stand at 9-1 on the year.
Let's get to this week's games...
University of Bates (Lewiston Campus) at Williams College: The Kitties travel to Williamstown to face the Ephs. Both teams are coming off disappointing losses. UBates has not done well in recent years against Williams losing the last 8 contests. Playing without their stars and emotional leaders, Ryan Lynskey and Ryan Rosich, the Kitties have been playing gritty football, despite coming into this game 0-3. There is a scenario where UBates could be 2-1 even with tons of injuries to key starters, losing close games to both Amherst and Tufts. Williams will look to regroup after getting absolutely crushed at Hartford State last week. As near as we can tell, it was the largest loss ever for Williams against Hartford State. Williams has struggled throwing the ball 9last in the NESCAC in passing offense, 6 interceptions and only 1 passing TD). Prior to last week, they were running the ball well, however. Meanwhile, UBates has offense seemed to figure some things out against Tufts last week. We'll see if that continues. UBates wins if: They stop the Ephs ground game and force them to throw. Williams wins if: The offense is a bit more balanced and they get star receiver Zach Falls more involved. We think this game will be a close, low scoring affair. The Ephs pull away in the 4th quarter at home for their 3rd win. Would not be surprised in UBates covers the spread
Williams 20 UBates 10
Point Spread: Williams -10
Weather: Partly cloudy skies. High 61F. Winds light and variable.
Colby College at Wesleyan University: Mules continue to struggle. The Colby offense has scored exactly 3 touchdowns in 3 games and is yet to demonstrate the ability to run the ball consistently. Colby is last in the NESCAC in total offense and 8th in total defense. Meanwhile, Wesleyan is coming off an emotional last second win against the plucky Conts. They are a close second in the NESCAC in scoring and total offense. They have scored at least 35 points in every game and 40+ points the last two games. Wesleyan has won 14 of their last 15 meetings with Colby and has won the last 7 times these teams have played in Middletown. Colby played a freshman QB last week instead of the transfer Stephen Gil. We're not sure if that was injury related or coaches' decision. Colby wins if: They get the running game going, control the clock and force Wes to turn the ball over. They will need hold Wesleyan to under 20 points, which is a tall task. Wesleyan wins if: They keep the petal to the metal and play better defense against the Mules. We think Wes has too much offense and we think the defense bounces back against the Mules offense. The Cards get win #4 at home on the new Andrus turf.
Wesleyan 35 Colby 13
Point Spread: Wesleyan -17
Weather: Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 66F. Winds light and variable.
Hamilton College at Hartford State: Two tough games in a row for the Continentals. Hamilton is coming off a 38-point performance against Wesleyan. As unbelievable as it sounds, and as well as their offense played against Wes, they will have to play even better against Hartford State to have a shot at a win (or to even make this game competitive). QB Luke Kurzum could make this game interesting. Hamilton is last in the NESCAC in defense (226th in country out of 243 D3 teams, as well) and their offense is facing the top defense in the country in D3. We expect the Conts to throw early and often. Hartford State wins if: Their defense continues to play at a high-level, they run the ball effectively chewing up the clock and the keep the ball away from the Hamilton offense. Hamilton wins if: They will need to play one of the greatest games in Hamilton College history to shock the world and come away with the upset in the Coop. The Bants haven't lost to HAM since 1994 (that's 30 straight games) and it's not going to happen this year.
Hartford State 49 Hamilton 21
Point Spread: Hartford State -28
Weather: Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 66F. Winds light and variable.
Bowdoin College at Tufts University: Tufts returns home after a thrilling win against the Kitties last week in Lewiston. Kudos to the Polars who have played valiantly while dealing with off-the field, non-football related issues. Kudos to the student-athletes and coaches for staying focused. Bowdoin has played solid defense while their offense has struggled to get the ball into the end zone. Bowdoin needs to do a better job protecting the ball (7 turnovers-6 interceptions, 1 fumble lost), converting on third down (26%), running the ball (1.6 yards per carry and no rushing TDs), and scoring in the red zone (2 of 5). Christian Shapiro has been a bright spot for Tufts running the ball (2nd in the league in rushing). The Tufts defense has struggled at times and will have to pick up against BOW. Bowdoin wins if: The defense continues to play well and shuts down the Tufts offense. They get some production out of their offense. Tufts wins if: They score 17 points. We think Tufts's scores just enough to come away with the win.
Tufts 27 Bowdoin 13
Point Spread: Tufts -10
Weather (courtesy of The Weather Channel): Partly cloudy. Low near 45F. Winds light and variable.
NESCAC Game of the Week
Middlebury College at Amherst College: Intriguing battle in our NESCAC game of the week. MID's only loss was to unbeaten Wesleyan and Amherst comes in at 3-0. Amherst is yet to beat a team with a win. This series has been very even over the years. However, MID has won the last 3 games overall and the last 4 at Amherst. Big question is what is the status of Amherst QB Marek Hill? He did not play last week, despite being the NESCAC OPOTW the week before. MID wins if: They can run the ball against the stout Lord Mammoth run defense. Getting Connor McClelland going is key. AMH wins if: If their pass defense keeps up with their run defense. Tough not to make Amherst the favorite at home in this one but we have a feeling that MID is poised for the mild upset to give the Lord Mammoths their first loss of 2026. It's Fall break at Amherst...over/under on crowd size if 500. We'll take the under.
Middlebury 17 Amherst 13
Point Spread: Amherst -1
Weather: Partly cloudy. High 64F. Winds light and variable.
Good luck to all the student-athletes and coaches this Saturday!
NESCACMAN's Career Picks:
2026 Season: 14-1 (.933 winning percentage)
2025 Season: 32-13
2024 Season: 38-7
2023 Season: 31-14
2022 Season: 31-14
2021 Season: 33-12
2020 Season: 0-0 (COVID)
2019 Season: 33-12
2018 Season: 36-9
2017 Season: 35-10
2016 Season: 32-8
2015 Season: 30-10
2014 Season: 30-10
2013 Season: 32-8
Career: 407-128 (.761 winning percentage, 13 seasons)
**********
Follow NESCACMAN on X: @realnescacman
**********
Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast
Available Now! Available wherever you get your podcasts!
9 Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast S.3 Ep.4 (Special Guests: Wesleyan University QB Matt Fitzsimons, Tufts University Head Coach Jay Civetti, and D3Football.com's Executive Editor Patrick Coleman).
Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast is the first podcast of its kind in NESCAC history. Hosted by Chris Grace (play-by-play announcer for Wesleyan) and Dave Bagatelle (Wesleyan Alum and former player), our weekly show features coach and player interviews, game analysis, rankings, previews, and predictions.
The podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts including YouTube, Facebook, Apple and Spotify. Search for "9 Weeks NESCAC"...the first and only podcast of its kind.
Thank you to our sponsors Sloane and Walsh, LLP, Gameday Sports, and Noank Village Boatyard.
If you have questions, feedback, ideas or are a player or a coach and would like to appear on our show, please email us at: 9weeksnescac@gmail.com
Follow us on X (aka Twitter): @nineweeksnescac
Follow us on Instagram: @nineweeksnescac
Facebook: Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EbgGxDZRd/)
YouTube: 9 Weeks Nescac (https://www.youtube.com/@nineweeksnescac)
Spotify Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Apple Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Look for NESCACMAN's weekly predictions and point spreads at nescacfootballreport.com. The NESCAC Football report is a website dedicated to all things NESCAC football, including team previews, weekly game previews and power rankings and game recaps. The site now provides its followers with NESCACMAN's weekly game lines and predicted scores.
Welcome NESCAC 2026 Week #4 "in the league where they pay to play".
Our NESCAC game of the week is in Amherst, Mass where the Amherst Lord Mammoths host the Middlebury Panthers. This is the only battle in Week #4 that pits two winning teams against one another.
We went 5-0 picking winners last week and stand at 9-1 on the year.
Let's get to this week's games...
University of Bates (Lewiston Campus) at Williams College: The Kitties travel to Williamstown to face the Ephs. Both teams are coming off disappointing losses. UBates has not done well in recent years against Williams losing the last 8 contests. Playing without their stars and emotional leaders, Ryan Lynskey and Ryan Rosich, the Kitties have been playing gritty football, despite coming into this game 0-3. There is a scenario where UBates could be 2-1 even with tons of injuries to key starters, losing close games to both Amherst and Tufts. Williams will look to regroup after getting absolutely crushed at Hartford State last week. As near as we can tell, it was the largest loss ever for Williams against Hartford State. Williams has struggled throwing the ball 9last in the NESCAC in passing offense, 6 interceptions and only 1 passing TD). Prior to last week, they were running the ball well, however. Meanwhile, UBates has offense seemed to figure some things out against Tufts last week. We'll see if that continues. UBates wins if: They stop the Ephs ground game and force them to throw. Williams wins if: The offense is a bit more balanced and they get star receiver Zach Falls more involved. We think this game will be a close, low scoring affair. The Ephs pull away in the 4th quarter at home for their 3rd win. Would not be surprised in UBates covers the spread
Williams 20 UBates 10
Point Spread: Williams -10
Weather: Partly cloudy skies. High 61F. Winds light and variable.
Colby College at Wesleyan University: Mules continue to struggle. The Colby offense has scored exactly 3 touchdowns in 3 games and is yet to demonstrate the ability to run the ball consistently. Colby is last in the NESCAC in total offense and 8th in total defense. Meanwhile, Wesleyan is coming off an emotional last second win against the plucky Conts. They are a close second in the NESCAC in scoring and total offense. They have scored at least 35 points in every game and 40+ points the last two games. Wesleyan has won 14 of their last 15 meetings with Colby and has won the last 7 times these teams have played in Middletown. Colby played a freshman QB last week instead of the transfer Stephen Gil. We're not sure if that was injury related or coaches' decision. Colby wins if: They get the running game going, control the clock and force Wes to turn the ball over. They will need hold Wesleyan to under 20 points, which is a tall task. Wesleyan wins if: They keep the petal to the metal and play better defense against the Mules. We think Wes has too much offense and we think the defense bounces back against the Mules offense. The Cards get win #4 at home on the new Andrus turf.
Wesleyan 35 Colby 13
Point Spread: Wesleyan -17
Weather: Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 66F. Winds light and variable.
Hamilton College at Hartford State: Two tough games in a row for the Continentals. Hamilton is coming off a 38-point performance against Wesleyan. As unbelievable as it sounds, and as well as their offense played against Wes, they will have to play even better against Hartford State to have a shot at a win (or to even make this game competitive). QB Luke Kurzum could make this game interesting. Hamilton is last in the NESCAC in defense (226th in country out of 243 D3 teams, as well) and their offense is facing the top defense in the country in D3. We expect the Conts to throw early and often. Hartford State wins if: Their defense continues to play at a high-level, they run the ball effectively chewing up the clock and the keep the ball away from the Hamilton offense. Hamilton wins if: They will need to play one of the greatest games in Hamilton College history to shock the world and come away with the upset in the Coop. The Bants haven't lost to HAM since 1994 (that's 30 straight games) and it's not going to happen this year.
Hartford State 49 Hamilton 21
Point Spread: Hartford State -28
Weather: Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 66F. Winds light and variable.
Bowdoin College at Tufts University: Tufts returns home after a thrilling win against the Kitties last week in Lewiston. Kudos to the Polars who have played valiantly while dealing with off-the field, non-football related issues. Kudos to the student-athletes and coaches for staying focused. Bowdoin has played solid defense while their offense has struggled to get the ball into the end zone. Bowdoin needs to do a better job protecting the ball (7 turnovers-6 interceptions, 1 fumble lost), converting on third down (26%), running the ball (1.6 yards per carry and no rushing TDs), and scoring in the red zone (2 of 5). Christian Shapiro has been a bright spot for Tufts running the ball (2nd in the league in rushing). The Tufts defense has struggled at times and will have to pick up against BOW. Bowdoin wins if: The defense continues to play well and shuts down the Tufts offense. They get some production out of their offense. Tufts wins if: They score 17 points. We think Tufts's scores just enough to come away with the win.
Tufts 27 Bowdoin 13
Point Spread: Tufts -10
Weather (courtesy of The Weather Channel): Partly cloudy. Low near 45F. Winds light and variable.
NESCAC Game of the Week
Middlebury College at Amherst College: Intriguing battle in our NESCAC game of the week. MID's only loss was to unbeaten Wesleyan and Amherst comes in at 3-0. Amherst is yet to beat a team with a win. This series has been very even over the years. However, MID has won the last 3 games overall and the last 4 at Amherst. Big question is what is the status of Amherst QB Marek Hill? He did not play last week, despite being the NESCAC OPOTW the week before. MID wins if: They can run the ball against the stout Lord Mammoth run defense. Getting Connor McClelland going is key. AMH wins if: If their pass defense keeps up with their run defense. Tough not to make Amherst the favorite at home in this one but we have a feeling that MID is poised for the mild upset to give the Lord Mammoths their first loss of 2026. It's Fall break at Amherst...over/under on crowd size if 500. We'll take the under.
Middlebury 17 Amherst 13
Point Spread: Amherst -1
Weather: Partly cloudy. High 64F. Winds light and variable.
Good luck to all the student-athletes and coaches this Saturday!
NESCACMAN's Career Picks:
2026 Season: 14-1 (.933 winning percentage)
2025 Season: 32-13
2024 Season: 38-7
2023 Season: 31-14
2022 Season: 31-14
2021 Season: 33-12
2020 Season: 0-0 (COVID)
2019 Season: 33-12
2018 Season: 36-9
2017 Season: 35-10
2016 Season: 32-8
2015 Season: 30-10
2014 Season: 30-10
2013 Season: 32-8
Career: 407-128 (.761 winning percentage, 13 seasons)
**********
Follow NESCACMAN on X: @realnescacman
**********
Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast
Available Now! Available wherever you get your podcasts!
9 Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast S.3 Ep.4 (Special Guests: Wesleyan University QB Matt Fitzsimons, Tufts University Head Coach Jay Civetti, and D3Football.com's Executive Editor Patrick Coleman).
Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast is the first podcast of its kind in NESCAC history. Hosted by Chris Grace (play-by-play announcer for Wesleyan) and Dave Bagatelle (Wesleyan Alum and former player), our weekly show features coach and player interviews, game analysis, rankings, previews, and predictions.
The podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts including YouTube, Facebook, Apple and Spotify. Search for "9 Weeks NESCAC"...the first and only podcast of its kind.
Thank you to our sponsors Sloane and Walsh, LLP, Gameday Sports, and Noank Village Boatyard.
If you have questions, feedback, ideas or are a player or a coach and would like to appear on our show, please email us at: 9weeksnescac@gmail.com
Follow us on X (aka Twitter): @nineweeksnescac
Follow us on Instagram: @nineweeksnescac
Facebook: Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EbgGxDZRd/)
YouTube: 9 Weeks Nescac (https://www.youtube.com/@nineweeksnescac)
Spotify Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Apple Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Look for NESCACMAN's weekly predictions and point spreads at nescacfootballreport.com. The NESCAC Football report is a website dedicated to all things NESCAC football, including team previews, weekly game previews and power rankings and game recaps. The site now provides its followers with NESCACMAN's weekly game lines and predicted scores.
#3
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 09, 2026, 11:00:33 AMQuote from: JEFFFAN on October 09, 2026, 09:44:47 AMVery sad story - Williams College recruit.
https://www.boston.com/community/local-news/2026/10/07/marblehead-football-captain-owen-coyne-remembered-as-a-quiet-leader-who-made-others-feel-seen/
Yes, it is. Nescac1 previously shared this with us last week. Obviously, our condolences and thoughts go out to his family and friends.
#4
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 08, 2026, 09:54:16 PM
Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast
Available Now! Available wherever you get your podcasts!
9 Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast S.3 Ep.4 (Special Guests: Wesleyan University QB Matt Fitzsimons, Tufts University Head Coach Jay Civetti, and D3Football.com's Executive Editor Patrick Coleman).
Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast is the first podcast of its kind in NESCAC history. Hosted by Chris Grace (play-by-play announcer for Wesleyan) and Dave Bagatelle (Wesleyan Alum and former player), our weekly show features coach and player interviews, game analysis, rankings, previews, and predictions.
The podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts including YouTube, Facebook, Apple and Spotify. Search for "9 Weeks NESCAC"...the first and only podcast of its kind.
Thank you to our sponsors Sloane and Walsh, LLP, Gameday Sports, and Noank Village Boatyard.
If you have questions, feedback, ideas or are a player or a coach and would like to appear on our show, please email us at: 9weeksnescac@gmail.com
Follow us on X (aka Twitter): @nineweeksnescac
Follow us on Instagram: @nineweeksnescac
Facebook: Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EbgGxDZRd/)
YouTube: 9 Weeks Nescac (https://www.youtube.com/@nineweeksnescac)
Spotify Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Apple Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Look for NESCACMAN's weekly predictions and point spreads at nescacfootballreport.com. The NESCAC Football report is a website dedicated to all things NESCAC football, including team previews, weekly game previews and power rankings and game recaps. The site now provides its followers with NESCACMAN's weekly game lines and predicted scores.
Available Now! Available wherever you get your podcasts!
9 Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast S.3 Ep.4 (Special Guests: Wesleyan University QB Matt Fitzsimons, Tufts University Head Coach Jay Civetti, and D3Football.com's Executive Editor Patrick Coleman).
Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast is the first podcast of its kind in NESCAC history. Hosted by Chris Grace (play-by-play announcer for Wesleyan) and Dave Bagatelle (Wesleyan Alum and former player), our weekly show features coach and player interviews, game analysis, rankings, previews, and predictions.
The podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts including YouTube, Facebook, Apple and Spotify. Search for "9 Weeks NESCAC"...the first and only podcast of its kind.
Thank you to our sponsors Sloane and Walsh, LLP, Gameday Sports, and Noank Village Boatyard.
If you have questions, feedback, ideas or are a player or a coach and would like to appear on our show, please email us at: 9weeksnescac@gmail.com
Follow us on X (aka Twitter): @nineweeksnescac
Follow us on Instagram: @nineweeksnescac
Facebook: Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EbgGxDZRd/)
YouTube: 9 Weeks Nescac (https://www.youtube.com/@nineweeksnescac)
Spotify Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Apple Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Look for NESCACMAN's weekly predictions and point spreads at nescacfootballreport.com. The NESCAC Football report is a website dedicated to all things NESCAC football, including team previews, weekly game previews and power rankings and game recaps. The site now provides its followers with NESCACMAN's weekly game lines and predicted scores.
#5
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 08, 2026, 08:06:47 AM
Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast
Available Soon! Available wherever you get your podcasts!
9 Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast S.3 Ep.4 (Special Guests: Wesleyan University QB Matt Fitzsimons, Tufts University Head Coach Jay Civetti, and D3Football.com's Executive Editor Patrick Coleman).
Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast is the first podcast of its kind in NESCAC history. Hosted by Chris Grace (play-by-play announcer for Wesleyan) and Dave Bagatelle (Wesleyan Alum and former player), our weekly show features coach and player interviews, game analysis, rankings, previews, and predictions.
The podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts including YouTube, Facebook, Apple and Spotify. Search for "9 Weeks NESCAC"...the first and only podcast of its kind.
Thank you to our sponsors Sloane and Walsh, LLP, Gameday Sports, and Noank Village Boatyard.
If you have questions, feedback, ideas or are a player or a coach and would like to appear on our show, please email us at: 9weeksnescac@gmail.com
Follow us on X (aka Twitter): @nineweeksnescac
Follow us on Instagram: @nineweeksnescac
Facebook: Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EbgGxDZRd/)
YouTube: 9 Weeks Nescac (https://www.youtube.com/@nineweeksnescac)
Spotify Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Apple Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Look for NESCACMAN's weekly predictions and point spreads at nescacfootballreport.com. The NESCAC Football report is a website dedicated to all things NESCAC football, including team previews, weekly game previews and power rankings and game recaps. The site now provides its followers with NESCACMAN's weekly game lines and predicted scores.
Available Soon! Available wherever you get your podcasts!
9 Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast S.3 Ep.4 (Special Guests: Wesleyan University QB Matt Fitzsimons, Tufts University Head Coach Jay Civetti, and D3Football.com's Executive Editor Patrick Coleman).
Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast is the first podcast of its kind in NESCAC history. Hosted by Chris Grace (play-by-play announcer for Wesleyan) and Dave Bagatelle (Wesleyan Alum and former player), our weekly show features coach and player interviews, game analysis, rankings, previews, and predictions.
The podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts including YouTube, Facebook, Apple and Spotify. Search for "9 Weeks NESCAC"...the first and only podcast of its kind.
Thank you to our sponsors Sloane and Walsh, LLP, Gameday Sports, and Noank Village Boatyard.
If you have questions, feedback, ideas or are a player or a coach and would like to appear on our show, please email us at: 9weeksnescac@gmail.com
Follow us on X (aka Twitter): @nineweeksnescac
Follow us on Instagram: @nineweeksnescac
Facebook: Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EbgGxDZRd/)
YouTube: 9 Weeks Nescac (https://www.youtube.com/@nineweeksnescac)
Spotify Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Apple Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Look for NESCACMAN's weekly predictions and point spreads at nescacfootballreport.com. The NESCAC Football report is a website dedicated to all things NESCAC football, including team previews, weekly game previews and power rankings and game recaps. The site now provides its followers with NESCACMAN's weekly game lines and predicted scores.
#6
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 07, 2026, 04:59:50 PM
Knowing Hs7-2 like we do, we'll beat him to the punch:
North Central 42 Wes 16 (North Central -26) @Andrus..
Hansen has HS giving 30 this Saturday to the Continentals btw...
North Central 42 Wes 16 (North Central -26) @Andrus..
Hansen has HS giving 30 this Saturday to the Continentals btw...
#7
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 06, 2026, 11:50:40 PM
We stumbled across a site that literally blows the SP+ ratings away. Here you go:
https://hansenratings.com/projections/2026/matchup/
Had some fun with it. FWIW...The Hansen model has North Central beating Hartford State in the Coop by 17. HaHa
https://hansenratings.com/projections/2026/matchup/
Had some fun with it. FWIW...The Hansen model has North Central beating Hartford State in the Coop by 17. HaHa
#8
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 06, 2026, 03:29:21 PMQuote from: Trin9-0 on October 06, 2026, 09:50:57 AMBantamsdad69, I know as well as anyone that it's hard to not fall into Nescacman's trap, but I've learned over the years that it's exactly what he's looking for. He knows as well as the rest of the board that there's no real case to be made for Wesleyan in the top spot after their narrow escape in Clinton. Best to just roll your eyes and realize that despite his very meaning full addition to the board he can't help himself when it comes to his complete lack of objectivity about Wesleyan.
Combined record of opponents of 1st Place NESCAC teams (through 3 games):
Amherst: 0-9
Hartford State: 2-7
Wesleyan: 4-5
#9
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 06, 2026, 03:20:58 PM
Some interesting NESCAC-related national rankings culled from the official NCAA D3 statistics (focusing on the positive, rather than the negative):
- Hartford State is 2nd and the Lord Mammoths are 4th in rushing defense.
- Wes is 4th in TOP.
- Wes is 8th in 3rd down conversion % and tied for 1st in 4th down conversion %.
- Wes is 2nd in pass completion %.
- Colby is 4th in fewest penalty yards.
- Hartford State is 1st in number of first downs allowed, Williams is 4th and MID is 9th.
- Williams is 5th in net punting, HAM is 10th (why does HAM always seem to have a good punter?).
- Wes is 1 of 12 D3 schools with no interceptions thus far in 2026.
- HAM is 6th in pass offense-yards, Wes is 21st.
- Hartford State is 2nd in pass defense, BOW is 6th.
- Wes and Tufts are tied for 1st and are 2 of 11 teams with a perfect 1.000 scoring pct in the red zone.
- Hartford State is 2nd in the country in scoring defense.
- Hartford State is #4 in the country in defensive pass efficiency.
- Wes is #10 in offensive pass efficiency.
- Hartford State is #1 in the country in total defense. Impressive.
- Hartford State is 2nd and the Lord Mammoths are 4th in rushing defense.
- Wes is 4th in TOP.
- Wes is 8th in 3rd down conversion % and tied for 1st in 4th down conversion %.
- Wes is 2nd in pass completion %.
- Colby is 4th in fewest penalty yards.
- Hartford State is 1st in number of first downs allowed, Williams is 4th and MID is 9th.
- Williams is 5th in net punting, HAM is 10th (why does HAM always seem to have a good punter?).
- Wes is 1 of 12 D3 schools with no interceptions thus far in 2026.
- HAM is 6th in pass offense-yards, Wes is 21st.
- Hartford State is 2nd in pass defense, BOW is 6th.
- Wes and Tufts are tied for 1st and are 2 of 11 teams with a perfect 1.000 scoring pct in the red zone.
- Hartford State is 2nd in the country in scoring defense.
- Hartford State is #4 in the country in defensive pass efficiency.
- Wes is #10 in offensive pass efficiency.
- Hartford State is #1 in the country in total defense. Impressive.
#10
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 06, 2026, 01:16:05 PM #11
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 06, 2026, 01:14:59 PM
In the words of the immortal Ric Flair: "In order to be the champ, you need to beat the champ".
#12
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 05, 2026, 06:27:00 PM
2026 NESCACMAN Week 3 Power Rankings
Welcome to the NESCACMAN Power Rankings for Week 3. NESCACMAN went 5-0 in Week #3 and we now stand at 14-1 on the year. Our winners were Wesleyan, Tufts, Amherst, Middlebury, and Hartford State. Wesleyan remains in the top spot in the NESCACMAN Weekly Rankings tied with Hartford State after their impressive victory over Williams.
NESCAC headlines for Week #3:
• 3 of 5 home teams won except for HAM and BAT.
• Wesleyan and Hartford State continued to pile on the points both exceeding 30 points for the 3rd straight week.
• All the favorites won again with Middlebury and Hartford State doing so in impressive fashion.
• There are 3 remaining undefeated teams in the league with Wesleyan, Hartford State, and Amherst all off to a 3-0 start. Amherst will have their hands full this week as they host a streaking MID squad in what will be the NESCAC GOTW.
• If you liked offense, this was your week in the NESCAC. Stellar offensive performances by Wesleyan, Hamilton, and Hartford State who were all explosive on the offensive side of the ball.
• Meanwhile, Bowdoin and Colby continue to struggle offensively.
• Hamilton's defense allows 38+ points for the third straight week. This week, their defense will have their hands full with Hartford State.
We also co-host "Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast" along with Chris Grace, the longtime play-by-play voice of the Wesleyan Football Cardinals. Available weekly, the podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts including YouTube, Spotify, and Apple. Please follow us and take a listen. Season 3, Episode 4 will be available later this week and will feature Wesleyan QB Matt Fitzsimons, Tufts Head Coach Dan Jay Civetti, and D3Football's Pat Coleman. We will also review Week #3's games and give previews/picks for Week #4. Should be another great watch/listen. We encourage you to check it out.
Here are our rankings for Week #3:
1). (tie) Wesleyan Cardinals (Record: 3-0; Last Week Rank: 1; Last Week: Win @HAM 42-38; This week: v. COL): Wesleyan snatches victory from the jaws of defeat. Won with a passing TD with 14 seconds left. Stellar day for the Wes offense including 539 yards of total offense, 32 first downs, 10 of 14 on 3rd down, 2 of 2 on 4th down, and 36 minutes of possession. Defense did just enough at the end of this one against one of the better offenses in the league. We think this game will be a character builder for the Cards.
1). (tie) Hartford State Bantams (Record: 3-0; Last Week Rank: 2; Last Week: Win v. WIL 45-0; This week: v. HAM): Most impressive win of the year for the Bantams. Another dominating performance. Defense only allowed 5 first downs, 110 yards of offense, intercepted Eph signal callers 3 times (2 were pick 6's), and 2 of 15 on 3rd down. 2nd straight shutout for Hartford State. Trying to figure out how Colby scored on them in Week #1. Face a bigger offensive challenge this week in HAM. Based on their impressive win against Williams, we have them even with Wesleyan.
3). Amherst Lord Mammoths (Record: 3-0; Last Week Rank: 4; Last Week: Win v. BOW 22-13; This week: v. MID): Amherst moves up one position in our ranking and remains one of the 3 remaining unbeaten teams in the 'CAC. Pesky come from behind win for the Lord Mammoths who were without starting signal caller Marek Hill. We're not sure what Hill's situation is but if they are going to have any shot at competing for a NESCAC and Little 3 title, they'll clearly need him. Game was statistically even against BOW with both defenses doing a pretty good job all day. Amherst's schedule gets a lot tougher with 5 of their last 6 games against teams with winning records.
4). Middlebury Panthers (Record: 2-1; Last Week Rank: 5; Last Week: Win v. COL 32-2; This week: @AMH): The Panthers won their second game in a row, this time in convincing fashion against Colby. MID led this one 25-0 at the half. The Pants defense played well again and RB Connor McClellan led the MID offensive attack with 121 yards rushing and 4 TDs. MID will try to give Amherst their first loss of the season on the road this week.
5). Williams Purple Cows (Record: 2-1; Last Week Rank: 3; Last Week: Loss @HS 0-45; This week: v. BAT): Ephs struggled against Hartford State. The Bants had their way with Williams. The usually reliable Eph running game only managed 62 yards on 32 carries and 2 first downs. QB Owen McHugh and the offense struggled turning the ball over 3 times. The defense gave up 31 points and 361 yards of total offense to the Bants. They'll look to rebound at home against a hungry UBates squad this week.
6). Tufts Jumbo's (Record: 2-1; Last Week Rank: 6; Last Week: Win @BAT 22-21; This week: v. BOW): Jumbo's escape with the win under the lights in Lewiston. Blocked FG as time expired was the difference in this one. Jumbos jumped out to a 14-point lead early and mounted a late comeback to secure the win. They were outgained by the Kittie offense. They are back home at Ellis Oval this week against the Polars after playing the last 2 games on the road.
7). Hamilton Continentals (Record: 0-3; Last Week Rank: 9; Last Week: Loss v. WES 42-38; This week: @HS): Hamilton loses a heartbreaker in Clinton. They clearly had the defending league champs, Wesleyan, on the ropes, and gave up the game winning TD with 14 seconds to play. Luke Kurzum can play and HAM clearly can score points through the air. Unfortunately, their defense is struggling right now (far and away the worst in the NESCAC). As well as they played last Saturday against Wes, they will probably have to play even better against Hartford State this week to make the game competitive.
8). Colby Mules (Record: 0-3; Last Week Rank: 7; Last Week: Loss @ MID 32-2; This week: @WES): Colby's offensive challenges continue (again), this week effectively getting shut out by MID. QB Stehen Gill did not play and the offense only generated 165 yards, no points, and 8 first downs while turning the ball over 3 times. The defense couldn't stop the MID ground game. This week they travel to Middletown to face Wesleyan on the grass.
9). University of Bates Bobcats (Lewiston Campus)(Record: 0-3; Last Week Rank: 9; Last Week: Loss v. TUF 22-21; This week: @WIL): An injury depleted UBates squad came within a blocked FG of beating Tufts for their first win of 2026. Some bright spots for the Kitties including outgaining the Jumbo's. Only going 2 of 5 in the redzone did not help. LB Liam Keaney had a standout game for UBates. The Kitties travel to Williamstown this week to face the Ephs as they try to get win #1.
10). Bowdoin Polar Bears (Record: 0-3; Last Week Rank: 10; Last Week: Loss @AMH 22-13; This week: @TUF ): Offense only managed 2 FG's and continued to struggle to run the ball. Only averaging 39 yards per game on the ground. Went 3 of 14 on 3rd downs and 2 of 4 in the red zone. DL Angus Leary had another stellar game for the Polars defense. This week they travel to Medford to face the Jumbo's in a twilight game on Ellis Oval.
NESCAC Co- Offensive Player of the Week: RB Connor McClellan, MID; QB Matt Fitzsimons, Wesleyan
NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week: LB Liam Keaney, UBates
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Follow NESCACMAN us on X: @realnescacman
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Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast
Look for the podcast on YouTube and Spotify.
If you have questions, feedback, ideas or are a player or a coach and would like to appear on our show, please email us at: 9weeksnescac@gmail.com
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Welcome to the NESCACMAN Power Rankings for Week 3. NESCACMAN went 5-0 in Week #3 and we now stand at 14-1 on the year. Our winners were Wesleyan, Tufts, Amherst, Middlebury, and Hartford State. Wesleyan remains in the top spot in the NESCACMAN Weekly Rankings tied with Hartford State after their impressive victory over Williams.
NESCAC headlines for Week #3:
• 3 of 5 home teams won except for HAM and BAT.
• Wesleyan and Hartford State continued to pile on the points both exceeding 30 points for the 3rd straight week.
• All the favorites won again with Middlebury and Hartford State doing so in impressive fashion.
• There are 3 remaining undefeated teams in the league with Wesleyan, Hartford State, and Amherst all off to a 3-0 start. Amherst will have their hands full this week as they host a streaking MID squad in what will be the NESCAC GOTW.
• If you liked offense, this was your week in the NESCAC. Stellar offensive performances by Wesleyan, Hamilton, and Hartford State who were all explosive on the offensive side of the ball.
• Meanwhile, Bowdoin and Colby continue to struggle offensively.
• Hamilton's defense allows 38+ points for the third straight week. This week, their defense will have their hands full with Hartford State.
We also co-host "Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast" along with Chris Grace, the longtime play-by-play voice of the Wesleyan Football Cardinals. Available weekly, the podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts including YouTube, Spotify, and Apple. Please follow us and take a listen. Season 3, Episode 4 will be available later this week and will feature Wesleyan QB Matt Fitzsimons, Tufts Head Coach Dan Jay Civetti, and D3Football's Pat Coleman. We will also review Week #3's games and give previews/picks for Week #4. Should be another great watch/listen. We encourage you to check it out.
Here are our rankings for Week #3:
1). (tie) Wesleyan Cardinals (Record: 3-0; Last Week Rank: 1; Last Week: Win @HAM 42-38; This week: v. COL): Wesleyan snatches victory from the jaws of defeat. Won with a passing TD with 14 seconds left. Stellar day for the Wes offense including 539 yards of total offense, 32 first downs, 10 of 14 on 3rd down, 2 of 2 on 4th down, and 36 minutes of possession. Defense did just enough at the end of this one against one of the better offenses in the league. We think this game will be a character builder for the Cards.
1). (tie) Hartford State Bantams (Record: 3-0; Last Week Rank: 2; Last Week: Win v. WIL 45-0; This week: v. HAM): Most impressive win of the year for the Bantams. Another dominating performance. Defense only allowed 5 first downs, 110 yards of offense, intercepted Eph signal callers 3 times (2 were pick 6's), and 2 of 15 on 3rd down. 2nd straight shutout for Hartford State. Trying to figure out how Colby scored on them in Week #1. Face a bigger offensive challenge this week in HAM. Based on their impressive win against Williams, we have them even with Wesleyan.
3). Amherst Lord Mammoths (Record: 3-0; Last Week Rank: 4; Last Week: Win v. BOW 22-13; This week: v. MID): Amherst moves up one position in our ranking and remains one of the 3 remaining unbeaten teams in the 'CAC. Pesky come from behind win for the Lord Mammoths who were without starting signal caller Marek Hill. We're not sure what Hill's situation is but if they are going to have any shot at competing for a NESCAC and Little 3 title, they'll clearly need him. Game was statistically even against BOW with both defenses doing a pretty good job all day. Amherst's schedule gets a lot tougher with 5 of their last 6 games against teams with winning records.
4). Middlebury Panthers (Record: 2-1; Last Week Rank: 5; Last Week: Win v. COL 32-2; This week: @AMH): The Panthers won their second game in a row, this time in convincing fashion against Colby. MID led this one 25-0 at the half. The Pants defense played well again and RB Connor McClellan led the MID offensive attack with 121 yards rushing and 4 TDs. MID will try to give Amherst their first loss of the season on the road this week.
5). Williams Purple Cows (Record: 2-1; Last Week Rank: 3; Last Week: Loss @HS 0-45; This week: v. BAT): Ephs struggled against Hartford State. The Bants had their way with Williams. The usually reliable Eph running game only managed 62 yards on 32 carries and 2 first downs. QB Owen McHugh and the offense struggled turning the ball over 3 times. The defense gave up 31 points and 361 yards of total offense to the Bants. They'll look to rebound at home against a hungry UBates squad this week.
6). Tufts Jumbo's (Record: 2-1; Last Week Rank: 6; Last Week: Win @BAT 22-21; This week: v. BOW): Jumbo's escape with the win under the lights in Lewiston. Blocked FG as time expired was the difference in this one. Jumbos jumped out to a 14-point lead early and mounted a late comeback to secure the win. They were outgained by the Kittie offense. They are back home at Ellis Oval this week against the Polars after playing the last 2 games on the road.
7). Hamilton Continentals (Record: 0-3; Last Week Rank: 9; Last Week: Loss v. WES 42-38; This week: @HS): Hamilton loses a heartbreaker in Clinton. They clearly had the defending league champs, Wesleyan, on the ropes, and gave up the game winning TD with 14 seconds to play. Luke Kurzum can play and HAM clearly can score points through the air. Unfortunately, their defense is struggling right now (far and away the worst in the NESCAC). As well as they played last Saturday against Wes, they will probably have to play even better against Hartford State this week to make the game competitive.
8). Colby Mules (Record: 0-3; Last Week Rank: 7; Last Week: Loss @ MID 32-2; This week: @WES): Colby's offensive challenges continue (again), this week effectively getting shut out by MID. QB Stehen Gill did not play and the offense only generated 165 yards, no points, and 8 first downs while turning the ball over 3 times. The defense couldn't stop the MID ground game. This week they travel to Middletown to face Wesleyan on the grass.
9). University of Bates Bobcats (Lewiston Campus)(Record: 0-3; Last Week Rank: 9; Last Week: Loss v. TUF 22-21; This week: @WIL): An injury depleted UBates squad came within a blocked FG of beating Tufts for their first win of 2026. Some bright spots for the Kitties including outgaining the Jumbo's. Only going 2 of 5 in the redzone did not help. LB Liam Keaney had a standout game for UBates. The Kitties travel to Williamstown this week to face the Ephs as they try to get win #1.
10). Bowdoin Polar Bears (Record: 0-3; Last Week Rank: 10; Last Week: Loss @AMH 22-13; This week: @TUF ): Offense only managed 2 FG's and continued to struggle to run the ball. Only averaging 39 yards per game on the ground. Went 3 of 14 on 3rd downs and 2 of 4 in the red zone. DL Angus Leary had another stellar game for the Polars defense. This week they travel to Medford to face the Jumbo's in a twilight game on Ellis Oval.
NESCAC Co- Offensive Player of the Week: RB Connor McClellan, MID; QB Matt Fitzsimons, Wesleyan
NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week: LB Liam Keaney, UBates
**********
Follow NESCACMAN us on X: @realnescacman
**********
Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast
Look for the podcast on YouTube and Spotify.
If you have questions, feedback, ideas or are a player or a coach and would like to appear on our show, please email us at: 9weeksnescac@gmail.com
Follow us on X (aka Twitter): @nineweeksnescac
Follow us on Instagram: @nineweeksnescac
Facebook: Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/141Ru3gKgk/)
YouTube: 9 Weeks Nescac
#13
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 05, 2026, 02:07:48 PMQuote from: Trin9-0 on October 05, 2026, 11:09:42 AMSP+ remains perfect on the season at 15-0, but as we all saw, there were two near upsets. I think this is the week the game on the field outsmarts the computer projection. Game of the Week is clearly Midd @ Amherst which SP+ essentially sees as a pick 'em but with the slightest of margins in favor of the Mammoths. I like the Panthers on the road. Bowdoin and Bates likely have the next best shot at pulling a road upset.
Here's how the model projects Week 4 in the NESCAC:
Bowdoin 13 @ Tufts 26.6
Colby 3.1 @ Wesleyan 40.5
Middlebury 19.2 @ Amherst 19.7
Hamilton 2.6 @ Trinity 54.3
Bates 9.8 @ Williams 30.5
Here's how the NESCAC ranks nationally per the SP+ rating (last week's ranking in parenthesis):
13. Trinity (22)
38. Wesleyan (33)
96. Middlebury (115)
102. Amherst (120)
127. Williams (92)
146. Tufts (144)
179. Colby (161)
187. Bowdoin (186)
193. Hamilton (207)
199. Bates (206)
We're not sure we can ever remember a bigger SP+ "spread" than what they are calling for in the Hartford State/Hamilton tilt this Saturday. Hs7-2, knowing that you are an SP+ aficionado, we're sure you can either confirm or deny that this is the biggest called for margin by SP+ for a NESCAC game. Just curious.
As an aside, that spread seems aggressive to us, but we digress.
NM
#14
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 05, 2026, 02:29:16 AMQuote from: The Third Division on October 04, 2026, 11:33:29 PMfor the record: (removed link that seems to not be related)
We don't think the case cited above is related to the situation that Lumber mentioned and is relevant to this thread.
#15
Region 1 football (New England-ish) / Re: FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference
October 04, 2026, 10:15:58 PMQuote from: lumbercat on October 04, 2026, 09:26:24 PMAnother great report, right on money by NM. The reach of his corespondents is impressive and informative. In the early days of his NESCAC journalistic endeavor if there was no news his syndicate diligently worked to find and maybe create, some stories but it's different now. He is a very credible journalist with a committed and objective focus on Nescac Football. His group provides great reporting and content which I think we all enjoy.
I'll clarify one thing on the Bowdoin situation- The majority in Brunswick feel that Hammer will be gone but let's see how everything plays out.
The firing of his predessor JB Wells was very controversial. It was a leverage play by a small group of well capitalized Bowdoin Football supporters who simply decided they wanted Coach Wells gone. Shaking in his boots cub Bowdoin AD Ryan succumbed to their wishes and Wells was fired. The funding of the Whittier Field renovations and construction of the new Football building adjacent to Whittier coincided with the firing of Wells. The Polar Alums leveraged their contribution on the Wells firing. Ryan played along a gave the Bowdoin trustees a wink. It was a financial win.
Now, Coach Hammer is on the hotseat. I don't know how many in Brunswick realize that AD Ryan fired Wells and then proceeded to hire Hammer. Yes BJ Hammer....the same guy who was the subject of a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by a member of the Allegheny Football team where the Hammer was Head Coach of Football prior to being recruited by AD Ryan for Bowdoin. The sexual harassment lawsuit was settled by Allegheny. It involved a kicker for the Allegheny Football team who was female. It was messy. The progression of the suit resulted in a judgement against Hammer and Allegheny which was settled for a sum exceeding 2,000,000.
Ryan evidently did not do a thorough background check on Hammer before bringing him to Brunswick. Of all places one would think Bowdoin would be the last place he might land given prior events.
It's puzzling how or why Ryan and the Bowdoin Athletic Department got the esteemed Bowdoin Administration embroiled in this series of transgressions. These developments in Bowdoin Athletics seemed totally inconsistent with the public identity of Bowdoin and their ideals as the #4 rated liberal arts college in the nation.
The difference in the firing of Wells and the potential firing of Hammer is pretty significant. Wells was fired clearly without cause. If Hammer is fired it will be with cause.
Thanks for the kind words Lumber. Much appreciated. The NESCACMAN "consortium" has come a long way in the last 13 years.
As far as Bowdoin is concerned, IOO, the entire situation is dripping in irony. Back to football for us...