Not sure how many of you stayed up past midnight last night to watch the Alamo bowl, but former Tufts player Jaden Richardson made an insane TD catch. Worth checking out:

Quote from: Charlie on November 18, 2025, 12:52:09 PMI still believe despite the hiccups Amherst had and you take away those losses to Bates & Colby they would have been 7-2 and played the top tier teams extremely well. If they do not loose players to graduation they are going to be tough next year. I would put them into Coaching staff of the. year discussion. No one predicted they would end up 5-4 and play this well.

Other then Colby beating Trinity which Trinity gave them they did not beat any top level teams other then first game. At least Amherst beat Williams while Colby was pounded.

That's a lot of "coulda, shoulda, woulda" Chuck. They also needed a 'pick 2' against the Purple Cows 5th string, freshman QB to win that game.

I think the CSOY is clearly between Colby and Wes. To NM's point, I bet the league gives them a shared title, because sharing titles is what NESCAC football seemingly does best.

Quote from: The #802 on November 14, 2025, 09:12:16 AMThe 2026 NESCAC football schedule is posted:
https://nescac.com/calendar.aspx?path=football&start=9/19/2026&end=11/14/2026

It appears they are starting the season one week later. The first game is not until 9/19. I'm curious how this will impact preseason report dates, which were already late. I also would have thought the NESCAC champion would have appreciated a bye week to get healthy before the playoffs.

This schedule would easily allow a non-conference game at the front end of the season, but it sounds like there is no traction there. Curious what others think.

Guessing this is due to the timing of Labor Day next year, which is later than normal.

Interestingly - it looks like the Colby-Bates game has moved back to its customary spot on the final Saturday of October. I'm happy to see this change - I always loved the CBB (like the Little 3) being decided in the final weeks of the season.

Quote from: The Mole on November 11, 2025, 01:59:02 PMWhere is my favorite troll, Scoops? Miss you too, Charlie. Great season by the Cards, first ever back to back and last time beat the Bants back to back was 97 and 98. The Whalen and Dice project is continuing to make progress.
OPOY has to be FitzSIMONS (not Simmons)
DPOY should be Dylan Connors
ROY has to be D Kelly
Apologies for my absence this season

Totally agree with you on Fitzsimons and Kelly.... DPOY will be very interesting, as I feel like there a number of strong candidates throughout the league including 3 from the CBB: McNamara on Colby, Rozich on Bates, and Leary on Bowdoin
 

Congratulations to the back-to-back CBB Champions and 6-3 Colby Mules! What a gritty team led by probably the best defense I've seen in Waterville in 15+ years.

We had a great time on the Hill under the lights Saturday watching the Mules take it to the Polar Bears. There really are few better things in the world! The defense was outstanding again, holding Bowdoin scoreless for 59:55 and scoring more points than both offenses. They were physical in the front 7 all night, and the back end locked it down with 3 INTs and numerous PBUs. Sad to lose a handful of impact seniors on defense, but they surely went out with a bang!

More of the same from the offense - one great scoring drive and enough progress to churn clock up by 2 scores in the second half.  I'll save the rest of my kvetching for the offseason. 10/11 players return on that side of the ball, hopefully they can turn a corner with more experience/development.

Things are looking up in Waterville and this program has loads to build off of headed into 2026. I already can't wait for kickoff in the Coop to start the season.

Hats off to NM's Cardinals as well - from my POV, they were clearly the best team all year. Very well deserved champions.

Quote from: Charlie on November 06, 2025, 05:52:00 PMThe last time I viewed acceptance rates were around these numbers

Middlebury 13 %
Wesleyan   14-19 %
Williams   9 %
Trinity   31 %

One of these things is not like the others

Week 9 Lines & Ratings from the Computer

Lines
Bates 24.6, Hamilton 18.0
Colby 25.4, Bowdoin 9.9
Middlebury 27.7, Tufts 19.2
Trinity (Conn.) 25.9, Wesleyan 19.2
Williams 24.6, Amherst 20.3

Ratings / (Ranking)
Trinity - 23.3 (31)
Wesleyan - 14.2 (57)
Williams - 7.4 (78)
Middlebury - 5.7 (96)
Amherst - 0.7 (121)
Tufts - -0.3 (129)
Colby - -2.5 (138)
Bates - -11.9 (169)
Bowdoin - -15.5 (185)
Hamilton - -16.1 (188)

Quote from: Nescacman on November 02, 2025, 09:07:03 PM

Quote from: Pat Coleman on November 02, 2025, 08:08:29 PMLooking forward to this game and my first time seeing this rivalry in person!

Pat, we assume you are talking about the only game that means anything in the NESCAC next weekend (OK, CBB fans...relax...we know some of you care about the game in Waterville), the NESCAC Championship Game in Middletown (not the Little 3 consolation game in Blanketville). If you indeed will be in Middletown, we look forward to hosting you at the best tailgate in D3.

NM

Speaking of Waterville - How bout them MULES!! What a tremendous game from Colby in Meffid/Slummaville to seal our first winning season since 2005.

No whining about injuries for the blue and gray, everyone on the Mules stepped up for a dominant 4 quarter effort against the Jumbos with excellent play in all 3 phases. The young OL really grew up and Antone Moreis took advantage for 200+  yards of total offense and 3 touchdowns, including TD scampers of 44 and 84 yards and a 38 yard reception on a double pass to ice the game.

The defense was stout again, putting pressure on Weidman all day, forcing 2 INTs and 4 sacks. I continue to be impressed with this unit's physicality and how they lock down whenever the opponent crosses midfield.  It was their 5th game this year yielding 10 or fewer points.

Lastly, the special teams was great again. A first quarter punt block led to an early FG, and Punter Eli Soehren stuck two punts inside the 1 yard line going into a 20 MPH wind in the 3rd quarter. I'm starting to sound like an Iowa football fan for all my reverence for our punter.

Great W but it's time to win a trophy on Saturday! Go Mules!

Quote from: Nescacman on October 28, 2025, 10:24:39 AM

Quote from: muleshoe on October 28, 2025, 09:47:33 AM

Quote from: Nescacman on October 28, 2025, 09:07:30 AMDespite 6 teams still being in the mix for the NESCAC title with two games to play, the most likely scenario has a combo of Hartford State, Wesleyan, and/or Williams winning/sharing the NESCAC Championship this year. In our opinion, those teams have been the best in the NESCAC in 2025 from beginning to end and are most deserving of the championship through 7 games. Of course, this is the NESCAC, so nothing ever works out the way we think it will. We would not be totally shocked if something wacky happens over the course of the next two weeks to totally disrupt the standings and our thinking.

The Hartford State/Amherst game, obviously in addition to the Wes/Williams showdown, will be key in determining how the 2025 championship race plays out.

As far as "championship worthy" teams are concerned, we are going to put an asterisk on Tufts. They have come on as of late since Hudson Weidman became the starting QB for the UBates game (we heard he was out due to injury prior to that game). Since Weidman stepped in, Tufts is 2-1 and has averaged 36 points per game compared to going 2-2 and averaging 16 points per game in the 4 games prior to him being the starter. Tufts remaining schedule is not easy (Colby, @MID), but they could finish 6-3 and will be well-positioned to be in the mix in 2026.

NM 

The Jumbos offensive resurgence has also come against 3 of the 5 worst defenses in the league from a yards and scoring perspective. Their own Defense is among that group at the bottom of the league as well, statistically. They'll definitely be able to hold the Mules under 20 points this weekend, but we'll see how the new QB fairs against the Mules D. Despite the number of yards yielded the past few weeks, they've been able to force negative plays once teams approach the red area.

Like most of Colby's games this year, I think this one stays in the teens, and if one team gets to 20 points they'll likely emerge victorious.

We would say Tufts offense went from ineffective to more than adequate. Agree that the defensive competition was not the best in the NESCAC but having watched the Tufts offense play both before and after Weidman, we would say it is a night and day comparison.

Speaking of ineffective offenses, the Mules offense must be driving you nuts. They are ranked 234th in the country (out of 241 D3 teams) in total offense, 230th in passing offense (and 2nd to last in passing TDs with 2), and 227th in scoring offense. Pair that good defense with even a slightly below average offense and now you have something.

NM

Quote from: Nescacman on October 28, 2025, 10:24:39 AM

Quote from: muleshoe on October 28, 2025, 09:47:33 AM

Quote from: Nescacman on October 28, 2025, 09:07:30 AMDespite 6 teams still being in the mix for the NESCAC title with two games to play, the most likely scenario has a combo of Hartford State, Wesleyan, and/or Williams winning/sharing the NESCAC Championship this year. In our opinion, those teams have been the best in the NESCAC in 2025 from beginning to end and are most deserving of the championship through 7 games. Of course, this is the NESCAC, so nothing ever works out the way we think it will. We would not be totally shocked if something wacky happens over the course of the next two weeks to totally disrupt the standings and our thinking.

The Hartford State/Amherst game, obviously in addition to the Wes/Williams showdown, will be key in determining how the 2025 championship race plays out.

As far as "championship worthy" teams are concerned, we are going to put an asterisk on Tufts. They have come on as of late since Hudson Weidman became the starting QB for the UBates game (we heard he was out due to injury prior to that game). Since Weidman stepped in, Tufts is 2-1 and has averaged 36 points per game compared to going 2-2 and averaging 16 points per game in the 4 games prior to him being the starter. Tufts remaining schedule is not easy (Colby, @MID), but they could finish 6-3 and will be well-positioned to be in the mix in 2026.

NM 

The Jumbos offensive resurgence has also come against 3 of the 5 worst defenses in the league from a yards and scoring perspective. Their own Defense is among that group at the bottom of the league as well, statistically. They'll definitely be able to hold the Mules under 20 points this weekend, but we'll see how the new QB fairs against the Mules D. Despite the number of yards yielded the past few weeks, they've been able to force negative plays once teams approach the red area.

Like most of Colby's games this year, I think this one stays in the teens, and if one team gets to 20 points they'll likely emerge victorious.

We would say Tufts offense went from ineffective to more than adequate. Agree that the defensive competition was not the best in the NESCAC but having watched the Tufts offense play both before and after Weidman, we would say it is a night and day comparison.

Speaking of ineffective offenses, the Mules offense must be driving you nuts. They are ranked 234th in the country (out of 241 D3 teams) in total offense, 230th in passing offense (and 2nd to last in passing TDs with 2), and 227th in scoring offense. Pair that good defense with even a slightly below average offense and now you have something.

NM

Don't get me started on our offense... The OL is just so green right now with two 2 FY and 2 Sophomores starting. FY QB Miller's feet should provide some relief, and he'll force Tufts/Bowdoin pass rushers to be very disciplined. He killed Hamilton on our TD drives with long runs where he escaped the pocket. But he never pushed the ball downfield through the air. Hard to tell on NSN if that's from play calling, lack of time in the pocket, or just a natural bias to take off when he doesn't see the first/second option open.

Glass half full for the Mules offense, along with the youth upfront and at QB, 2 of our top receivers are also Sophomores, so the future could be promising. Hopefully this group can make some strides the last two weeks and claim a 1/5th NESCAC Title, or our first winning record since 2005...

Quote from: Nescacman on October 28, 2025, 09:07:30 AMDespite 6 teams still being in the mix for the NESCAC title with two games to play, the most likely scenario has a combo of Hartford State, Wesleyan, and/or Williams winning/sharing the NESCAC Championship this year. In our opinion, those teams have been the best in the NESCAC in 2025 from beginning to end and are most deserving of the championship through 7 games. Of course, this is the NESCAC, so nothing ever works out the way we think it will. We would not be totally shocked if something wacky happens over the course of the next two weeks to totally disrupt the standings and our thinking.

The Hartford State/Amherst game, obviously in addition to the Wes/Williams showdown, will be key in determining how the 2025 championship race plays out.

As far as "championship worthy" teams are concerned, we are going to put an asterisk on Tufts. They have come on as of late since Hudson Weidman became the starting QB for the UBates game (we heard he was out due to injury prior to that game). Since Weidman stepped in, Tufts is 2-1 and has averaged 36 points per game compared to going 2-2 and averaging 16 points per game in the 4 games prior to him being the starter. Tufts remaining schedule is not easy (Colby, @MID), but they could finish 6-3 and will be well-positioned to be in the mix in 2026.

NM 

The Jumbos offensive resurgence has also come against 3 of the 5 worst defenses in the league from a yards and scoring perspective. Their own Defense is among that group at the bottom of the league as well, statistically. They'll definitely be able to hold the Mules under 20 points this weekend, but we'll see how the new QB fares against the Mules D. Despite the number of yards yielded the past few weeks, they've been able to force negative plays once teams approach the red area.

Like most of Colby's games this year, I think this one stays in the teens, and if one team gets to 20 points they'll likely emerge victorious.

With two weeks left in the season - it's time to talk about the real possibility of a 5 way tie for the league championship, and I don't think it's that wild of a scenario:

1. Colby or Tufts win out. They play each other this weekend then have Bowdoin/Midd, respectively to close the year
2. Amherst Wins Out. Upset in the Coop then host the Ephs
3. Williams Beats Wes this weekend in Williamstown
4. Wes beats Trinity back-to-back for the first time since 1997-1998

Please check my math here, but I think we would have 5 at 6-3 if this plays out.

Quote from: lumbercat on October 21, 2025, 11:44:32 AMOnly 3 QBs on Mules roster. Drake, Patrick Miller and a FY.
Last year they recruited a QB from Atlanta that I thought would be a dominant NESCAC QB.
Griffin Marshall 6'2" 200. He's not on the roster this year, would have been a Soph.
Transfer, Injury?......Maybe Muleshoe can fill us in. He would be the guy stepping in now or maybe earlier if he was on roster.

I noticed yesterday that Marshall is off the roster as well, not sure the situation.

The other thought I had is Eli Soehren, who's currently listed as TE. He was Gatorade POTY in Maine as a QB at Oxford Hills. Perhaps they could roll out a wildcat package for him. The Mules did the same with LB Declan McNamara last year before moving him to LB full-time, where he's been excellent.

Quote from: maineman on October 20, 2025, 10:50:24 AMHow would this guy do in the NESCAC?

 
Montie Quinn of D-III Curry College (Milton, Mass.) set a new NCAA single-game record with 522 rushing yards* in a 71-27 win over Nichols College.
 
By the numbers: 20 carries, 522 rushing yards, 7 TD. Quinn averaged a mind-boggling 26.1 yards per attempt and had TD runs of 30, 58, 64, 76, 84 and 85 yards. He could have had more too, but Curry held him out for its final two drives.
 
This was no fluke: Quinn was a preseason All-American and entered the game as the D-III rushing leader. He now has 1,450 rushing yards in six games (241.7 per game), and he's topped 200 yards in half of them.
 
*Rewriting the record books: Quinn broke the previous NCAA record of 465 yards set by D-III Heidelberg's Cartel Brooks in 2013. The FBS record is 427 yards, set by Oklahoma's Samaje Perine in 2014.

I'm sure he would do great - 500+ rushing yards would be great over 3 or 4 games, let alone one! He's also rushed for over 100 in every game this season and 200+ three times. However, to put this into context, Nichols is the same team that gave up 92 points to Coast Guard earlier this year.

Week 7 lines from the computer:

Colby 26.2, Hamilton 13.4
Middlebury 32.5, Bates 13.8
Trinity (Conn.) 41.8, Bowdoin 6.0
Wesleyan 29.9, Amherst 11.5
Williams 27.0, Tufts 21.3

I disagree with the computer's line more than normal this week. While I'd love to see Colby score 4 times or more, I'm not sure if I can convince myself this can happen, even going against the worst ranked defense in the league.

Bates is too feisty to lose by 20+ to Midd, and I think Williams runs away from the Jumbos, especially if they can return some of the injured players.

GOTW in Middletown this week. Start of the Little 3 and both teams coming off of baffling losses. I think the Cardinals are better, but think the Hill-Young connection solid and will keep the Jeffs in the game.

Quote from: lumbercat on October 18, 2025, 11:59:07 PM----Can someone who saw the Colby Amherst game explain how Colby won that game. The Box Score looks like the Colby Bates stats 3 weeks ago. Are these numbers correct?

Total offense-- Colby: 96  Amherst: 387
First downs-- Colby:  7  Amherst:  21
Plays---  Colby:   45  Amherst:  87

Colby picked off Amherst on the 3rd play of the game and took it back to the 16 yard line, punching it into the endzone 2 plays later. Amherst pulled together a nice 66 yd TD drive in the middle of the second quarter to tie it up at 7... Despite Colby's anemic offense, punter Eli Sohren pinned Amherst inside the 20 5 times, and twice inside the 3-yard line (he was one of Colby's POTW). With Amherst backed up on their own 10 or so in the 3rd quarter, Colby blocked a punt and recovered it in the endzone to make it 13-7.

Early in the 4th, Colby got a holding penalty in its own endzone, giving Amherst a safety, making the score 13-9. Amherst was able to get 2 drives inside the redzone after that, as Colby played 'prevent' defense, coming away scoreless after each attempt. The Mammoths also had 3 other drives throughout the game that stalled out in Colby territory, resulting in 0 points.

On the day, Colby held Amherst to 0-5 on 4th down attempts, won the turnover battle, and forced Hill to throw 62 times for 306 yards.

As I commented earlier, this was a really ugly win, but a win nonetheless. I don't think this type of football will be sustainable for the Mules, even against their remaining opponents. The offense will need to turn it around with a freshman QB so that the defense isn't on the field 35+ minutes each game.

We're on to Hamilton.