Quote from: Ron Boerger on December 12, 2025, 08:57:16 AMPlaying with this year's NACUBO numbers - there's a lot of emphasis on total endowment sizes, but equally (and possibly more) important are the amount of endowment resources available per student.  Here are the (edit:  private) D3 schools in the top 100 of that metric, along with their overall endowment rank:

College	Endmt $/FTE	Rank	Tot $ Rank
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	$2,086,500	6	6
Pomona College	$1,810,914	9	49
Williams College	$1,708,205	10	40
Swarthmore College	$1,593,734	13	55
Grinnell College, Trustees of	$1,526,198	14	57
Bowdoin College	$1,397,968	17	59
Wellesley College	$1,272,249	18	48
Dartmouth College	$1,234,823	19	22
The Principia Corporation	$1,141,078	20	153
Berea College	$1,108,849	21	93
Washington & Lee University	$900,099	26	78
Claremont McKenna College	$898,167	27	125
Smith College	$887,854	29	60
Washington University	$797,649	31	15
Emory University	$728,129	33	17
Bryn Mawr College	$712,791	35	124
Trinity University	$703,144	37	86
Hamilton College	$665,838	42	113
Earlham College	$655,430	43	254
Carleton College	$621,782	44	122
The Johns Hopkins University	$593,965	46	14
The University of Chicago	$590,518	47	21
Berry College	$588,315	48	111
Colby College, the President and Trustees of	$508,396	51	131
Wabash College	$503,501	52	246
Whitman College	$502,543	53	178
Wesleyan University	$501,681	54	98
Haverford College	$497,188	56	191
Middlebury College	$494,120	58	94
The Colorado College	$491,168	60	151
Scripps College	$458,977	63	219
Oberlin College	$426,760	66	120
Denison University	$416,880	67	143
Macalester College	$416,127	68	161
Hollins University	$410,040	69	299
Washington College	$377,324	73	272
Trinity College	$373,311	75	167
Kenyon College	$356,836	76	203
Occidental College	$336,054	81	198
Lawrence University	$318,312	82	230
Centre College of Kentucky	$296,733	87	257
The University of the South	$295,475	88	220
Dickinson College	$286,945	89	202
Hampden-Sydney College	$280,815	91	334
University of Rochester	$276,966	92	50
Union College	$273,260	93	211
Southwestern University	$264,666	96	255
St. Olaf College	$261,722	97	177
Carnegie Mellon University+	$256,224	98	36
Bates College	$254,880	99	237
Brandeis University	$252,376	100	121

Using a somewhat aggressive 5% drawdown, the endowment of the last school on this list, Brandeis, could be expected to provide a little over $12,600 per student towards operational expenses.   For Colby, 51st overall, that number would be a little over $25,400 per student.  Berea (21st), which provides free tuition to its students?  Over $55K each.  For the majority of schools not fortunate enough to fall on this list, operating funds must come from other sources such as tuition, federal/state grants, annual fundraising, and other resources or income sources which aren't carried on the books as endowment. 

Two other things to note:  First, NACUBO doesn't care about athletics and doesn't classify schools by division, so there are likely a few schools I didn't recognize as D3 that could be on this list.  Second, not all schools participate in the survey so again there could be schools that should be here that aren't.

These numbers reflect FY24 endowments and enrollments.  The next survey, reflecting this year's values, will be released in February 2026. 

Amherst should be near the top---did you mistakenly remove them?

Coming into playoff week #2 with a perfect prediction record (4-0); let's see if I can keep the streak alive:

Muhlenberg 31 @ Mt. Union 49
For the Mules to have a puncher's chance, they will need a handful of breaks going their way. Muhlenberg's offense can create big plays and, if they are firing on all cylinders, does have the skill on offense to sustain drives and confound defenses. The real question is--how many drives WON'T Mt. Union find the endzone. The Mules create pressure from the 2nd level- but do not have the secondary talent to risk bringing 5+ if they cannot get a free-runner on the QB. If things go right for Muhlenberg (winning turnover battle, sustaining drives, 3-5 big plays in the first 3 quarters), we could see a similar situation to hte Hopkin's game (4th quarter,down by one score with the ball in Hopkin's territory). At home on November 1, they proceeded to miss on a 4th down conversion, give up a big play to Bay Harvey and, ultimately, lose by 21.

Flash forward to the end of November in Alliance...Mahaffey is back, though playing a unique role. Had he been on the field against the Jay's, there may have been a bit more magic in the air to pull off the Centennial Conference upset. If the P-Raiders come out like a 20 year old Mike Tyson, the Mules could be out of this before halftime-that isn't my bet, but if we see 21-0, 28-7, 31-10 on the scoreboard at the half, that is simply a top caliber team, primed to roll nearly anyone in their way after a bye week.

I've given my hopes and my fears...now my bet. Coach Milne has seen this scenario play out two times and will be as prepared as possible for a 3rd encounter. Even if the Mules do not have the size and speed on the defensive side of the ball to win one-on-one match ups consistantly, they know how to put players in a position to succeed. Mt. Union is going to score 35+ on Saturday. The question is, will the Mules do so, as well...I am taking the under, but wishing for the over. If they Mules can pull off their greatest victory since the '46 Tobacco Bowl, it will take an A++ performance from the offense and 2-plus turnover margin. That's not magic, that's supernatural.

F&M 31 v. Eastern 23
Two talented 9-1 teams that consistantly win one-score games against quality opponents.

Based on a more challenging path to their conference championship and the Tom Gilberg homefield advantage, give me the Dips in this faceoff by 8 points...yet another one score win.

JHU 31 v. Springfield 20

Hopkins has been seething for 2 weeks after dropping their perfect season at F&M. As they return to the friendly confines of Homewood Field, I have confidence they will NOT drop back-to-back games for the first time since 2008 (to whom: the M&Ms of the Leghigh Valley).

As for battling The Pride:
Over the past 8 weeks, the Pride has outscored their opponents by an average scoring margin of 30-9, with their closest contests being 14-point victory margins. JHU has the talent to win one-on-one matchups with their defense, but the question iremains, can they play their option responsibilities play-in/play-out for 60 minutes? My bet is that they can do it well enough to win, even if there are lapses from time to time.

As for the Blue Jay Offense, Harvey, Crotty and the Boys moving the ball in chunks, making a statement that the bottom-right quadrant is theirs for the taking.

Quote from: Former CAC Coach on November 22, 2025, 06:02:14 PM

Quote from: 8i Technique on November 21, 2025, 03:48:52 PMJumping back on with CC pics for week one of the 2025 post-season:

Muhlenberg 34 - Union 28
I anticipate a tight battle throughout the day, with Union taking an early lead. Muhlenberg turns to its big-play offense in the 2nd half and holds on for a 3rd trip to Alliance in the past 7 seasons (this time, in November). Mahaffey remains the wild card in this equation---hoping to see him running on all cylinders!

CMU 42 - Misericordia 14
Too much talent in Pittsburgh. The Tartans send their senior class off a with a memorable win to close out a season full of 'what ifs' and 'almosts'.



Dickinson 21 - Del Val 24
I absolutely think (and want) DC to find a way to win...but I will give the nod to a quality Del Val team in Doylestown.

Ursinus 34 - Leb Val 20
Back to back big wins in Collegeville for the Bears as their defense continues to cause chaos in the backfield. I'm taking Rios for 3+ TFLs and Machado for 3+ TD passes.

Wow!  Almost a perfect score prediction of the Mules/Union score....impressive

Thanks CAC COACH: I watched enough Mules games in 2025 to foresee the way this one would go...with a touch of 'fan's choice' energy to favor the Mules in my pick. Assume the only outcome I missed was the PAT Block/2-Point Conversion Fail.

I was somewhat accurate with the Centennial-Mac Bowl games:

1. CMU won, but in a tight contest--I was grading their offense with Joey McGinnis IV; had I known he wasn't playing, I may have adjusted CMU's total downward.

2. Dickinson and Del Val played the contest I expected, simply with less points on the scoreboard. The Red Devils had a 4th Quarter lead, but could not solve the Galasso-Migliori connection throughout the day, with their 64-yard connection earning the Aggies a come-from-behind victory.

3. Ursinus pulled away with a convincing win (in the record books) to complete a very solid season. I was completely off in my player impact hypothesis--Ursinus won with the ground game, putting up 243 yards, their second-highest total of the year (Moravian 258). LVC's final two drives were twarted with interceptions--creating a final score that was not indicative of the 17-13 margin, halfway through the 4th Quarter.

Congrats to all--now on to week 2 of the CC conference playoff run. Excited to see if F&M and JHU can do the league proud in home playoff games. As for the Mules, it will take a perfect game, a bit of magic (Mahaffey-style) and Mount Union mistakes to keep them in the battle at Alliance.

Quote from: Ice Bear on November 22, 2025, 02:44:31 PMMulenberg moves on with a gritty impressive W against a never give up Union team. I am so proud of the way Union fought but in the end the fumble and int cost them. Muhlenberg made some big plays, capitalized on the Union mistakes, and made fewer overall mistakes today. They deserved to win and I am wholeheartedly rooting for the Mules next week. Absolutely no shame in losing to a great team and program in Muhlenberg.

I will say I was so disappointed as the entire game was unwatchable because of technical difficulties. Man that was frustrating but mistakes happen and overall I'm grateful I could at least follow the stats from start to finish.

Congrats to Muhlenberg on the win and Union on a great season!

An exciting game with 2 quality programs pushing each other to the limits.

Yes, the ESPN 'technical difficulty' page was woeful, but the stats updates kept us on the edge of our proverbial seats.

Hoping the Mules and the G-Chargers cross paths again in the very near future!

Jumping back on with CC pics for week one of the 2025 post-season:

Muhlenberg 34 - Union 28
I anticipate a tight battle throughout the day, with Union taking an early lead. Muhlenberg turns to its big-play offense in the 2nd half and holds on for a 3rd trip to Alliance in the past 7 seasons (this time, in November). Mahaffey remains the wild card in this equation---hoping to see him running on all cylinders!

CMU 42 - Misericordia 14
Too much talent in Pittsburgh. The Tartans send their senior class off a with a memorable win to close out a season full of 'what ifs' and 'almosts'.



Dickinson 21 - Del Val 24
I absolutely think (and want) DC to find a way to win...but I will give the nod to a quality Del Val team in Doylestown.

Ursinus 34 - Leb Val 20
Back to back big wins in Collegeville for the Bears as their defense continues to cause chaos in the backfield. I'm taking Rios for 3+ TFLs and Machado for 3+ TD passes.

Quote from: CMU24 on October 20, 2025, 09:42:19 PMLast year when CMU was in the PAC, 3 teams got into the playoffs. The CC this year is showing that same kind of depth  and perhaps 3 get in. There are less "easy W's" in the CC for sure, the top teams have to stay focused each week to ensure victory. Should be an exciting next few weeks in the conference, looking forward to chatting with everyone on here about the outcomes. Good luck to all your teams this week!

As a 3 Loss US-River Falls didn't get in last year, the question is if Muhlenberg's win over Endicott or CMU's wins over Chicago and Berry could carry either into the tournament with a 3rd 'L'.

The alternative outcome would be a CMU win at Muhlenberg followed by a Mule win over JHU. That scenerio (without furhter upsets) would put CMU in a prime position at 8-2 with wins over Berry, Chicago and Muhlenberg, as well as Muhlenberg at 8-2 with wins over Endicott and JHU.

Counting the minutes to Saturday afternoon...

Quote from: CMU24 on October 19, 2025, 10:43:17 PMCarnegie Mellon travels to Muhlenberg this Sat. My guess is the winner will be able to make the playoffs and the loser will not. I believe this will be a good game, CMU did not play there best game last week after nearly beating Hopkins and Muhlenberg is coming off a strong showing. The CC is getting a lot of love in the NPI rankings and this game should be one of the better D3 games this week. What does everyone think of this match-up?

DICKINSON 42 
McDANIEL  14

After letting the F&M game slip away, Dickinson takes its Red Devil anger out on the Terror.

JOHNS HOPKINS 45
GETTYSBURG 21

Hopkins jumps out early (as they should) and cruises. The Bullet's offense keeps the line respectable.

F&M 31
URSINUS 35

Ursinus's enjoys a signature victory over a talented CC foe.

CMU 34
MUHLENBERG 38


As I stated last week, CMU is the more talented team. I won't be surprised if they outgain the Mules by 50-100 total yards, with JM4 taking advantage of the MC pass Defense. But, as the field shortens, the Mule's Defense has the ability to hold CMU to FGs on multiple occasions.

For the Mules to pull this one out, they must avoid turnovers, stay balanced with play calls and let Mahaffey cook. Should he be able to limit turnovers and sacks, extend drives with his legs and find his big play receivers, this game is within reach.

Quote from: unionpalooza on October 14, 2025, 03:49:00 PM

Quote from: MRMIKESMITH on October 10, 2025, 01:03:41 PM

Quote from: CMU24 on October 07, 2025, 11:07:29 AMWe have a showdown this Sat in the conference, #17 Carnegie Mellon @ #3 Johns Hopkins

Zero chatter on this board even though the CC is one of the top conferences this year in D3 football. The winner of this game will likely be the CC champs. Any insight into this game anyone?

There was never any chatter on this board. It's unfortunate because a lot folk interact with the D3 team outside of the board.

It's like your post summoned the JV posters out of the ether to suddenly appear and pronounce their team unbeatable.  Love it.

The Mules are certainly 'beatable'; case and point, F&M.

My prior callout to our JHU supporter was MC's track record against high-caliber competition (including JHU) at Scotty Wood Stadium.

The $25,000 question: Can their defense solve the passing game shortfall before their two strongest competitors come to Allentown?

I wouldn't put money on MC winning either game---but I do feel they possess the offensive fire-power to stay within striking distance on their home turf.

DIG IN

Quote from: The Man on October 14, 2025, 03:03:51 PMJohns Hopkins has defeated Muhlenberg College 12 times in the last 15 years they have played, including winning the last 3 games in a row, and 8 of the last 10. Hopkins also owns the longest win streak in the series – 8 games from 2011 to 2018.

Any notion that Muhlenberg College would be competitive against the Jays this season is simply delusional. Centennial Conference coaches agree – Muhlenberg College was chosen to finish 5th in the 8-team conference and didn't receive a single first place vote. Middle of the pack is about right for them in 2025.

The ease of victory will define this year's walkover. Nevertheless, JHU fans will cheer for Muhlenberg College when they represent the conference in the Centennial -MAC Bowl Challenge again this year.

There will be no convincing you within the this forum. Let us see if the CC preseason ranking holds any water, come November 1.

As for your closing, the postseason comradery is commended and repaid in reciprocity.

Quote from: The Man on October 11, 2025, 11:18:18 AMMuhlenberg College will lose by at least 14 to Johns Hopkins. The game will be a walkover for the Jays.

Quite sure your number should be a multiple of 14 to fit the criteria for a walkover.

Can the Jays win by 14+ in Allentown---of course. But, they haven't done so in a decade. As for the game not being competitive by early in the 3rd Quarter (another criteria of a 'walkover')---nothing to date gives me that impression.

CMU24: I'm eating crow. I was back and forth betwewn JHU/CMU and Mule/F&M. 4 Solid football teams, all with playoff caliber talent. Quite excited to see where the cards fall by the end of the regular season, especially with the a talented Ursinus squad and competitive group in Carlisle rounding out the 'top half' of the CC.

As for the foibles of the Mules:
I was leaning into the belief that Muhlenberg could hang 30+ points on F&M--just shy, but the difference created the first blemish of their record.

A greater concern restes with the defense; they must must improve against the pass--- The Mules give up 2.9 yards per attempt agains the run and 6.9 yards per attempt against the pass. Hopkins and CMU will put up 40+ if they cannot improve the pass-game schematics and player output.

If Muhlenberg is to win the CC, the defense must find ways to do damage. 5 games have produced 3 Sacks, 4 Interceptions and 2 FRs. To post a victory against the Tartans or the Blue Jays, impactful defensive plays are critical.

How the Mules Win "The Big Ones":
The Mules may need 40+ from the Offense to get by JHU and CMU. They do get both powers at Scotty Wood Stadium--a place that they split the past 4 meetings with the Jays (both losses by one score). I expect some fireworks in Allentown in the weeks to come...revenge for the wild JHU finish is 2023 would be just; it may take a bit of magic/luck to get past both, and I will certainly tune in for the theatrics.

CMU24: The distance between CMU and JHU is greater than than the distance between Muhlenger and CMU. As for which team stands the best chance of knocking of JHU, my bet would be Muhlenberg at home on November 1.

Mr Mike Smith: If you are the legendary RB from the 'Carlisle Devils,' please send my regards to Coach, Ann and Ryan.

Fitting retrospective Bantam 9-0. I'm confident any competitor that lined up against Blair would rate him ever bit as high as you have.

If only the AI overlords could allow us to drill down on the performance per snap played, I trust Blair would rank extremely high in the the conference history with Sacks Per Play and TFL Per Play. He was 'victim' to the success of the defense, as he would give way to the 2nd-Team players quite early in many games. Trinity's average margin of victory in 2003 was 27+, 2004 was 32+ and 2005 was 30 (on the button). Needless to say, there were many 4th quarters throughout his career that didn't require wearing a helmet.

Truly enjoying the Mt Rushmore of modern-history NESCAC D-Line discussion. I see Helbig has been mentioned as a notch above Mike Blair. I'd love to hear Trinity 9-0 (or Coach DiCenzo's) comparison of these behemoths.

For those unaware of Blair's accomplishments, he was a 4-time All-American Heavyweight for the Bantams (125-10 career record) and generally considered their cornerstone for the Defense that led all of D3 in multiple defensive categories (scoring, rushing yards, etc.) for each of the 8-0 years. The team was 31-1 when he was on the field.

He was the NESCAC rookie of the year (2002), NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year (2005), D2/D3 Defensive Player of the Year (2005) and AFCA All-American (2005).

Simply put, from his Freshman year forward, he was the most disruptive force for what is likely the greatest defense in NESCAC-history (4.9 points per game allowed over a 3 year period, 24 wins/0 losses...6.8 ppg if you add in the 2002 stats, 31 wins/1 loss).

His speed was likely the hinderance from sincere looks at the next level, though it would have been quite interesting to see an NFL team bring his weight up to 290 lbs. and move him to OG. His wrestling talent (balance/leverage), natural power and pugnacity would have given him a reasonable chance to make a roster.

The anonymity of the posters, mixed with the blatant trolling and boasting leads those that have viewed the board from afar for decades to question the veracity of numerous accounts.

I trust it is fun for friends, relatives, roommates, fans to muckrake in April for the sake of a jolly---but no one with an ounce of judgement capabilities is trusting the braggarts on the NESCAC board.

Any 'bulletin board materials' from these posts is of similar reliability as the 'false flag' from Charles Jefferson's Camaro ("Fast Times..." reference for the Gen Y/Gen Z crowd).