FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[MapleBBQChicken]

Can't start a post today without shouting out the Mules! Always fun to see Trinity with a losing record.

Being objective, based on the games we've watched (and we've watched 3+ of the 5 so far) plus analyzing the stats plus speaking with our reporters that were at games we have not watched completely yet, outside of Wes and Colby, that was (by far) the worst weekend of NESCAC football we have ever seen.

Boring/predictable play, bad teams, lack of playmakers, sloppiness (missed tackles, dropped balls, bad turnovers) seemed to rule the day. Maybe it's first game jitters, maybe it's all the new players (definitely a significant number of first time starters), maybe it's no preseason games, but the level of play was not good. Many of our preseason question marks and areas of concerns are still an issue.

I agree with this. I watched much more of the Midd-Wes game than anything else, but I got this impression from the snippets I saw of the games in Lewiston and Brunswick, as well as the 8 turnovers in the Colby-Trinity boxscore.

Wesleyan could have easily scored another 2/3 TDs had passes been on their mark. It was 31-17 but it was not even that close. More on that game later but their defensive front 7 completely manhandled the new MID offensive line limiting them to 28 yards rushing on 24 attempts and constantly pressuring Brian Moran.

I'll congratulate Wesleyan on a win that they clearly earned. I do agree Wesleyan missed some opportunities, but taking advantage of those chances is part of what makes a good team good. I would also add that Middlebury left things on the table as well, starting with their opening drive where 2nd and goal from the 3 only led to 3 points. And then a third quarter pick six was a complete back-breaker when the Midd offense looked for a moment like they had something going for the first time since that opening possession.

Middlebury's offensive line was a glaring issue (not easy to say as a former Midd OL myself). Four of the five up front for the Panthers are new starters, including three sophomores, and the run game was just not there. I do think Middlebury will get better, and their passing offense looked good when Moran had time. Middlebury threw for 261 yards, and despite the poor rushing, Wesleyan actually only gained 7 more yards than Midd on the day.

Wesleyan looks like the team to beat through week 1, but we all know how quickly things change in this conference, and I don't think anyone will be undefeated. Looking forward to 8 more weeks.

[quicksilver]

Being objective, based on the games we've watched (and we've watched 3+ of the 5 so far) plus analyzing the stats plus speaking with our reporters that were at games we have not watched completely yet, outside of Wes and Colby, that was (by far) the worst weekend of NESCAC football we have ever seen...

100% agree. I was at the Bowdoin-Tufts game where both teams played poorly although the Jumbos, employing two new QBs, who showed flashes but not much consistency, were able to do the bare minimum needed to come away with the win.

The Polar Bears went with an unusually young line-up, with the top 3 or so defensive performers being first years and the next bunch being sophomores. It made me wonder whether preseason should start earlier and whether there should be more exhibition games . . And throughout the NESCAC, we see brand new or inexperienced QBs getting the starting nod . . This year is perhaps unusual due to the back-up of fifth year players in the fall of 2024 that slowed the development of younger players but regardless more of a glide pathway to the regular season is probably in order.

[lumbercat]

Being objective, based on the games we've watched (and we've watched 3+ of the 5 so far) plus analyzing the stats plus speaking with our reporters that were at games we have not watched completely yet, outside of Wes and Colby, that was (by far) the worst weekend of NESCAC football we have ever seen...

100% agree. I was at the Bowdoin-Tufts game where both teams played poorly although the Jumbos, employing two new QBs, who showed flashes but not much consistency, were able to do the bare minimum needed to come away with the win.

The Polar Bears went with an unusually young line-up, with the top 3 or so defensive performers being first years and the next bunch being sophomores. It made me wonder whether preseason should start earlier and whether there should be more exhibition games . . And throughout the NESCAC, we see brand new or inexperienced QBs getting the starting nod . . This year is perhaps unusual due to the back-up of fifth year players in the fall of 2024 that slowed the development of younger players but regardless more of a glide pathway to the regular season is probably in order.

Gimme a break......Bowdoin has a young team so now we should start preseason earlier and have more exhibition games (also known as pre season scrimmages).
Every program has to rebuild within the Nescac system - it's the same for everybody my friend, but since it's Bowdoin let's change the system.

[Nescacman]

2025 NESCACMAN Week 1 Power Rankings

Welcome to the Week 1 Power Rankings for September 13, 2025.

NESCACMAN gets off to a good start and went 4-1 with our picks in always challenging Week1 after finishing last year with an all-time best record of 38-7. Our lone loss this week was the eye-opening Colby win over Hartford State.

Wesleyan moves into our top spot based on their impressive win over Middlebury. Tufts moves into the 2nd spot after Bowdoin.

Some details on "NESCACMAN"...we share a love for all things NESCAC, but especially football, with our fellow boardsters. We love everything about NESCAC...the history, traditions, rivalries, quirky rituals, passion, student-athletes, coaches, students, parents, alumni, tailgates, fields of play, breakfast spots, post-game meetups et cetera. Each week, we will present our power rankings and then later in the week an overview, prediction and spread on every NESCAC game. There will also be some special reports along the way. And of course, we publish our weekly "9 Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast" where we speak with the coaches, interview key student-athlete playmakers in the league, give our weekly power rankings, and of course, pick each game (winners and with the "spread".

We also co-host a podcast titled "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 on YouTube and Spotify. Please follow us and take a listen. Season 2, Episode 1  is available now (featuring interviews with all 10 NESCAC Head Coaches). Season 2, Episode 2 will be available later this week. Should be another great watch/listen. Our weekly show features coach and player interviews, game analysis, rankings, weekly game previews, and predictions. We encourage you to check it out.
 
Here are our rankings as we head into Week #2:

1). Wesleyan Cardinals (Record: 1-0; Last Week Rank: 3; 10  first place votes): Our new #1 team is Wesleyan. Wes picks up right where they left off in 2024 and have now won 7 straight games dating back to the UBates game last year. Wesleyan was dominant on both sides of the ball. Their defense limited Middlebury to 28 yards rushing (on 24 carries), 2 sacks (and numerous hurries), 3 of 13 on 3rd downs, and 2 interceptions. The offense did not allow a sack, gave QB Matt Fitzsimons a ton of time to throw the ball, did not turn the ball over, and controlled the clock. Besides Fitzsimons, frosh WR Dante Kelly and LB AJ Morris (pick 6 for a TD) were standouts for the Cards. Wes running game was good when it had to be. Wes missed a few long TD passes that were overthrown by a yard or less (to open receivers). The Wesleyan offensive line was impressive. Wesleyan came in with high expectations despite a lot of inexperience. We'd say that Week 1 was a good start. They head to Medford for what should be an epic night tilt against the #2 ranked Jumbo's. 

2). Tufts Jumbo's (Record: 1-0; Last Week Rank: 4): Lackluster Week1 win for the Jumbo's in a place that is notoriously hard to win at. First road shutout for the Jumbo's since 2018.  A win is a win in this league, but it was against one of the worst teams in the league, IOO. New QB Justin Keller was not spectacular but was efficient. Christian Shapiro (and Keller) carried the load for the Tufts offense. Returning RB Chartellis Reece added a TD in somewhat limited action. We suspect that they will ease him into to more of a carry split with Shapiro as the season progresses. LB Johnny Ferrelli (one of our favorite names in the NESCAC) was the Jumbo's leading tackler. K Vaughn Seelicke added 2 FGs. Tough to get a read on how good Tufts is against a lesser opponent like the Polar Bears. This week under the lights will be a better test when they host a high-quality opponent in Wesleyan.

3). Colby Mules (Record: 1-0; Last Week Rank: 7): Our biggest mover in the rankings this week are the Colby Mules. Not an understatement in saying this was the biggest win in Coach Cosgrove's tenure at Colby. They beat Hartford State for the first time since 1995. This might not be the same Bantam team from 2023 (or even 2024), but anytime you beat Hartford State you deserve some credit. QB Miles Drake overcame 3 INTs. Colby's offense was not particular dynamic (239 yards of total offense including 47 yards on the ground-on 35 carries). Reigning NESCAC ROY WR Jack Nye was the lone offensive bright spot for the Mules. On defense, DL Jack Mullen (2.5 TFL and 2.0 sacks) and DL Cooper Bunnell (3.5 TFL and 3.5 sacks) led a Mules attack that dominated the Hartford State offensive line (7 total team sacks, 52 yards rushing and 11 first downs). We're not totally sold on the Mules yet, but this was a major step in the right direction. Should be an interesting game this week as Colby heads to Williamstown to face the Ephs.

4). Hartford State Bantams (Record: 0-1; Last Week Rank: 1): Very disappointing start to the 2025 season for the Bants. The last time Hartford State lost their opening game was 2019 on the road against Tufts. They ended up 5-4 that season. Pretty awful offensive performance, especially for a team with the Bantams pedigree. A few stats from Saturday: 6 points, 195 yards of total offense, 7 sacks against, 4 interceptions thrown, 11 first downs, 52 yards rushing (on 30 attempts), and 0-1 on PAT attempts. Much talked about D1 transfer Tyler Aronson threw 3 interceptions and was sacked 7 times playing the entire second half. WR Nolan O'Brien scored their only TD. The defense did not play badly holding the Colby offense to 7 points and recording 3 interceptions and 4 sacks. Must win as they open at home against the hungry, upstart Kitties from UBates.

5). Middlebury (Record: 0-1; Last Week Rank: 2): Disappointing Week1 loss on the road for Middlebury. Meanwhile, despite Brian Moran throwing the ball well at times, Middlebury's worst fears  came to fruition. Their newly revamped offensive line struggled and their defensive front seven was a far cry from what we have seen the last couple of years. Sophomore RB Connor McClellan and the much-vaunted Panther running game could not get it going against a stout Wesleyan front 7 (28 yards rushing on 23 attempts). QB Brian Moran was "meh". He led Middlebury down the field on the first drive (which stalled at the Wes 1 leading to a chip shot FG), threw a TD pass, but also threw 2 picks (including a pick 6), was sacked twice, and did not look that comfortable in the pocket for most of the game. The 4 new starters in their OL looked shaky at times. WR Mike Ahonen was one of the few bright spots for Middlebury's offense. Meanwhile, the defense did not record a sack or get a turnover. The Panthers get a break this week as they host the offensively challenged Polars in their home opener in Vermont

6). Williams Purple Cows (Record: 1-0; Last Week Rank: 5): Williams begins 2025 with an expected win against Hamilton. As we anticipated, we saw the future of Williams football, and it is indeed a run early and often approach. Ran 52 offensive plays, 44 of which were on the ground. To their credit, they did put up 258 yards on the ground led by RB Jon Oris (101 yards rushing and 2 TDs) and QB Owen Johansen (84 yards rushing and 1 TD). Credit the Williams OL for doing a good job run blocking and not allowing a sack. WR/DB Holden Gering played both ways and was the Ephs leading receiver. LB Luke Mangini chipped in 8 tackles including a sack and 1.5 TFL on defense. The Williams defense was good against the run (49 yards rushing) but not great against the pass (298 yards passing). We're not bullish on Hamilton so we will need to see how Williams does against better competition before they move up in our rankings. They will be certainly tested this week as they host Colby coming off their major upset of Hartford State

7). University of Bates Bobcats (Record: 1-0; Last Week Rank: 6): Congratulations to Coach Coyne and the Kitties on their first win at home against the Lord Mammoths since 1999. The Kitties ran an incredible 81 plays on offense including 59 runs. RB Ryan Lynskey and converted WR and now QB Sergio Beltran combined for 143 yards on the ground on 47 carries. QB Jack Perry threw 3 TDs on only 14 attempts. LB Ryan Rozich was the team leader in tackles. Despite the good win, a couple of turnovers kept Amherst in the game. They will need to clean that up to be able to beat the better teams in the league. Looking at the estimated attendance, I'm sure the UBates faithful was disappointed that only 1,000 attended the 150th anniversary of UBates football. The Kitties will face an angry 0-1 Bantam squad this week in South Hartford.

8). Amhurst Lord Mammoths (Record: 0-1; Last Week Rank: 9): Double OT loss for the Lord Mammoths in Week1 stings. A winnable game for Amherst as they led UBates 23-7 in the 4th quarter. The offense was better than 2024 but not spectacular. They still have not completely fixed the running game. UBates turnovers kept the LMs in this game. Amherst also turned the ball over twice (an interception and a lost fumble and was penalized 9 times for 82 yards). DB/LB Luke Harmon stood out on defense (14 tackles inducing 3 TFL and 1 sack) doe the LMs. For those with absolutely nothing going on this weekend, we suggest you head over to Pratt Field to watch the Lord Mammoths host Hamilton.

9). Bowdoin Polar Bears (Record: 0-1; Last Week Rank: 8): Uninspiring Week 1loss for the Polars as they were shut out at home against Tufts. Offense basically consisted of QB Michael Wolfendale taking a direct snap from center and trying to find a hole. The offense was lifeless (no points, 8 first downs-including 2 off penalties, 175 yards of total offense, 3 turnovers, 2 of 9 on third down conversions). The defense wasn't much better and clearly missed Koy Price. It won't get easier for the Polars this week as they head to Middlebury to face the Panthers who will be hungry to get back in the win column.

10). Hamilton Continentals (Record: 0-1; Last Week Rank: 10): Hamilton outgained Williams but we just don't think Williams is that strong, so we want to see more from Hamilton before we move them out of the NESCAC basement. QB Luke Kurzum had a strong game (298 yards passing and 2 TDs), but lack of a ground game (49 yards on 22 carries) needs to be fixed. Star WR Chester Boynton was a no show as was the Hamilton run defense. The offensive line needs to play better to give the Conts any shot going forward. The Conts travel to Amherst this Saturday to face the Lord Mammoths.

2025 Week1 NESCACMAN Offensive Player of the Week: RB Jon Oris, Williams

2025 Week1 NESCACMAN Defensive Player of the Week: DL  Cooper Bunnell, Colby

2025 Week1 NESCACMAN Special Teams Player of the Week: K Marcus Ruiz, UBates

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[nescac1]

If Trinity and Midd win games they will surely be favored in Saturday, we'd be down to only two undefeated teams in week two.  Crazy and I'm sure unprecedented. And since it's highly unlikely that either Williams and Colby go without a loss this year, I agree that Wesleyan would be the early frontrunner if they beat Tufts.  Though I do expect there will be plenty of surprising outcomes across the league this year. 

It does seem like after years of dominant offenses this is a season where there will be a lot of low-scoring games.  In particular, the QB position across the league is very much in transition and generally low on high-level talent. But also after hoards of D1 caliber receivers running wild through secondaries for the last five years, Nye might be the only really BIG time guy at that spot.  (O'Brien, Kelly and Ahonen also very good but overall a thin position). 

[GroundandPound]

I departed the Midd/Wesleyan game with about 2 min left.  I only observed one sack yielded by the Midd OL at that point and it looked like a coverage sack to me.  As for pass protection, I thought they did an outstanding job, especially considering there were three sophomores and another fist time starter. As for the run game there is plenty room for improvement.  It appeared to me that every run play to a running back (as opposed to a receiver reverse) was designed to go between the tackles.  A few more run plays designed to get the ball to running backs and go outside of the tackles and TEs may help stretch the defense and open up a better inside run game.