FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[lumbercat]

All NESCAC teams have some sort of offseason strength and conditioning program.
 
I would classify Coyne's off season regimen at Bates as demanding and intense. It's a cornerstone of his program with a huge commitment made by the players.

I think programs like Trinity and Tufts are more successful in recruiting bigger (better?) players from the get go.

While it's not always the case, the better teams are often the bigger teams. You can get stronger, heavier and even more confident in the weight room but you can only add so so much weight and you can't get taller.

A top level strength and conditioning program is a key requisite for the smaller programs trying to compete with a bigger Trinity team.

[Nescacman]

Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast

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.

Coming soon...Season 2 Episode 5 featuring Trinity College Head Coach Jeff Devanney and Amherst College Quarterback Marek Hill.

The podcast is available on 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 and Gameday Sports.
 
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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[Nescacman]

2025 Week 5 NESCACMAN Picks

Welcome back NESCAC...it's Week #5 "in the league where they pay to play".

And then there were four! We have a 4-way tie for first place in the NESCAC. If everyone continues to play as expected, could be an exciting last 3 weeks of the season. We all know that this is the NESCAC and surprises lurk around every corner. Week5 features our game of the week as the Williams College Ephs host the Middlebury College Panthers.

We were 3-2 last week and now stand at 14-6 on the year. Let's get to this week's games...

Hartford State College at Hamilton College: On paper, this game looks like a blow-out for the Bantams on the road. Hamilton has two things going for it in this game. First, they are home where they have their lone win this year. Second, Hamilton may very well have the best QB playing in this game. Based on that fact alone, we'll give them a "punchers" chance. Hamilton has been good throwing the ball this year (1st in the NESCAC in passing offense) and the Bants have been mediocre at defending the pass (5th in the NESCAC). What helps Hartford State against the pass is they lead the NESCAC in sacks with 12. We expect Hamilton to pass a ton in this game (they threw 37 passes last week against Wes and have thrown the ball 64% of the time this year). They will need to play a perfect game to stay in this game against Hartford State. The Bantams are on a 3-game winning streak after losing their opener. Since losing to Colby, they have scored 30+ points in those 3 wins. Junior QB Jaxon Carroll seems to be finding his rhythm and WR Nolan O'Brien is making his case for NESCAC OPOTY. Their very good RBs make the Bantam offense a handful to defend. HS hasn't lost to Hamilton since 1994 and is riding a 29-game win streak over the Continentals. The Bants have scored more than 30 points in their last 8 games against Hamilton. Make the winning streak an even 30 games and the 30+ point streak reaches 9 games. Hartford State wins big in Clinton.

Hartford State 44 Hamilton 14
Point Spread: Hartford State -31
Weather (courtesy of The Weather Channel): Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 67F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.

Amherst College at Bowdoin College: Amherst is on a roll. They have not started a season 4-1 since 2019. They are 4th in scoring offense and 4th in scoring defense. With all their success this year, Amherst and their veteran secondary is surprisingly last in the NESCAC in pass defense and is yet to record an interception this season. However, The Lord Mammoths are second in the NESCAC in sacks. Offensively, the difference for Amherst in 2025 has been the play they have been getting out of QB Marek Hill. Marek is third in the NESCAC in passing TDs (against only 3 INTs) and is 10th in rushing yards (and 4 TDs). RB Demitrius Smith has also run the ball well for Amherst.  Bowdoin has struggled this year on their way to an 0-4 mark. They are 10th in total offense and 9th in total defense. Their high-pressure defense has only generated 5 sacks and 2 interceptions. The good news is their offensive point output has grown every week as the season has gone on. The bad news is their defense has allowed 27+ points the last 3 weeks. We think Marek Hill is just too much for the young Polars to handle and Amherst's defense starts to put it together. Should be another win for the Lord Mammoths as they stay in the NESCAC title hunt. Amherst can't look past Bowdoin and Colby before they head into the home stretch against Wesleyan, Hartford State and Williams.

Amherst 31 Bowdoin 10
Point Spread: Amherst -17
Weather: Sunny, along with a few afternoon clouds. High around 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.

Wesleyan University at Colby College: Both teams are coming off wins. Last week, Colby evened their season record at 2-2 in a rivalry C-B-B game against UBates. Meanwhile, Wesleyan played their best game of the year in completely dominating an overmatched Hamilton squad. Wes has won 13 of the last 14 times these teams have played including 6 of the last 7 times these teams have played in Waterville. Wesleyan's lone loss at Colby was in OT 2 years ago. Wesleyan had a chance to win that game but a game winning 37-yard FG as time expired was blocked. The Cards lead the NESCAC in numerous statistical categories including scoring offense, scoring defense, total defense, run defense, interceptions, first downs, opponent first downs, and time of possession. Wesleyan QB Matt Fitzsimons (the reigning NESCAC OPOTW) leads the NESCAC in passing efficiency and TD passes with 9 through four games. Fitzsimons has numerous high-quality targets, but he has favored FY Donte Kelly and Blake Newcomb who are 1st and 4th in the NESCAC in receiving yards.  Donte is also 2nd in the league in all-purpose offensive yards. Colby has struggled this year on offense (9th in scoring and 9th in total offense) while the defense has generally played well (5th in the NESCAC). Part of the problem for Colby is that they have turned the ball over way too much (9 interceptions to lead the NESCAC). They have also lost 2 fumbles. Lastly, they are 9th in time of possession. The bottom line is that the defense has been placed in tough spots because of the turnovers and they are spending way too much time on the field. If Colby is to have a chance against Wesleyan, they will need to limit the turnovers and stop the Wes air attack which has been potent. Wesleyan's offense has been balanced, and they showed last week that they can get it done through the air and the ground. We expect the Cards to come out flying to try and avenge the painful loss 2 years ago. Wesleyan's strength on defense has been their run defense, so we expect Colby to try and get WR Jack Nye going with short to intermediate passes. Colby's offensive line has allowed the most sacks in the NESCAC this year so expect Wesleyan to try and get maximum pressure on Colby QB Miles Drake. We think Wesleyan is too much for Colby to handle, the Colby offense won't be able to keep pace with the Wesleyan offense, and Wes keeps up with the leaders in the NESCAC standings.

Wesleyan 27 Colby 10
Point Spread: Wesleyan -14
Weather: Sunny skies. High 66F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.

University of Bates (Lewiston Campus) at Tufts University (7 PM kick-off): Both teams are desperately in need of a win. UBates is riding a 3-game losing streak and Tufts has lost 2 in a row after starting the season 2-0. Tufts is barely clinging to NESCAC title hopes. Tufts will have to run the table to be in the mix. Meanwhile, UBates lost a heart breaker in OT last week to Colby at home, a game they could have won in regulation. Injuries have hurt UBates. The offense continues to struggle to move the ball since QB Sergio Beltran went down (8th in the NESCAC in total offense). Despite primarily being a running team (69% of their plays have been runs), UBates is only averaging 2.5 YPC on the season. UBates as they usually do will try to get the ground game going led by Ryan Lynskey. If the Kitties are to have a chance in this game, they need to be better on third down (last in the NESCAC at 29%). Tufts has also not gotten going yet offensively in 2025. The success they have had has been on the ground.  Jumbo's RB Christian Shapiro is 6th in the NESCAC in rushing. Tufts has won 9 out of the last 10 meetings between these two teams. We expect a low scoring, "messy game". We give Tufts the edge due to being home under the lights, where they typically play well.

Tufts 17 UBates 10
Point Spread: Tufts -7
Weather: Cloudy skies. Low 53F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.

NESCAC Game of the Week

Middlebury College at Williams College: Middlebury is another NESCAC team on the bubble. They cannot afford a loss on the road against Williams. Middlebury will try to get back in the win column after losing at home to Amherst. Williams bounced back last week after a tough loss at home against Hartford State. The last time Williams started a season 4-1 or better was their undefeated season in 2021. The Ephs offense has been strong (1st in total offense and 2nd in scoring). The strength of their offense has been the running game that far and away leads the NESCAC averaging 250 yards per game, 6 YPC and has scored 10 rushing TDs. Williams has only allowed 1 sack all year and their defense has recorded the most sacks (12) in the NESCAC this year. The Williams defense is 7th in total defense and 9th in pass defense. Williams has the top two runners in the NESCAC in QB Owen Johansen and RB Jon Oris. Middlebury RB Connor McClellan is 4th in the NESCAC in rushing and WR Mike Ahonen is 3rd in the NESCAC in receiving. Middlebury will try to get QB Brian Moran going with the pass against a Williams defense that is susceptible to the pass. Meanwhile, Williams will run the ball against a decent Panther defense. Middlebury has had Williams number in recent year (winner of 8 of last 10) and MID has not lost to the Ephs since 2021. With that being said, we like Williams to win a relatively close game and eliminate Middlebury from title contention in 2025.

Williams 24 Middlebury 17
Point Spread: Williams -6
Weather: Partly cloudy. High 66F. Winds light and variable.

Good luck to all the student-athletes and coaches this Saturday!

NESCACMAN's Picks:
2025 Season: 14-6
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: 375-120 (.758 winning percentage)

**********

Follow NESCACMAN us on X: @realnescacman

**********

Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast

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.
 
Season 2 Episode 5 featuring Trinity College Head Coach Jeff Devanney and Amherst College Quarterback Marek Hill.

The podcast is available on 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 and Gameday Sports.
 
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
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[ItsATuftSituation]

Had the luxury of channel checking many games this past weekend. I noticed two glaring takeaways. The NESCAC has to allow a preseason contest. If you look at that the play now versus week one simply amazing. I know this is topic for off season but even to get the young kids coming in some game experience I just think would make week one better football. Again topic for off season.

The second observation I happen to watch some of the Trinity/ Tufts game is it just me or does Trinity football players just look bigger ,stronger and faster then there opponents. The size differential against Tufts was large. I also noticed this in watching the Trinity/Bates game as well. Do these other NESCAC programs have strength and conditioning programs. There seems to be a clear size and speed differential amongst these teams. The only team that appeared to be close in size was Williams College. When I watched the Bates/Colby the players looked completely different in size and stature.

When the president's voted to use their Pool A bid and the 84-man roster limit, they but in a 10-year moratorium on making any more football changes. So, don't expect non-conference or preseason football anytime soon.

[Nescacman]

Had the luxury of channel checking many games this past weekend. I noticed two glaring takeaways. The NESCAC has to allow a preseason contest. If you look at that the play now versus week one simply amazing. I know this is topic for off season but even to get the young kids coming in some game experience I just think would make week one better football. Again topic for off season.

The second observation I happen to watch some of the Trinity/ Tufts game is it just me or does Trinity football players just look bigger ,stronger and faster then there opponents. The size differential against Tufts was large. I also noticed this in watching the Trinity/Bates game as well. Do these other NESCAC programs have strength and conditioning programs. There seems to be a clear size and speed differential amongst these teams. The only team that appeared to be close in size was Williams College. When I watched the Bates/Colby the players looked completely different in size and stature.

When the president's voted to use their Pool A bid and the 84-man roster limit, they but in a 10-year moratorium on making any more football changes. So, don't expect non-conference or preseason football anytime soon.

Yup...we heard that as well. Our read is that between the D3 play-offs, roster limits and adding the 9th game, the NESCAC Presidents are pretty much sick of talking about football. As a football alum, we think we're good for now. No need to be a pig...

[Nescacman]

We are very pleased to announce a new, exciting collaboration between 9 Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast, NESCACMAN, and NESCACFOOTBALLREPORT.COM.

NESCACMAN and 9 Weeks NESCAC will be providing our weekly NESCAC game predictions and point spreads at nescacfootballreport.com in addition to the NESCAC message board at D3Boards.com and on the NESCAC Football Podcast.

NESCAC Football Report is a website dedicated to all things NESCAC football, including team previews, weekly game previews, power rankings, and game recaps. The site will now provide its followers with NESCACMAN's weekly game predictions and point spreads. Visit the site weekly at nescacfootballreport.com.

The podcast is available on YouTube, Facebook, Apple and Spotify. Search for "9 Weeks NESCAC"...the first and only podcast of its kind.
 
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
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Spotify Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
Apple Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac

[Nescacman]

Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast

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.

Available Now!!! Season 2 Episode 5 featuring Trinity College Head Coach Jeff Devanney and Amherst College Quarterback Marek Hill.

The podcast is available on 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 and Gameday Sports.
 
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/)
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Spotify Podcasts: 9 Weeks Nescac
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[CWM_42]

Great job, guys, as always.  Big weekend!

[Nescacman]

Great job, guys, as always.  Big weekend!

Thank you!!!

We encourage everyone to take a peak.

[nescac1]

The usual heart-stopping finish for Williams-Midd.  Or at least, when it's not a blow-out, it always goes down to the very last play.

The two teams were very even all day as reflected by total yardage and most other stats. The difference for the Ephs was Zach Falls who has developed into such a huge weapon, today, 5-194 with two LONG TD catches. I suspect every defense going forward is going to shade a deep safety behind Falls because once he catches it in stride, he's gone, and the rest of the healthy Eph receivers are totally unproven.  Midd did a great job on Johansen today, he had very little room to run at all and for the first time all year struggled running the ball, and other than his two huge bombs to Falls, he was either a bit off, or receivers couldn't bring the ball in.  The Ephs tailbacks were excellent in the second half, especially Matt Bott, whose speed was an asset against a tiring defense.

It wasn't a thing of beauty for the Eph defense as they seemingly got chewed up all day through both air and, uncharacteristically, on the ground, but to their credit there was a lot of bend-but-don't break, none more so than on the clutch game-ending goal line stand.  The usual suspects led the defense, Moore, Acheson, Cotton, Gale, Mangini and Papadopolous, with Moore having the biggest game.  The Ephs' young secondary hung in there the best they could and did make some big plays.  The pass rush wasn't quite where it needed to be and they will not be happy with the running defense at all.

Williams has made it to 4-1 despite just an unbelievable slew of injuries.  Holden Gehring, obviously a huge player, has not been seen in awhile, nor has Jimmy Montesano, who is the biggest TE weapon in the conference.  His presence was particularly missed in the red zone, as the Ephs had only 3 points on two second-half possessions within the 10 yard line, and that's where Montesano was just about an automatic seven.  On offense, the receiving group is especially stretched thin without Gehring, Montesano, and Stahelski, the leading returning receiver who has been out for the season.  The DB core is also down two guys who I think would be starting right now but for injuries (one again a season-long injury). But the three FY DBs will hopefully benefit from being called into service a bit early.     

Credit to Midd, who played Williams dead-even (probably even a slight edge over all) on the line of scrimmage, and was victimized by those two huge passing plays.  Conor McClellan has killed the Ephs two years in a row, he just ran through and over guys, very impressive, physical running, he might be the best TB in the league right now.  Whenever he took a breather, it was a dramatic absence on the field.  Moran had a very strong game mixing it up to different receivers and honestly I can't figure out how Midd only scored 17 in this one.  A missed (long) FG and falling short within the 10 on the last possession didn't help, as well as an INT in the red zone.  I was frankly stunned Middlebury didn't go for it on 4th and 4th right around midfield with about 2:40 left on the clock.  The way they were moving the ball, seemed like a strange decision to punt it there, and give it back to a team which was fully capable of running out the clock.  But, it ALMOST paid off for them in the end.

Williams, Wesleyan, Trinity and Amherst should really be a war for the league title in those last three weeks of the season, although right now, Trinity seems to get more dominant with each passing week.   If Trinity played Colby again right now, they probably are favored by at least three TDs. 

[nescac1]

It took awhile for NESCAC offenses to get going, but wow, what a week for skill guys:

Donte Kelly:  12-140 with a TD and a seven-yard run
Carter Jung: 8-181 with two TDs plus a 54 yard kick-off return
Zach Falls: 5-194 with two TDs
Connor McClellan: 18-163 plus three catches for eight yards

... and none of those guys will even be OPOTW, given Lynskey's monstrous game against Tufts (32-221 and four TDs).

And of that group, only Jung is a senior.  Along with Nolan O'Brien, who had a quiet day with Trinity able to spread the wealth in its dominating win, Jon Oris, and Mike Ahonen, that's a very strong group of skill guys already locked into at least one of the all-conference teams.   

After some uncertainty through the first two weeks, suddenly we have a strong crop of young QBs emerging.  Fitzsimmons, Marek Hill, Johansen, and Carroll have all seized the reigns and seem to have locked up the QB positions for at least this year and next at their respective schools.  Toss in mainstays Kurzum and Moran, and there are six legit candidates for all-conference at QB, depending on how the second half of the season turns out.

Another early season take that didn't age well: NESCAC would be wildly unpredictable this year.  Now it seems like we've evolved into three very clear tiers in the league: the four contenders, the mediocre middle tier (which can compete with the top four on a good day), and then two teams who pretty much everyone is beating up on.  Since the four contenders play exclusively each other in the final two weeks, the title race is almost a lock to go down to the wire. 

From an Eph perspective, Lynskey's massive game is definitely concerning after what a TB with a very similar style did to Williams this week.  The Eph front seven has been generally strong all year and will need to reestablish its usual physical style to contain Lynskey.  Bates, despite some tough personnel losses, has a fair shot at going over .500 this year given that it ends the season with Bowdoin and Hamilton, both games it will be favored in. 

[Trin9-0]

With Trin, Wes, Williams, and Amherst all tied at 4-1 the standings show a clear top 4. Meanwhile the computer sees it as more of a three horse race and has the Mammoths rated below two teams with losing records (Midd and Tufts):

29 - Trinity, 24.8
51 - Wesleyan, 15.5
64 - Williams, 11.2
95 - Middlebury, 4.9
122 - Tufts, 0.9
129 - Amherst, -0.6
151 - Colby, -7.2
172 - Bates, -11.5
198 - Bowdoin, -16.9
200 - Hamilton, -17.9

I have to say I'm surprised by the continued low rating for Amherst, especially since they've beaten both the Jumbos and Panthers! I will say they only led Bowdoin by 6 heading into the fourth quarter before pulling away late. In fact, nearly half of their total yards came on their final three possessions (not including kneel downs) but still I don't see how the computer could have them that far below the Ephs, Cards, and Bants.

Middlebury heads to The Coop for Trinity Homecoming on Saturday in what looks to be the NESCAC Game of the Week. Can the Bants finally get a win against the Panthers? Trin has lost to Midd in consecutive seasons with less than a minute on the clock. In the last two decades only twice has a team beaten Trinity three years in a row: Amherst 2013-2015 and Williams 2018-2021 (which includes the 2020 COVID no season). Should be a great atmosphere in Hartford!

https://www.ctinsider.com/gametimect/football/article/donte-kelly-football-maloney-choate-wesleyan-20151264.php

I follow CT high school football pretty closely and this is a great get by Wes. He'll be a star.

I would take credit but, unfortunately for anyone not cheering for the Red & Black, this was an easy one to see coming. Dante Kelly is so good and only a freshman!

[JEFFFAN]

Pretty happy to see my Lord Jeffs continuing to play well.  The Bowdoin game was, as noted above, still very close going into the fourth quarter by the Jeffs pulled away nicely.   After years in the wilderness, having a very good quarterback and what seems to be a decent offensive line is a good thing.

[lumbercat]

Tip of the hat to Ryan Lynskey for winning his second Golden Helmet award in 2 years. The Bates running game is returning to form as they get more healthy on the O line and the offensive scheme puts in some new wrinkles. At the end of the day Lynskey is as tough as they come.

[Nescacman]

2025 NESCACMAN Week 5 Power Rankings

Welcome to the Week5 Power Rankings for October 11, 2025. This week we include as a bonus our midseason grades as well as our midseason NESCACMAN Awards.

NESCACMAN picks resulted in a 4-1 record in Week5, including several scores that were either right on the mark or very close. We now stand at 18-7 on the year. Our winners this week were Wesleyan, Williams, Amherst and Hartford State...the four contenders for the 2025 NESCSAC title. Our loss this week: the UBates Kitties who won a close one on the road at Tufts. 

Top-rated Hartford State maintains the top spot in the NESCACMAN Consortium rankings. There are still 4 teams at the top of the NESCAC standings tied at 4-1.

Some details on "NESCACMAN"...we share a love for all things NESCAC, but especially football. 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.

Speaking about the podcast, we 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 2, Episode 5  is available now featuring Trinity College Head Coach Jeff Devanney and Amherst College Quarterback Marek Hill. Season 2, Episode 6 will be available later this week and will feature two more amazing guests, Williams Ephs Head Coach Mark Raymond and UBates LB Ryan Rozich. Should be another great watch/listen. We encourage you to check it out.

Here are our rankings as we head into Week #5:

1). Hartford State Bantams (Record: 4-1; Last Week Rank: 1; 7 first place votes; Midseason Grade: A): After an unexpected hiccup in Week1, the Bants seem to have righted the ship. New Signal called, Jaxon Carroll has settled into his role as the new starter and has continued to improve every week. What's worked for Hartford State in 2025? Well first in scoring and second in scoring defense to start. Carroll and Nolan O'Brien have led the offense. What hasn't worked for Hartford State in 2025? Not much. They are 1 of 1 in FGs and 19 of 22 on XPs.  The Bantams, as expected, won going away against Hamilton winning their 4th in a row. They have scored 30+ points in each of those games. Hartford State outgained the Continental's 539 to 184. 9 different Bantams had catches, and 9 different Bantams ran the ball in this one. The Hartford State defense held the high-flying Hamilton passing attack to 106 yards passing. The Bants host Middlebury this weekend in Hartford.

2). Wesleyan Cardinals (Record: 4-1; Last Week Rank: 2; 3 first place votes; Midseason Grade: A):[/b] Wesleyan has rebounded nicely since the loss to Tufts behind the play of QB Matt Fitzsimons, WRs Donte Kelly and Blake Becomb and the best defense in the NESCAC. The defending NESCAC champ has reloaded on defense. The Cardinals also boast a potent and efficient aerial attack. What's worked for Wesleyan in 2025? #2 scoring offense and #1 scoring defense in the NESCAC. Leading QB (Fitzsimons) and leading WR (Kelly). What hasn't worked for Wesleyan in 2025? They hope to run the ball better the second half of the season. Wesleyan handedly beat Colby on Saturday holding the Mules to an unbelievable number of 20 total passing yards and 3 of 16 through the air. The score could have been much more than 24-7. The Cardinal offense was efficient generating 351 yards, 23 first downs, and controlling the clock with 39 minutes of possession. Fitzsimons found Donte Kelly, repeatedly. Kelly finished with 12 catches for 140 yards and a TD. Although the defense did not get a turnover in this one, they did record 3 sacks and numerous QB hurries in holding the Colby offense to 8 first downs and 110 yards of total offense. The Wes offense was 7 of 12 on 3rd down and 4 for 4 in the red zone. Wes heads home to face Bowdoin this Saturday. 

3). Williams Ephs (Record: 4-1; Last Week Rank: 3; Midseason Grade: A): Williams has used their strong running game to lead the league and power themselves into the NESCAC title mix. QB Owen Johansen and RB Jon Oris have led the Williams. What's worked for Williams in 2025? Run Forest, Run! The Ephs running game has led them to a 4-1 record. The O-line has been excellent only allowing 1 sack all year and they have averaged 5.8 yards per carry. The defense leads the NESCAC in sacks. What hasn't worked for Williams in 2025? Their pass defense is 9th in the NESCAC. With several goo passing teams looming on the schedule, we're sure they would like to clean that up. On Saturday, Williams won a close game at home against Middlebury. Williams was outgained in this game. The story of this game for Williams was the two long passing plays from Owen Johansen to Zach Falls, both 77+ yards. Falls had 5 catches on the day for 194 yards and the two TDs. Williams OL once again did not allow a sack. Soph LB Zakkai Moore (13 tackles) and converted DE Luke Mangini (6 tackles, 2.5 for loss and 1 sack) were standouts on D for the Ephs. The Ephs travel to Lewiston this week to face the Kitties and Ryan Lynskey.

4). Amherst Lord Mammoths (Record: 4-1; Last Week Rank: 4; Midseason Grade: A+): Amherst has been the biggest surprise in the NESCAC this year. The excellent QB play from Marek Hill has been a big reason for that. Amherst's defense has been decent in recent years, including this year (3rd in the NESCAC in total defense). However, it's the Amherst offense's resurgence that has helped them to  dramatically improve this year. In recent years, they have been at or near the bottom of the NESCAC offensive rankings. This year, they are 3rd in total offense and 4th in scoring. What's worked for Amherst in 2025? Excellent run defense. Great play by their O-line (only 3 sacks allowed). What hasn't worked for Amherst in 2025? Pass defense could be better. They have also need to close out games better. Most penalized team in the NESCAC. This past Saturday, the Lord Mammoths won as expected at Bowdoin after a sluggish first half. Leading 10-7 at the half, the Lord Mammoths rattled off 24 straight points in the second half to pull away 34-7 and win their 4th game of the year. The Amherst offense generated 508 yards from scrimmage and held Bowdoin to 144 yards and 10 first downs. QB Marek Hill (career high in yards passing with 334), RB Demitrius Smith (first career 100-yard rushing game) and WR Carter Jung starred for the Lord Mammoths on offense. The defense forced 3 Polar interceptions and had 3 sacks. The Lord Mammoths host Colby this Saturday as they head into the important second half of the season. Amherst controls their own destiny and can win the NESCAC title if they win out. But first, they can't look past the Colby Mules.

5). Middlebury (Record: 2-3; Last Week Rank: 6; Midseason Grade: C): Anytime a Middlebury team has 3 losses in their first 5 games; it can't be considered a success. What's worked for MID in 2025? The passing game, as expected, has been very good. What hasn't worked for MID in 2025? The defense, particularly the front 7, has been very good to excellent in recent years. There has been a drop off in 2025. This week, Middlebury lost a heartbreaker on the road at Williams. Despite the statistical advantage for the Panthers, several big plays by the Ephs did in Middlebury. There were some bright spots for Middlebury on the day like outrushing the NESCAC leading Williams running attack and keeping Williams QB Owen Johansen in check on the ground. The loss effectively eliminates Middlebury from NESCAC title contention in 2025. This week the Panthers are on the road again as they travel to Hartford State to face the surging Bantams in the Coop.

6). University of Bates Bobcats (Record: 2-3; Last Week Rank: 8; Midseason Grade: C+): It's been an up and down year for the Kitties in their 150th season playing football. For the most part, thing are trending directionally correct and they still have a viable chance at their first .500 season since 2012. What's worked for UBates in 2025? As expected, their ground game has been solid (3rd in the NESCAC), and their defense has been decent. What hasn't worked for UBates in 2025? They have allowed way too many sacks for an offense that does not pass the ball that much. They are last in the NESCAC in 3rd down conversions primarily because they are only averaging 3.2 YPC and they are leaving themselves with too many third and longs. This week, they pulled out a big win on the road at Tufts behind this week's Gold Helmet Winner, Ryan Lynskey (221 yards rushing and 4 TDs). The UBates o-line dominated the Tufts front 7 as they accumulated 270 yards on the ground and did not allow a sack on the day. LB Ryan Rozich again led the UBates defense with 12 tackles. The Kitties host Williams in Lewiston this weekend and will try to play the role of spoiler in the NESCAC title chase.

7). Tufts Jumbo's (Record: 2-3; Last Week Rank: 5; Midseason Grade: C-): While the Kitties are trending up, the Jumbo's are trending down. After starting the season 2-0, they have lost 3 in a row allowing 30+ points in each of those losses. What's worked for Tufts in 2025? Well special teams led by their kick returning unit (lead the NESCAC) and Kicker Vaughn Seelicke who has been good as always. Their pass defense has been solid. What hasn't worked for Tufts in 2025? Their offense has struggled at times only scoring 20+ points in 2 games, they have been penalized way too much, and they have not converted at a high percentage in the red zone. They lost a tough one at home to UBates this week. They led 28-21 going into the 4th quarter but 14 unanswered points for the Kitties sealed the deal. The Jumbo's went with sophomore Hudson Weidman at QB, and he was mostly effective for the Jumbo's. This week the Jumbo's head to Hamilton where they will try to even their record on the year.

8). Colby Mules (Record: 2-3; Last Week Rank: 7; Midseason Grade: C): Colby is another team that has been inconsistent this year. After an incredible upset of Hartford State in Week1, they have lost 3 of their last 4 games. What has worked for Colby in 2025? Colby's defense has generally been decent, and their pass defense leads the NESCAC. They are the least penalized team in the NESCAC. What hasn't worked for Colby in 2025? The Mules offense is 9th in the NESCAC in scoring and total offense. Last week, their offense struggled again as they only scored one TD and had 8 first downs on the day. In particular, the passing game was only 3 of 16 for 20 yards on the day. Our observation was that QB Miles Drake was overly conservative with his throws intent on not throwing interceptions. The MVP on the day for Colby was Punter Eli Soehren who averaged 45.3 yards per punt including 2 over 50 yards and 3 inside the 20. This week they are at 4-1 Amherst.

9). Hamilton Continentals (Record: 1-4; Last Week Rank: 9; Midseason Grade: D+): After starting the season strong, playing two relatively close games in losses and winning a game, they have lost their last two games by a combined score of 14-105. Fortunately for them, the most difficult part of their schedule is over. What's worked for Hamilton in 2025? They lead the NESCAC in passing and QB Luke Kurzum has played well. What hasn't worked for Hamilton in 2025? The defense has given up the most points and yards in the NESCAC. They have not run the ball well. They are last in time of possession. Hamilton had another tough day against Hartford State last Saturday. This one was never close as the Bantams outgained the Continentals 539 to 184. The Conts host Tufts this weekend in Clinton.

10). Bowdoin Polar Bears (Record: 0-5; Last Week Rank: 10; Midseason Grade: D-): Bowdoin is last in scoring offense, 9th in scoring defense, 10th in total offense and 9th in total defense. They are winless and to say they have struggled is an understatement. What has worked for Bowdoin in 2025? Well, they are first in the league in net punting, and they haven't missed an extra point (5 for 5). Angus Leary leads the NESCSAC in sacks. What hasn't worked for Bowdoin in 2025? See above. Polars lose their fifth game of the season in Brunswick. This week the Polars head to Connecticut to play Wesleyan.

2025 Week5 NESCACMAN Offensive Player of the Week: RB Ryan Lynskey, UBates

2025 Week5 NESCACMAN Defensive Player of the Week: LB Austin Baker, Wesleyan

2025 Week5 NESCACMAN Special Teams Player of the Week: Punter Eli Soehren, Colby

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2025 NESCACMAN Offensive Players of the Year-First Half of 2025: QB Owen Johansen, Williams; QB Ryan Fitzsimons, Wesleyan

2025 NESCACMAN Defensive Player of the Year-First Half of 2025: LB Ryan Rozich, UBates

2025 NESCACMAN Rookie of the Year-First Half of 2025: WR Donte Kelly, Wesleyan

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Nine Weeks: A NESCAC Football Podcast

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