FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Pat Coleman]

Never knew Matt Casey when I was at NBCSports.com

[JeffRookie2]

Man, is anyone watching this NESN coverage? Tom Caron is under 50% on getting names right in the first half. Also, I'm so upset that even though its brutally obvious that we cant move the ball with Loeffler we dont let Pozner go at it.

[Pat Coleman]

I only watched the last 36 seconds of the half but the PBP guy got the team wrong in that span.

[speedy]

At the half:

Bowdoin 20 Colby 10

[mariner75]

Congrats to Middlebury...beat Jumbos 21-19.

[k-hud]

Hello NESCACers from a UMHB fan... just wanted to say I enjoyed watching the Game Day from the Amherst-Williams game.  How great for D3 football, and congrats to Williams on the victory!

[tmerton]

Great spirit on Game Day - good show Williams.

Way to go, Mids and Polar Bears!

Good day for D3.

[Polar Bear 74]

Congratulations Bowdoin on winning the CBB title again! Well played game by both teams!

[met_fan]

And quite an honor the CBB title is.......sorry, couldn't help it

[nescac1]

Congrats to the Ephs on an amazing run, from being 0-2, and down 20-0 to Bates, to ending the year on a dominating stretch not far behind last year's almost impossibly-high level of play, is quite an achievement.   They just absolutely dominated Amherst yesterday, moreso than the score reflected.  And thanks to ESPN for showing how great the Eph spirit, and all of Division III football, can be.  Corso in the cow head was priceless.

Lucey, after gutting through a few games with plantar fascitis (spelling?), and playing several in miserable conditions (leading to several INT's that bounced right off receivers hands) still put up by far the best numbers of any QB in the league, he is a lock for offensive POY after the last few weeks I'd say, and well-deserved.   Congrats to Midd, Woodring and McKillop are also sure-things for DPY and ROY, respectively.  Amazing season for Midd, especially losing the top QB, WR, RB, and all time sack leader from last season and starting a frosh QB, to win the league. 

All conference locks from Williams: Lucey, Morrissey, Powell, the Szalowskis on offense, Batty, Powers, DeSalvo on defense (and most of that group will be first team).  Defense really stepped up second half of the year. 

Losing Lucey is very tough for the Ephs ... one look at Amherst's qb situation yesterday demonstrates just how crucial the position is.  But if Williams can find a decent QB to emerge, they will be strong yet again next year: best RB and two of the best WR's in the conference returning (Caro will dominate next year), 3 top-notch starting o-linemen, and Batty, Milano, Powers, Birns back on defense.  Plus, four star frosh who looked very, very solid in substantial PT yesterday and/or at other times this year (DE Kiely, LB Johnson, TE Carroll, and OL Rose).  Watch out also for Lupo, frosh RB who will get a lot more PT next season.  All five of them are likely  future all-leaguers.   

Surprising year for Trinity ... next year could be tough losing so many stars on offense (4 OL, Clark, Quinones) as well as the all-conference defensive linemen.  Although their LB's will be nasty.  Midd will be the preseason favorite, but Trinity, Williams, and what figures to be a much-improved Amherst team will all be right there as well.  Trin and Amherst will have lots of motivation after down years (by their high standards), Amherst in particular after being dominated three straight years by the Ephs.   Great year for NESCAC, between the return of parity, the emergence of a new conference power led by an emerging offensive star, and of course all the game day pub.

Oh, and Trinity fans ... impressive placement of your Joe Clark for Heisman campaign ... half the country is now wondering who the heck he is.  Of course, Lucey is the more deserving candidate ...

Farley 3:16

[Trin9-0]

The Joe Clark for Heisman sign was priceless. Many thanks to the Alpha Chi Rho pledges for making the trip up to Williamstown and still getting back in time to grill up some burgers for the Trin alums.

Congrats to Midd on the league title.

[bant551]

Congrats to Midd.  Having been a part of Trinity's (not-so) recent turnaround into a league power at its earliest stages, I know that being the first group to bring your school to a league title -- or even to new heights it hasn't been to in years -- is a bigger honor than merely continuing that type of success.

Both types of accomplishments are truly something to be proud of (continuing a tradition and building one), but there is definitely something special about being there at the beginning.

That being said, hopefully next year Trinity can make it a one-year title run for Midd, but heres to hoping Midd will continue to hold its place at the table of the league powers, having a legit shot at winning each year.

There are only eight games, so it will be nice for the top teams to have to go into all eight knowing that they are in for a battle, rather than playing three tough games per year, and that if they falter, more than two other teams will be in the mix for the league title.

[BTEXPRESS]

As I am reading on the main D3 Football page how all the teams are getting ready for the NCAA playoffs, it really does make the NESCAC football season seem very short. I understand the Bowdoin & Middlebury woman's Field Hockey teams have made it to the NCAA National semi finals and will get a chance to play for a National title this weekend and the Football teams can't even get a 9th game. Life doesn't seem fair for NESCAC Football players. TIP OF THE HAT to Middlebury for a great 2007 season.

[frank uible]

Get rid of NESCAC for football and its restrictions! All it has done is cheat the players. If I were President of a NESCAC college, the football team of the college would play ten games - 2 with colleges from the far west (one home and one away), 2 from the midwest (home and away), 2 from the south (home and away) and 4 from the northeast. I bet out-of-region opponents would line up to be scheduled on a home-and-home basis. Although any or all of the 4 northeast opponents might be NESCAC colleges, the other NESCAC colleges could do as they saw fit. Wouldn't that be a full and interesting schedule primarily for the players but incidentally for the student body in general, the interested alums and the other fans?

[lewdogg11]

Hey good luck to the NESCAC rep in the playoffs this week...

errrr......nevermind...