FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[gridiron]

Based on those lines I would take

Colby
Trinity
Middlebury (but really push since I think 21 point spread is right)
Tufts
Wesleyan

[westcoastDad]

Trinity 42 Bowdoin 21.  Trinity is bigger and better.  But Bowdoin has some game.  They will score.

Bates 7 versus Middlebury 42.   Bates just can't seem to score and Middlebury scores lots.

Hamilton 24 (3 TDs and 3 2pt conversions) v Colby 14 (2 TDs and 1 2pt conversion).  Colby only averages 7 pts a game.  My 14 is liberal I know.

Amherst  24 Wesleyan 21 -  I'm 2-1 since I've watched this game.  Wesleyan always much respect.

Upset special

Williams 31 Tufts 28 -  the Williams offense has quietly gotten better every week.  Well, at least their point total has risen each week.  Tufts will get caught looking ahead to next week's match with the Amherst Pioneers

Have a safe weekend traveling to the games and stay dry!

PS poor AL Davis.  You guys ran him off the board after a year?  Don't get those hopes up.  As homey the clown used to say, "I DON'T THINK SO"

[frank uible]

Has "Pioneers" now become the official mascot of Amherst College? What about reference to "the soldier of the King" in an Amherst College song? What about the name of the Inn? Inquiring minds want to know!

[westcoastDad]

Nothing official yet Frank!

[frank uible]

Much opportunity here to be snarky, but far be it from me to kick some one when he is down.

[gridiron]

Here's hoping for very wet weather and challenging field conditions and upsets galore. Things need to be much less predictable to make the league more interesting.

No injuries though...

[amh63]

FrankU.....best info wrt school Mascot, though a little out of date since I broke off financial support to school.   When the Prez leaves, I will resume.
Anyway, last word I got from a good scource last year ....the mascot...offical now...was up to a committee.   The song with the name can and will be sung by the glee club again.  As to the Inn, mum is the best that I can say presently.    Reasons could be many.  The alum giving Percentage is down and that could be due to the older classes  and to the simple fact that the older class members...most generous, etc. are passing away due to age     Pioneers was a name proposed since Amherst lies in the Pioneer Valley.  However, believe Smith College are called the Pioneers. 
Oh Yes, the money aspect....Amherst is opting to launch another Capital Campaign soon.  It always seems to follow Williams on such matters .
I just got an e-mail inviting me to a Homecoming tent.  It is a "new"? Organization started by the ROTC members at Amherst.  There are a number of military vets at Amherst due to the Endowment established for them.  Amherst was one of the first of a growing number of colleges to provide financial aid for such students.  There will be a ROTC honor guard at Homecoming also.  The new organization is inviting all Amherst community members that have links to family in the armed services.  Hope I got the info correct.

[PolarCat]

Just a light drizzle here in Middlbury.  No sign of the 1+ inch of rain the weather guessers were calling for earlier in the week.  Too bad, as we were hoping it would dampen the Air Leibowitz attack.

My first time at Midd for FB, and the tailgate facilities are fantastic.  The RAW weather may have dampened the crowd somewhat (there seem to be more Bobcat fans than Panther fans in the tailgate) and the view of the foliage is muted, but my God, what a great venue for football.

Good luck to all the boys today, and safe travels to the parents and fans.

[JEFFFAN]

The Wesleyan broadcast is awful - the camera is above a corner of the end zone so there is no clue what yard line they are on and zero perspective.  Awful.

[jburrell21]

Halftime at Bowdoin. Trinity is up 31 - 0.  Very light rain. The score could be worse but for the conditions. The Bantams have never been mudders. Bowdoin is gutted by injuries. Puzzo and Chipouras look very good. No holes in Acquiluro's (sp?) defense.

[frank uible]

amh63 - Since the 50s I have lodged about 4 or 5 times at the Inn. I might do it again and want to know what name to seek on the internet. Otherwise, I am interested in, but indifferent to the outcome of, the mascot issue.

[RetiredMule]

Colby pulling off a win I thought they could get bit by a much greater differential than imagined. While I am very happy for the guys. But the disparity between playing good teams and playing worse ones just reiterates in my mind the need for a coaching change. This has been stagnation or deflation over the course of Michaeles and the end of the Mestieri era.

[JEFFFAN]

The Jeffs getting their comeuppance in a blowout against Wesleyan.   Zero offense in the first half for the Jeffs, three turnovers, nice offensive play by the Cardinals, and this baby is all over but for the fat lady singing.   Amherst run defense was again very good but today they desperately missed Foy.

Am I allowed to say that about the fat lady singing?

Update - make that FIVE turnovers for the Jeffs.   Yowzer!

Update - make that SIX turnovers for the Jeffs.

[PolarCat]

After jumping out to a 9-0 early lead, the Bobcats offense reverted to form and imploded.  Hats off to Panthers MVP  Dave Caputi for his stellar play calling.

On the other sideline, it looked like Bates playbook consisted of the same half dozen plays we've seen all season.  Another painful day for the Garnet parents and fans.

[IslandTime]

Amherst lack of running game is shocking. Horrible conditions, a 3rd string QB and they are throwing the ball all over the field. 5 INTs and it easily could have been 8.

I have been complaining about the lack of development of a multiback run game since first watching this team. And when you run read option with a QB that doesn't RUN, a tailback in Hickey who is more suited speed wise to be a fullback....in these kind of conditions, you become very beatable. Especially when turning the ball over.

There are 3-4 kids on that sideline with breakaway speed and Amherst wants to continue throwing the ball every where. Cost them dearly today.

Mills needs to reach down into Florida and grab some speed. Some great possession receivers, but not a lot of true playmakers. No one on field to truly be a breakaway threat. And with out some misdirection run game, the QB better have a great day, which is usually the case, but when he doesn't, Amherst offense becomes pedestrian. Time they do some reevaluation in my opinion.