FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Nescacman]

As for Amherst, I can't help but notice that 4/6 titles came during the Kelton era, when they could really load up on recruits they now have to split with Williams.  Hard to imagine that level of dominance will ever be reached again, but there is also no reason for Amherst, with a great football tradition, tons of resources and a great stadium, to be a sub-500 team more than once in a blue moon.

As you know, this has been discussed many times before nescac1...HCOF EJ's recruiting has definitely taken a hit in the post-HCOF Kelton era and the resurgence of football in Willytown with young QB Bobby at the helm...

[The Mole]

Overall Champs SINCE 1992
Trinity--12
Williams--9
Amherst--7
Middlebury--5
Wesleyan--2
Colby-- 1

RUNNER-UPS SINCE 1992
Trinity--9
Williams--6
Amherst--3
Middlebury--4
Colby--3
Wesleyan--2
Tufts--2

1992 First year of NESCAC only play

[The Mole]

1971   Williams
1972   Middlebury
1973   Amherst/Middlebury
1974   Trinity/Williams
1975   Williams
1976   Middlebury
1977   Middlebury (Union booted due to hockey recruiting)
1978   Trinity
1979   Tufts
1980   Trinity
1981   Middlebury
1982   Amherst
1983   Middlebury/Trinity
1984   Amherst
1985   Amherts
1986   Tufts
1987   Amherst/Hamilton/Trinity
1988   Williams
1989   Williams
1990   Williams
1991   Trinity
No recognized champion
1971-91, teams played 8
games, 6 in league with
rotations and then two OOC
contests.

[The Mole]

Since 1992

Trinity 198-48
Williams 173-71-2
Amherst 167-78-1
Middlebury 155-91
Wesleyan 137-109
Colby 108-137-1
Tufts 104-141-1
Bowdoin 66-179-1
Hamilton 63-183
Bates 56-190

[The Mole]

SINCE 2000

Trinity 153-29
Amherst 130-52
Middlebury 120-62
Williams 118-64
Wesleyan 101-81
Tufts 79-103
Colby 78-104
Bates 49-133
Bowdoin 43-139
Hamilton 39-143

[JEFFFAN]

As for Amherst, I can't help but notice that 4/6 titles came during the Kelton era, when they could really load up on recruits they now have to split with Williams.  Hard to imagine that level of dominance will ever be reached again, but there is also no reason for Amherst, with a great football tradition, tons of resources and a great stadium, to be a sub-500 team more than once in a blue moon.

As you know, this has been discussed many times before nescac1...HCOF EJ's recruiting has definitely taken a hit in the post-HCOF Kelton era and the resurgence of football in Willytown with young QB Bobby at the helm...

Add this to a former president who decided that her legacy needed to include trashing some excellent programs - football and basketball - and that is a lethal combination.

[Nescacman]

SINCE 2000

Trinity 153-29
Amherst 130-52
Middlebury 120-62
Williams 118-64
Wesleyan 101-81
Tufts 79-103
Colby 78-104
Bates 49-133
Bowdoin 43-139
Hamilton 39-143

Nice job Mole...knew you would deliver just like your son!

Not sure what is more surprising...the group at the top of the standings (and kudos to them) or the consistent ineptitude of the teams at the bottom of the standings. Not much movement in the groups other than Amwurst's sudden move to mediocrity (or worse), Tufts trying hard to ascend in the standings (from the depths of a 35 game-losing streak not that long ago), and UBates trying to break out of the C-B-B + Hamilton death spiral. Amazing how bad the bottom of the Leagues has been for so long.

[lumbercat]

Throw out all prediction records before I called out my friend NESCACMAN on picking NESCAC games straight up. That was a bag job. However, since then he has prognosticated using his own self calculated spreads which has added some credibility to his work. Frankly  he has performed better than I thought with the new guidelines. The whole thing is actually now approaching legitimacy.

I've wondered if he wears that Wrestling cowl when making his picks.....
At the end of the day NM a great personality and a credit to this board.

[Nescacman]

Throw out all prediction records before I called out my friend NESCACMAN on picking NESCAC games straight up. That was a bag job. However, since then he has prognosticated using his own self calculated spreads which has added some credibility to his work. Frankly  he has performed better than I thought with the new guidelines. The whole thing is actually now approaching legitimacy.

I've wondered if he wears that Wrestling cowl when making his picks.....
At the end of the day NM a great personality and a credit to this board.

Thank you Lumber...we appreciate the back-handed compliment. 

One of these days, perhaps we can enjoy an adult beverage together at a game, as we have with many other Boardster's over the years. Always love meeting the cast of characters on the Board...

Week #2 NESCACMAN picks coming up...

[Nescacman]

2023 Week #2 NESCACMAN Picks

Welcome back NESCAC...it's Week #2 in the league where they "pay to play"...NESCACMAN off to a stellar start in 2023 with a 5-0 record with our picks in week #1 as we go for our 300th career win this week...another week, another game with championship implications as the Middlebury Panthers travel to Middletown to face the Wesleyan Cardinals...should be a great game in the slop on Andrus Field, the longest continuously used college football field in America. Onto the games:

Hamilton College at Amhurst College:  Should be an interesting game between two of the more challenged teams in the NESCAC right now (we can't believe we are saying that about the Lord Mammoths, but it is reality)...Is Amwurst's offense that bad (again)? Is Hamilton's defense that bad (again)? "Looser" of this game may not win a game this year, we're afraid...Will be an interesting early season match-up to see if either of these 2 programs has advanced...Not sure playing each other will be the best indicator... Keys To Victory ("KTV") for Hamilton: Score 2 TDs against the typically stout LM defense...put pressure on the young LM QB to create unforced errors...KTV for Amhurst: Find a way to generate some offense against the suspect Alexander Hamilton defense...Play ball control to win time of possession...."ground and pound" for the LMs...Overview: Although we think this game will be close, we will go with the home team in what will only be a "must-see" game for die-hard parents and alums.

Amwurst 14 Hamilton 10
Point Spread: Amwurst -3
Weather (courtesy of The Weather Channel): Showers early, becoming steady rain later. High of 61.

Williams College at Bowdoin College: Battle for first place in the NESCAC! Battle of two teams that benefited from less than stellar competition in week 1...Can't tell too much about the Polars after beating up on Hamilton and despite Williams opening day win, they are still playing a lot of young players, including a FY at QB...KTV for Williams: Stop the Bowdoin running game...Get some pressure on Polars QB Boel to force some turn overs...Use their very good running game to control the clock...KTV for Bowdoin: Balanced offense...need to get the running game going... Stop the Williams running game to force the young Williams QB to throw... Overview: We think Williams goes on the road and gets it done in a in a mild-upset in a low scoring affair.

Williams 17 Bowdoin 14
Point Spread: Bowdoin -3
Weather: Cloudy skies. High of 62.

Hartford State College at Colby College: Bants cemented that they are the NESCAC favorite with a beat down of Tufts last week...KTV for Hartford State: Keep doing what they did last week...even if Fetter does not play, won't matter much..KTV for Colby: Need to generate some offense to control the clock and take some pressure off the Colby defense...Overview: Hartford State is a big favorite on the road. Hard to envision a scenario in which they "loose" this game.

Hartford State 31 Colby 10   
Point Spread: Hartford State -21
Weather: Cloudy. High of 64.

University of Bates (Lewiston Campus) at Tufts University: Tufts needs to right the ship against the young UBates Kitties...if there was ever a must-win in the NESCAC, this is it for the Jumbo's...Tufts will need to be much sharper than they were at Hartford State last week...if the Jumbo's play the way they did in the first-half last week, we could see an upset in Medford...meanwhile, we were impressed with some of the new UBates players, in particular, new starting RB Ryan Lynskey was impressive...KTV for UBates: Limit the turnovers on offense and get some turnovers on defense..defensively they need to keep this a low-scoring affair...UBates will lose a shoot-out to the theoretically explosive Jumbo offense...KTV for Tufts: Get the offense going...QB Berlutti needs to be much better than he was last week at Hartford State...offense looked somewhat lost without 2022 OPOTY Phil Lutz (and congratulations to him on playing up at UDelaware and making a couple of catches so far)...Defense will also have to play better against a competent UBates QB who seems to have solved his propensity for INTs...Overview: Weather could be a factor in this game, particularly for the aerial game of the Jumbo's. Score 20 points and the Jumbo's win...We like the home team to get win #1.

Tufts 31 UBates 14 
Point Spread: Tufts -10
Weather: A steady rain in the evening. Showers continue late. Cloudy. Low of 55.

NESCAC Game of the Week

Middlebury College at Wesleyan University: Very interesting game...should determine who will challenge Hartford State for NESCAC supremacy...Solid win for Wesleyan on the road against UBates last week...Wes survived a 5 hour same-day bus ride to Lewiston (the team stayed over Friday night) and looked good against the Kitties...Meanwhile, successful first game of the HCOF Mandigo era at Middlebury; congratulations on win #1...Middlebury looked surprisingly sluggish on offense under the direction of a new OC...defense looked very strong, albeit against the NESCAC's worst offense... KTV for Middlebury: QB Kennon and the MID offense has to play better than they did against the Lord Mammoths...Potentially sloppy conditions on Andrus so they will need to get the running game going...defense will need to play well again against a better offense than they faced last week...KTV for Wesleyan: Running game needs to be better, particularly with the weather forecast...pressure Kennon to force turnovers....always the story for Wes, avoid the stupid penalties. Overview: Feels like a close game to us. We ratcheted the score down a tad due to the weather forecast. This could be an old school NESCAC defensive battle in the slop.

Wesleyan 21 Middlebury 17
Point Spread: Wesleyan -1
Weather: Cloudy with periods of rain. High of 59.

NESCACMAN's Picks (winners):
2023 Season: 5-0
2022 Season: 31-14
2021 Season: 33-12
2020 Season: 0-0
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: 297-93 (.762 winning percentage)

Follow us on Twitter @realnescacman

[nescac1]

The Mole, impressive work!  I'm not sure how you found all that info but well-done.  NESCAC should hire you! 

Nescacman, with those spreads, I'll take Amherst, Williams, Colby, Tufts and Midd. 

VERY early season watch list for individual aware categories (not in order):

DPOY: Tom Kenary (runaway favorite), Andy Skirzenski (quiet game one but he will have a big year), Julian Young, Finn Muldoon, Nick Donato, Ethan Scott, Mike Rowan, Cade Klarides-Ditria, EJ Comerford

OPOY: Michael Berluti (first tough game but he will bounce back), Mario Fischetti (only non-QB who is a top contender) Spencer Fetter, Donovan Wood (assuming he gets healthy), Sean Clapp, Jaden Richardson, Andre Eden, Niko Candido, Thomas Elkhoury

ROTY: Owen McHugh, Ryan Lynskey, Holden Gehring

[The Mole]

Endicott 37 #5 Hardin-Simmons 3 after 3Q

Absolutely unreal. Cowboys look stunned.

NO ONE expected this, great job Gulls!

[Nescacman]

Endicott 37 #5 Hardin-Simmons 3 after 3Q

Absolutely unreal. Cowboys look stunned.

NO ONE expected this, great job Gulls!

Wow...that's shocking!

[The Mole]

FINAL

Endicott 37
Hardin-Simmons 10

Best New England win ever?

[Nescacman]

FINAL

Endicott 37
Hardin-Simmons 10

Best New England win ever?

Our personal vote would be for Super Bowl 46, but we digress...