FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Nescacman]

Wesleyan lost 25-0 and gained 212 total yards in a de facto NESCAC championship game their last time in Williamstown, but other wise, yes, Wesleyan has been very comfortable playing Williams. Only loss in the rivalry since 2012 - the Alex Scyokurka game

Yes, and of course, we're sure you remember 2016...need a reminder Spring?!?

2018 and 2019 were way worse. There was no additional humiliation in 2016, it was a lost cause.

Amen to that...btw, spent some quality time with your brother and his (and your???) HS alums on Saturday...good times....see you in few weeks.

[PolarBearMan]

2023 NESCACMAN Week 5 Power Rankings

Week #5 leaves the top of the NESCAC a mess with three 4-1 teams...All are in the hunt for the 2023 NESCAC title thanks to Middlebury's upset of the Hartford State juggernaut...In other action, Tufts rolled over Wesleyan...Colby came from behind to beat the Lord Mammoths...The Ephs beat the Alexander Hamilton's...Bowdoin beat UBates...NESCACMAN goes 2-3 with our weekly picks...We are now 19-5 on the year and are looking to bounce back in Week #6.

Here are our NESCAC rankings for Week 5 based on our poll of league wide correspondents:

1). Middlebury Panthers (8 first place votes)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 4): After a less than impressive win in week #4 against the Ephs, MID won in impressive fashion over the previously unbeaten Roosters of Hartford State...Great game plan by HCOF Mandigo & Co...as we have consistently said on the Board, HS QB Fetter does not like pressure and MID did a great job of pressuring him all day; 2 sacks, 2 interceptions and numerous QB hurries did the trick...HS actually outgained the Pants 444 yards to 338 yards, dominated the time of possession, and had more first downs (23 to 19) but held HS to 5 field goals, no TDs and 5 of 16 on third down...MID still did not run the ball well: 53 yards on 30 carries and Kennon threw 2 more interceptions (he leads NESCAC signal callers by a long shot with 11 through 5 games) ...The MID "cardiac kids" scored with 2 minutes left to win...Big day by MID soph WR Mike Ahonen (9 catches for 175 yards and a TD) and DPOTY candidate DT Dave Filas (5 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass knocked down)...Middlebury hosts UBates this week.

2). Hartford State Roosters (1 first place vote)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 1): Surprising loss for the Roosters in the Coop where they rarely lose (last loss at home was 2019 vs. Wesleyan)...Ran 81 offensive plays for 444 yards and only came away with 15 points...Kicker Matthew Jumes was the star of the day for Hartford State booting 5 FGs including 2 over 40 yards...Roosters travel to Williamstown this week to face the Ephs.

3). Tufts Jumbo's (1 first place votes)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 2): Impressive and big win for the Jumbo's at home under the lights...Despite the win, moves down one spot in our poll as a result of MID's win over a team that Tufts previously lost to; however, they do garner one 1st place vote in our weekly poll...Big crowd and great atmosphere...Led 28-0 with 19 seconds gone in the 2nd quarter and 42-7 at the half...Held Wes to 86 yards rushing on 38 attempts and 253 yards of total offense...6 sacks and 8 tackles for a loss for the Jumbo's...Wes actually ran more plays (65 to 55) and had more time of possession due to the quick strike ability of the Jumbo's...Career day for LB Shane Reiner (9 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 sacks and 1 forced fumble)...Tufts held Wes to 4 of 14 on third down... Tufts did not allow a sack and have only allowed 1 sack in their first 5 games...WR Jaden Richardson had another big game going for 147 yards on 4 catches and 2 TDs...Tufts travels to Amherst to face the Lord Mammoths this week.

4). Colby Mules (3-2; Last Week Rank: 5): Mules win their third game in a row beating the Lord Mammoths on FG with 3 seconds left...Trailed this game all day...Held the LM's to 13 yards rushing (on 25 attempts) and 222 yards of total offense...Held the Lord Mammoths to only 1 of 3 in the red zone...Colby played without star all NESCAC LB Julian Young...Mules host the hapless Alexander Hamilton's this week in Waterville.

5). Wesleyan Cardinals (3-2; Last week Rank: 3): Another disappointing loss for Wesleyan...Wesleyan now focused on winning this week, winning the Little 3, and having another winning season...Bright spots for Wes included 2 rushing TDs and no interceptions...Wes hosts the Polar Bears at home where they are 2-0 this year and try to avenge last year's heartbreaking loss in Brunswick.

6). Bowdoin Polar Bears (3-2; Last Week Rank: 6): Bowdoin bounces back with a come from behind win at home against C-B-B rival UBates...Bowdoin's offense was better this week (19 first downs, 389 yards of total offense)...Polars run defense was the star of the day (-25 yards net rushing for UBates, 1 rushing first down, 12 tackles for loss, no rushing TDs, an held leading UBates runner to 5 yards)...QB Andrew Boel had 4 TD passes including 3 to Colton Fahey...LB Koy Price had a big day for the Polars with 8 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble...Polars travel to Middletown to face Wesleyan in a battle of winning teams.

7). Amwurst Lord Mammoths (2-3; Last Week Rank: 7):  Lord Mammoths lose the C-B-B title in last second loss to the Mules...Amwurst continues with Jack Cox at QB and he has another decent day (2 TDs for 209 yards and no INTs)...Rushing offense continues to struggle...DB Luke Harmon had another big game with 13 tackles, 4 TFL and 1 sack...Lord Mammoths have to do better than 1 of 3 in the red zone...Missed 24 yard FG in the second quarter ended up being the difference...This week they face the surging Jumbo's at home.

8). Williams Purple Cows (2-3; Last Week Rank: 8): Ephs back in the win column in a game that was basically a statistical tie...Pass offense was better this week with Owen McHugh leading the charge...McHugh was also the Ephs leading rusher with star RB Mario Fischetti on the shelf...Longest running play was only 9 yards for the Ephs...Ephs host the angry Roosters this week in Williamstown.

9). University of Bates Bobcats (Lewiston Campus)(0-5; Last Week Rank: 9): UBates loses to the Polars after holding an early 10-0 lead...Running offense needs to be better (-25 yards on 21 carries)...4 sacks against... Will try to upset Middlebury and get their first win of the year on the road in Vermont; not an easy task.

10). Hamilton Alexander Hamilton's (0-5; Last Week Rank: 10): HAM had a shot at first win against the Ephs but ultimately did not prevail...The Alexander Hamilton's future (QB Luke Kurzum and RB Nate Wildman) both played well ...only 211 yards of total offense on the day including 74 yards rushing....travel to Colby this week to face the Mules in what has to be the longest bus ride in the NESCAC (approx. 7 hours).

I'm sorry but Colby at 4 and Bowdoin dropping in the rankings??? I understand that Colby beat your precious Cardinals so ranking them higher in turn makes the loss look better for you, but still they only won because of a missed short field goal by Wes. Their other 2 wins were close games against the 0-5 Bates team and the Lord Jeffs who everyone on the boards has been calling extremely underwhelming this year. On the other hand Bowdoin dominates a rival, performing better on offense and defense against the Bobcats than Colby did along with having wider margins in wins and tighter margins in losses than Colby. I really don't see how the Mules can be ranked over the Polar Bears other than the fact they beat your Cardinals, who seem to be spiraling of late.

[Nescacman]

2023 NESCACMAN Week 5 Power Rankings

Week #5 leaves the top of the NESCAC a mess with three 4-1 teams...All are in the hunt for the 2023 NESCAC title thanks to Middlebury's upset of the Hartford State juggernaut...In other action, Tufts rolled over Wesleyan...Colby came from behind to beat the Lord Mammoths...The Ephs beat the Alexander Hamilton's...Bowdoin beat UBates...NESCACMAN goes 2-3 with our weekly picks...We are now 19-6 on the year and are looking to bounce back in Week #6.

Here are our NESCAC rankings for Week 5 based on our poll of league wide correspondents:

1). Middlebury Panthers (8 first place votes)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 4): After a less than impressive win in week #4 against the Ephs, MID won in impressive fashion over the previously unbeaten Roosters of Hartford State...Great game plan by HCOF Mandigo & Co...as we have consistently said on the Board, HS QB Fetter does not like pressure and MID did a great job of pressuring him all day; 2 sacks, 2 interceptions and numerous QB hurries did the trick...HS actually outgained the Pants 444 yards to 338 yards, dominated the time of possession, and had more first downs (23 to 19) but held HS to 5 field goals, no TDs and 5 of 16 on third down...MID still did not run the ball well: 53 yards on 30 carries and Kennon threw 2 more interceptions (he leads NESCAC signal callers by a long shot with 11 through 5 games) ...The MID "cardiac kids" scored with 2 minutes left to win...Big day by MID soph WR Mike Ahonen (9 catches for 175 yards and a TD) and DPOTY candidate DT Dave Filas (5 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass knocked down)...Middlebury hosts UBates this week.

2). Hartford State Roosters (1 first place vote)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 1): Surprising loss for the Roosters in the Coop where they rarely lose (last loss at home was 2019 vs. Wesleyan)...Ran 81 offensive plays for 444 yards and only came away with 15 points...Kicker Matthew Jumes was the star of the day for Hartford State booting 5 FGs including 2 over 40 yards...Roosters travel to Williamstown this week to face the Ephs.

3). Tufts Jumbo's (1 first place votes)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 2): Impressive and big win for the Jumbo's at home under the lights...Despite the win, moves down one spot in our poll as a result of MID's win over a team that Tufts previously lost to; however, they do garner one 1st place vote in our weekly poll...Big crowd and great atmosphere...Led 28-0 with 19 seconds gone in the 2nd quarter and 42-7 at the half...Held Wes to 86 yards rushing on 38 attempts and 253 yards of total offense...6 sacks and 8 tackles for a loss for the Jumbo's...Wes actually ran more plays (65 to 55) and had more time of possession due to the quick strike ability of the Jumbo's...Career day for LB Shane Reiner (9 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 sacks and 1 forced fumble)...Tufts held Wes to 4 of 14 on third down... Tufts did not allow a sack and have only allowed 1 sack in their first 5 games...WR Jaden Richardson had another big game going for 147 yards on 4 catches and 2 TDs...Tufts travels to Amherst to face the Lord Mammoths this week.

4). Colby Mules (3-2; Last Week Rank: 5): Mules win their third game in a row beating the Lord Mammoths on FG with 3 seconds left...Trailed this game all day...Held the LM's to 13 yards rushing (on 25 attempts) and 222 yards of total offense...Held the Lord Mammoths to only 1 of 3 in the red zone...Colby played without star all NESCAC LB Julian Young...Mules host the hapless Alexander Hamilton's this week in Waterville.

5). Wesleyan Cardinals (3-2; Last week Rank: 3): Another disappointing loss for Wesleyan...Wesleyan now focused on winning this week, winning the Little 3, and having another winning season...Bright spots for Wes included 2 rushing TDs and no interceptions...Wes hosts the Polar Bears at home where they are 2-0 this year and try to avenge last year's heartbreaking loss in Brunswick.

6). Bowdoin Polar Bears (3-2; Last Week Rank: 6): Bowdoin bounces back with a come from behind win at home against C-B-B rival UBates...Bowdoin's offense was better this week (19 first downs, 389 yards of total offense)...Polars run defense was the star of the day (-25 yards net rushing for UBates, 1 rushing first down, 12 tackles for loss, no rushing TDs, an held leading UBates runner to 5 yards)...QB Andrew Boel had 4 TD passes including 3 to Colton Fahey...LB Koy Price had a big day for the Polars with 8 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble...Polars travel to Middletown to face Wesleyan in a battle of winning teams.

7). Amwurst Lord Mammoths (2-3; Last Week Rank: 7):  Lord Mammoths lose the C-B-B title in last second loss to the Mules...Amwurst continues with Jack Cox at QB and he has another decent day (2 TDs for 209 yards and no INTs)...Rushing offense continues to struggle...DB Luke Harmon had another big game with 13 tackles, 4 TFL and 1 sack...Lord Mammoths have to do better than 1 of 3 in the red zone...Missed 24 yard FG in the second quarter ended up being the difference...This week they face the surging Jumbo's at home.

8). Williams Purple Cows (2-3; Last Week Rank: 8): Ephs back in the win column in a game that was basically a statistical tie...Pass offense was better this week with Owen McHugh leading the charge...McHugh was also the Ephs leading rusher with star RB Mario Fischetti on the shelf...Longest running play was only 9 yards for the Ephs...Ephs host the angry Roosters this week in Williamstown.

9). University of Bates Bobcats (Lewiston Campus)(0-5; Last Week Rank: 9): UBates loses to the Polars after holding an early 10-0 lead...Running offense needs to be better (-25 yards on 21 carries)...4 sacks against... Will try to upset Middlebury and get their first win of the year on the road in Vermont; not an easy task.

10). Hamilton Alexander Hamilton's (0-5; Last Week Rank: 10): HAM had a shot at first win against the Ephs but ultimately did not prevail...The Alexander Hamilton's future (QB Luke Kurzum and RB Nate Wildman) both played well ...only 211 yards of total offense on the day including 74 yards rushing....travel to Colby this week to face the Mules in what has to be the longest bus ride in the NESCAC (approx. 7 hours).

I'm sorry but Colby at 4 and Bowdoin dropping in the rankings??? I understand that Colby beat your precious Cardinals so ranking them higher in turn makes the loss look better for you, but still they only won because of a missed short field goal by Wes. Their other 2 wins were close games against the 0-5 Bates team and the Lord Jeffs who everyone on the boards has been calling extremely underwhelming this year. On the other hand Bowdoin dominates a rival, performing better on offense and defense against the Bobcats than Colby did along with having wider margins in wins and tighter margins in losses than Colby. I really don't see how the Mules can be ranked over the Polar Bears other than the fact they beat your Cardinals, who seem to be spiraling of late.

The beauty of the NESCAC 9-game schedule is that everyone plays everyone so we shall see...in fact, we'll find out about the Mules, the Polars and Wes starting this Saturday in Middletown...Care to put your money where your mouth is? It's a bit early for our weekly picks and spreads but we think we'll set Wes as a 3 point fave at home on the grass....are you up for that? Loser buys the winner a bottle of his/her choosing...and if you need to check whether or not we pay, just ask some of our fellow boardsters....  "Lanisters always pay their debts!"

[PolarBearMan]

2023 NESCACMAN Week 5 Power Rankings

Week #5 leaves the top of the NESCAC a mess with three 4-1 teams...All are in the hunt for the 2023 NESCAC title thanks to Middlebury's upset of the Hartford State juggernaut...In other action, Tufts rolled over Wesleyan...Colby came from behind to beat the Lord Mammoths...The Ephs beat the Alexander Hamilton's...Bowdoin beat UBates...NESCACMAN goes 2-3 with our weekly picks...We are now 19-6 on the year and are looking to bounce back in Week #6.

Here are our NESCAC rankings for Week 5 based on our poll of league wide correspondents:

1). Middlebury Panthers (8 first place votes)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 4): After a less than impressive win in week #4 against the Ephs, MID won in impressive fashion over the previously unbeaten Roosters of Hartford State...Great game plan by HCOF Mandigo & Co...as we have consistently said on the Board, HS QB Fetter does not like pressure and MID did a great job of pressuring him all day; 2 sacks, 2 interceptions and numerous QB hurries did the trick...HS actually outgained the Pants 444 yards to 338 yards, dominated the time of possession, and had more first downs (23 to 19) but held HS to 5 field goals, no TDs and 5 of 16 on third down...MID still did not run the ball well: 53 yards on 30 carries and Kennon threw 2 more interceptions (he leads NESCAC signal callers by a long shot with 11 through 5 games) ...The MID "cardiac kids" scored with 2 minutes left to win...Big day by MID soph WR Mike Ahonen (9 catches for 175 yards and a TD) and DPOTY candidate DT Dave Filas (5 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass knocked down)...Middlebury hosts UBates this week.

2). Hartford State Roosters (1 first place vote)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 1): Surprising loss for the Roosters in the Coop where they rarely lose (last loss at home was 2019 vs. Wesleyan)...Ran 81 offensive plays for 444 yards and only came away with 15 points...Kicker Matthew Jumes was the star of the day for Hartford State booting 5 FGs including 2 over 40 yards...Roosters travel to Williamstown this week to face the Ephs.

3). Tufts Jumbo's (1 first place votes)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 2): Impressive and big win for the Jumbo's at home under the lights...Despite the win, moves down one spot in our poll as a result of MID's win over a team that Tufts previously lost to; however, they do garner one 1st place vote in our weekly poll...Big crowd and great atmosphere...Led 28-0 with 19 seconds gone in the 2nd quarter and 42-7 at the half...Held Wes to 86 yards rushing on 38 attempts and 253 yards of total offense...6 sacks and 8 tackles for a loss for the Jumbo's...Wes actually ran more plays (65 to 55) and had more time of possession due to the quick strike ability of the Jumbo's...Career day for LB Shane Reiner (9 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 sacks and 1 forced fumble)...Tufts held Wes to 4 of 14 on third down... Tufts did not allow a sack and have only allowed 1 sack in their first 5 games...WR Jaden Richardson had another big game going for 147 yards on 4 catches and 2 TDs...Tufts travels to Amherst to face the Lord Mammoths this week.

4). Colby Mules (3-2; Last Week Rank: 5): Mules win their third game in a row beating the Lord Mammoths on FG with 3 seconds left...Trailed this game all day...Held the LM's to 13 yards rushing (on 25 attempts) and 222 yards of total offense...Held the Lord Mammoths to only 1 of 3 in the red zone...Colby played without star all NESCAC LB Julian Young...Mules host the hapless Alexander Hamilton's this week in Waterville.

5). Wesleyan Cardinals (3-2; Last week Rank: 3): Another disappointing loss for Wesleyan...Wesleyan now focused on winning this week, winning the Little 3, and having another winning season...Bright spots for Wes included 2 rushing TDs and no interceptions...Wes hosts the Polar Bears at home where they are 2-0 this year and try to avenge last year's heartbreaking loss in Brunswick.

6). Bowdoin Polar Bears (3-2; Last Week Rank: 6): Bowdoin bounces back with a come from behind win at home against C-B-B rival UBates...Bowdoin's offense was better this week (19 first downs, 389 yards of total offense)...Polars run defense was the star of the day (-25 yards net rushing for UBates, 1 rushing first down, 12 tackles for loss, no rushing TDs, an held leading UBates runner to 5 yards)...QB Andrew Boel had 4 TD passes including 3 to Colton Fahey...LB Koy Price had a big day for the Polars with 8 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble...Polars travel to Middletown to face Wesleyan in a battle of winning teams.

7). Amwurst Lord Mammoths (2-3; Last Week Rank: 7):  Lord Mammoths lose the C-B-B title in last second loss to the Mules...Amwurst continues with Jack Cox at QB and he has another decent day (2 TDs for 209 yards and no INTs)...Rushing offense continues to struggle...DB Luke Harmon had another big game with 13 tackles, 4 TFL and 1 sack...Lord Mammoths have to do better than 1 of 3 in the red zone...Missed 24 yard FG in the second quarter ended up being the difference...This week they face the surging Jumbo's at home.

8). Williams Purple Cows (2-3; Last Week Rank: 8): Ephs back in the win column in a game that was basically a statistical tie...Pass offense was better this week with Owen McHugh leading the charge...McHugh was also the Ephs leading rusher with star RB Mario Fischetti on the shelf...Longest running play was only 9 yards for the Ephs...Ephs host the angry Roosters this week in Williamstown.

9). University of Bates Bobcats (Lewiston Campus)(0-5; Last Week Rank: 9): UBates loses to the Polars after holding an early 10-0 lead...Running offense needs to be better (-25 yards on 21 carries)...4 sacks against... Will try to upset Middlebury and get their first win of the year on the road in Vermont; not an easy task.

10). Hamilton Alexander Hamilton's (0-5; Last Week Rank: 10): HAM had a shot at first win against the Ephs but ultimately did not prevail...The Alexander Hamilton's future (QB Luke Kurzum and RB Nate Wildman) both played well ...only 211 yards of total offense on the day including 74 yards rushing....travel to Colby this week to face the Mules in what has to be the longest bus ride in the NESCAC (approx. 7 hours).

I'm sorry but Colby at 4 and Bowdoin dropping in the rankings??? I understand that Colby beat your precious Cardinals so ranking them higher in turn makes the loss look better for you, but still they only won because of a missed short field goal by Wes. Their other 2 wins were close games against the 0-5 Bates team and the Lord Jeffs who everyone on the boards has been calling extremely underwhelming this year. On the other hand Bowdoin dominates a rival, performing better on offense and defense against the Bobcats than Colby did along with having wider margins in wins and tighter margins in losses than Colby. I really don't see how the Mules can be ranked over the Polar Bears other than the fact they beat your Cardinals, who seem to be spiraling of late.

The beauty of the NESCAC 9-game schedule is that everyone plays everyone so we shall see...in fact, we'll find out about the Mules, the Polars and Wes starting this Saturday in Middletown...Care to put your money where your mouth is? It's a bit early for our weekly picks and spreads but we think we'll set Wes as a 3 point fave at home on the grass....are you up for that? Loser buys the winner a bottle of his/her choosing...and if you need to check whether or not we pay, just ask some of our fellow boardsters....  "Lanisters always pay their debts!"

I'm all for a friendly wager but I'm an adult and can buy my own booze. Let's make things a little more interesting. Loser can't post on the boards until after the season. Time to put up or shut up.

[Scoops]

If Tufts can absolutely demolish Wesleyan and FALL in NMs rankings, then Bowdoin certainly has no argument. The reality is that Bowdoin has wins against 0-5 Bates, 0-5 Hamilton, and a fairly hapless Williams team. Colby has A win against a "quality" opponent. (And I'm not using "quality" to insinuate Wesleyan isn't good, I'm using it to say that the term subjective. So lumber can't say I'm being too mean to Wesleyan  ). When Bowdoin beats someone with a winning record, then I think it will be more appropriate to complain about NMs rankings.

[Nescacman]

2023 NESCACMAN Week 5 Power Rankings

Week #5 leaves the top of the NESCAC a mess with three 4-1 teams...All are in the hunt for the 2023 NESCAC title thanks to Middlebury's upset of the Hartford State juggernaut...In other action, Tufts rolled over Wesleyan...Colby came from behind to beat the Lord Mammoths...The Ephs beat the Alexander Hamilton's...Bowdoin beat UBates...NESCACMAN goes 2-3 with our weekly picks...We are now 19-6 on the year and are looking to bounce back in Week #6.

Here are our NESCAC rankings for Week 5 based on our poll of league wide correspondents:

1). Middlebury Panthers (8 first place votes)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 4): After a less than impressive win in week #4 against the Ephs, MID won in impressive fashion over the previously unbeaten Roosters of Hartford State...Great game plan by HCOF Mandigo & Co...as we have consistently said on the Board, HS QB Fetter does not like pressure and MID did a great job of pressuring him all day; 2 sacks, 2 interceptions and numerous QB hurries did the trick...HS actually outgained the Pants 444 yards to 338 yards, dominated the time of possession, and had more first downs (23 to 19) but held HS to 5 field goals, no TDs and 5 of 16 on third down...MID still did not run the ball well: 53 yards on 30 carries and Kennon threw 2 more interceptions (he leads NESCAC signal callers by a long shot with 11 through 5 games) ...The MID "cardiac kids" scored with 2 minutes left to win...Big day by MID soph WR Mike Ahonen (9 catches for 175 yards and a TD) and DPOTY candidate DT Dave Filas (5 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass knocked down)...Middlebury hosts UBates this week.

2). Hartford State Roosters (1 first place vote)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 1): Surprising loss for the Roosters in the Coop where they rarely lose (last loss at home was 2019 vs. Wesleyan)...Ran 81 offensive plays for 444 yards and only came away with 15 points...Kicker Matthew Jumes was the star of the day for Hartford State booting 5 FGs including 2 over 40 yards...Roosters travel to Williamstown this week to face the Ephs.

3). Tufts Jumbo's (1 first place votes)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 2): Impressive and big win for the Jumbo's at home under the lights...Despite the win, moves down one spot in our poll as a result of MID's win over a team that Tufts previously lost to; however, they do garner one 1st place vote in our weekly poll...Big crowd and great atmosphere...Led 28-0 with 19 seconds gone in the 2nd quarter and 42-7 at the half...Held Wes to 86 yards rushing on 38 attempts and 253 yards of total offense...6 sacks and 8 tackles for a loss for the Jumbo's...Wes actually ran more plays (65 to 55) and had more time of possession due to the quick strike ability of the Jumbo's...Career day for LB Shane Reiner (9 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 sacks and 1 forced fumble)...Tufts held Wes to 4 of 14 on third down... Tufts did not allow a sack and have only allowed 1 sack in their first 5 games...WR Jaden Richardson had another big game going for 147 yards on 4 catches and 2 TDs...Tufts travels to Amherst to face the Lord Mammoths this week.

4). Colby Mules (3-2; Last Week Rank: 5): Mules win their third game in a row beating the Lord Mammoths on FG with 3 seconds left...Trailed this game all day...Held the LM's to 13 yards rushing (on 25 attempts) and 222 yards of total offense...Held the Lord Mammoths to only 1 of 3 in the red zone...Colby played without star all NESCAC LB Julian Young...Mules host the hapless Alexander Hamilton's this week in Waterville.

5). Wesleyan Cardinals (3-2; Last week Rank: 3): Another disappointing loss for Wesleyan...Wesleyan now focused on winning this week, winning the Little 3, and having another winning season...Bright spots for Wes included 2 rushing TDs and no interceptions...Wes hosts the Polar Bears at home where they are 2-0 this year and try to avenge last year's heartbreaking loss in Brunswick.

6). Bowdoin Polar Bears (3-2; Last Week Rank: 6): Bowdoin bounces back with a come from behind win at home against C-B-B rival UBates...Bowdoin's offense was better this week (19 first downs, 389 yards of total offense)...Polars run defense was the star of the day (-25 yards net rushing for UBates, 1 rushing first down, 12 tackles for loss, no rushing TDs, an held leading UBates runner to 5 yards)...QB Andrew Boel had 4 TD passes including 3 to Colton Fahey...LB Koy Price had a big day for the Polars with 8 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble...Polars travel to Middletown to face Wesleyan in a battle of winning teams.

7). Amwurst Lord Mammoths (2-3; Last Week Rank: 7):  Lord Mammoths lose the C-B-B title in last second loss to the Mules...Amwurst continues with Jack Cox at QB and he has another decent day (2 TDs for 209 yards and no INTs)...Rushing offense continues to struggle...DB Luke Harmon had another big game with 13 tackles, 4 TFL and 1 sack...Lord Mammoths have to do better than 1 of 3 in the red zone...Missed 24 yard FG in the second quarter ended up being the difference...This week they face the surging Jumbo's at home.

8). Williams Purple Cows (2-3; Last Week Rank: 8): Ephs back in the win column in a game that was basically a statistical tie...Pass offense was better this week with Owen McHugh leading the charge...McHugh was also the Ephs leading rusher with star RB Mario Fischetti on the shelf...Longest running play was only 9 yards for the Ephs...Ephs host the angry Roosters this week in Williamstown.

9). University of Bates Bobcats (Lewiston Campus)(0-5; Last Week Rank: 9): UBates loses to the Polars after holding an early 10-0 lead...Running offense needs to be better (-25 yards on 21 carries)...4 sacks against... Will try to upset Middlebury and get their first win of the year on the road in Vermont; not an easy task.

10). Hamilton Alexander Hamilton's (0-5; Last Week Rank: 10): HAM had a shot at first win against the Ephs but ultimately did not prevail...The Alexander Hamilton's future (QB Luke Kurzum and RB Nate Wildman) both played well ...only 211 yards of total offense on the day including 74 yards rushing....travel to Colby this week to face the Mules in what has to be the longest bus ride in the NESCAC (approx. 7 hours).

I'm sorry but Colby at 4 and Bowdoin dropping in the rankings??? I understand that Colby beat your precious Cardinals so ranking them higher in turn makes the loss look better for you, but still they only won because of a missed short field goal by Wes. Their other 2 wins were close games against the 0-5 Bates team and the Lord Jeffs who everyone on the boards has been calling extremely underwhelming this year. On the other hand Bowdoin dominates a rival, performing better on offense and defense against the Bobcats than Colby did along with having wider margins in wins and tighter margins in losses than Colby. I really don't see how the Mules can be ranked over the Polar Bears other than the fact they beat your Cardinals, who seem to be spiraling of late.

The beauty of the NESCAC 9-game schedule is that everyone plays everyone so we shall see...in fact, we'll find out about the Mules, the Polars and Wes starting this Saturday in Middletown...Care to put your money where your mouth is? It's a bit early for our weekly picks and spreads but we think we'll set Wes as a 3 point fave at home on the grass....are you up for that? Loser buys the winner a bottle of his/her choosing...and if you need to check whether or not we pay, just ask some of our fellow boardsters....  "Lanisters always pay their debts!"

I'm all for a friendly wager but I'm an adult and can buy my own booze. Let's make things a little more interesting. Loser can't post on the boards until after the season. Time to put up or shut up.

We would miss you and your long history posting on the Board too much for that bet so we'll have to come up with something else more creative...how about Wes loses and we wear a Polar Bear suit at next year's game in Brunswick, Polars lose and you wear a Cardinal suit to next year's game...

[lumbercat]

2023 NESCACMAN Week 5 Power Rankings

Week #5 leaves the top of the NESCAC a mess with three 4-1 teams...All are in the hunt for the 2023 NESCAC title thanks to Middlebury's upset of the Hartford State juggernaut...In other action, Tufts rolled over Wesleyan...Colby came from behind to beat the Lord Mammoths...The Ephs beat the Alexander Hamilton's...Bowdoin beat UBates...NESCACMAN goes 2-3 with our weekly picks...We are now 19-6 on the year and are looking to bounce back in Week #6.

Here are our NESCAC rankings for Week 5 based on our poll of league wide correspondents:

1). Middlebury Panthers (8 first place votes)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 4): After a less than impressive win in week #4 against the Ephs, MID won in impressive fashion over the previously unbeaten Roosters of Hartford State...Great game plan by HCOF Mandigo & Co...as we have consistently said on the Board, HS QB Fetter does not like pressure and MID did a great job of pressuring him all day; 2 sacks, 2 interceptions and numerous QB hurries did the trick...HS actually outgained the Pants 444 yards to 338 yards, dominated the time of possession, and had more first downs (23 to 19) but held HS to 5 field goals, no TDs and 5 of 16 on third down...MID still did not run the ball well: 53 yards on 30 carries and Kennon threw 2 more interceptions (he leads NESCAC signal callers by a long shot with 11 through 5 games) ...The MID "cardiac kids" scored with 2 minutes left to win...Big day by MID soph WR Mike Ahonen (9 catches for 175 yards and a TD) and DPOTY candidate DT Dave Filas (5 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass knocked down)...Middlebury hosts UBates this week.

2). Hartford State Roosters (1 first place vote)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 1): Surprising loss for the Roosters in the Coop where they rarely lose (last loss at home was 2019 vs. Wesleyan)...Ran 81 offensive plays for 444 yards and only came away with 15 points...Kicker Matthew Jumes was the star of the day for Hartford State booting 5 FGs including 2 over 40 yards...Roosters travel to Williamstown this week to face the Ephs.

3). Tufts Jumbo's (1 first place votes)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 2): Impressive and big win for the Jumbo's at home under the lights...Despite the win, moves down one spot in our poll as a result of MID's win over a team that Tufts previously lost to; however, they do garner one 1st place vote in our weekly poll...Big crowd and great atmosphere...Led 28-0 with 19 seconds gone in the 2nd quarter and 42-7 at the half...Held Wes to 86 yards rushing on 38 attempts and 253 yards of total offense...6 sacks and 8 tackles for a loss for the Jumbo's...Wes actually ran more plays (65 to 55) and had more time of possession due to the quick strike ability of the Jumbo's...Career day for LB Shane Reiner (9 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 sacks and 1 forced fumble)...Tufts held Wes to 4 of 14 on third down... Tufts did not allow a sack and have only allowed 1 sack in their first 5 games...WR Jaden Richardson had another big game going for 147 yards on 4 catches and 2 TDs...Tufts travels to Amherst to face the Lord Mammoths this week.

4). Colby Mules (3-2; Last Week Rank: 5): Mules win their third game in a row beating the Lord Mammoths on FG with 3 seconds left...Trailed this game all day...Held the LM's to 13 yards rushing (on 25 attempts) and 222 yards of total offense...Held the Lord Mammoths to only 1 of 3 in the red zone...Colby played without star all NESCAC LB Julian Young...Mules host the hapless Alexander Hamilton's this week in Waterville.

5). Wesleyan Cardinals (3-2; Last week Rank: 3): Another disappointing loss for Wesleyan...Wesleyan now focused on winning this week, winning the Little 3, and having another winning season...Bright spots for Wes included 2 rushing TDs and no interceptions...Wes hosts the Polar Bears at home where they are 2-0 this year and try to avenge last year's heartbreaking loss in Brunswick.

6). Bowdoin Polar Bears (3-2; Last Week Rank: 6): Bowdoin bounces back with a come from behind win at home against C-B-B rival UBates...Bowdoin's offense was better this week (19 first downs, 389 yards of total offense)...Polars run defense was the star of the day (-25 yards net rushing for UBates, 1 rushing first down, 12 tackles for loss, no rushing TDs, an held leading UBates runner to 5 yards)...QB Andrew Boel had 4 TD passes including 3 to Colton Fahey...LB Koy Price had a big day for the Polars with 8 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble...Polars travel to Middletown to face Wesleyan in a battle of winning teams.

7). Amwurst Lord Mammoths (2-3; Last Week Rank: 7):  Lord Mammoths lose the C-B-B title in last second loss to the Mules...Amwurst continues with Jack Cox at QB and he has another decent day (2 TDs for 209 yards and no INTs)...Rushing offense continues to struggle...DB Luke Harmon had another big game with 13 tackles, 4 TFL and 1 sack...Lord Mammoths have to do better than 1 of 3 in the red zone...Missed 24 yard FG in the second quarter ended up being the difference...This week they face the surging Jumbo's at home.

8). Williams Purple Cows (2-3; Last Week Rank: 8): Ephs back in the win column in a game that was basically a statistical tie...Pass offense was better this week with Owen McHugh leading the charge...McHugh was also the Ephs leading rusher with star RB Mario Fischetti on the shelf...Longest running play was only 9 yards for the Ephs...Ephs host the angry Roosters this week in Williamstown.

9). University of Bates Bobcats (Lewiston Campus)(0-5; Last Week Rank: 9): UBates loses to the Polars after holding an early 10-0 lead...Running offense needs to be better (-25 yards on 21 carries)...4 sacks against... Will try to upset Middlebury and get their first win of the year on the road in Vermont; not an easy task.

10). Hamilton Alexander Hamilton's (0-5; Last Week Rank: 10): HAM had a shot at first win against the Ephs but ultimately did not prevail...The Alexander Hamilton's future (QB Luke Kurzum and RB Nate Wildman) both played well ...only 211 yards of total offense on the day including 74 yards rushing....travel to Colby this week to face the Mules in what has to be the longest bus ride in the NESCAC (approx. 7 hours).

I'm sorry but Colby at 4 and Bowdoin dropping in the rankings??? I understand that Colby beat your precious Cardinals so ranking them higher in turn makes the loss look better for you, but still they only won because of a missed short field goal by Wes. Their other 2 wins were close games against the 0-5 Bates team and the Lord Jeffs who everyone on the boards has been calling extremely underwhelming this year. On the other hand Bowdoin dominates a rival, performing better on offense and defense against the Bobcats than Colby did along with having wider margins in wins and tighter margins in losses than Colby. I really don't see how the Mules can be ranked over the Polar Bears other than the fact they beat your Cardinals, who seem to be spiraling of late.

The beauty of the NESCAC 9-game schedule is that everyone plays everyone so we shall see...in fact, we'll find out about the Mules, the Polars and Wes starting this Saturday in Middletown...Care to put your money where your mouth is? It's a bit early for our weekly picks and spreads but we think we'll set Wes as a 3 point fave at home on the grass....are you up for that? Loser buys the winner a bottle of his/her choosing...and if you need to check whether or not we pay, just ask some of our fellow boardsters....  "Lanisters always pay their debts!"

I'm all for a friendly wager but I'm an adult and can buy my own booze. Let's make things a little more interesting. Loser can't post on the boards until after the season. Time to put up or shut up.

Thats a ridiculous proposition- a total unknown who never posts betting a gag order with a guy who does a great service to the board with all his work.
If you can't handle an opposing view I guess the impulse is to try to eradicate the source. Chicken s**t bet.
"Put up or shut up"--- laughable.

[Nescacman]

2023 NESCACMAN Week 5 Power Rankings

Week #5 leaves the top of the NESCAC a mess with three 4-1 teams...All are in the hunt for the 2023 NESCAC title thanks to Middlebury's upset of the Hartford State juggernaut...In other action, Tufts rolled over Wesleyan...Colby came from behind to beat the Lord Mammoths...The Ephs beat the Alexander Hamilton's...Bowdoin beat UBates...NESCACMAN goes 2-3 with our weekly picks...We are now 19-6 on the year and are looking to bounce back in Week #6.

Here are our NESCAC rankings for Week 5 based on our poll of league wide correspondents:

1). Middlebury Panthers (8 first place votes)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 4): After a less than impressive win in week #4 against the Ephs, MID won in impressive fashion over the previously unbeaten Roosters of Hartford State...Great game plan by HCOF Mandigo & Co...as we have consistently said on the Board, HS QB Fetter does not like pressure and MID did a great job of pressuring him all day; 2 sacks, 2 interceptions and numerous QB hurries did the trick...HS actually outgained the Pants 444 yards to 338 yards, dominated the time of possession, and had more first downs (23 to 19) but held HS to 5 field goals, no TDs and 5 of 16 on third down...MID still did not run the ball well: 53 yards on 30 carries and Kennon threw 2 more interceptions (he leads NESCAC signal callers by a long shot with 11 through 5 games) ...The MID "cardiac kids" scored with 2 minutes left to win...Big day by MID soph WR Mike Ahonen (9 catches for 175 yards and a TD) and DPOTY candidate DT Dave Filas (5 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass knocked down)...Middlebury hosts UBates this week.

2). Hartford State Roosters (1 first place vote)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 1): Surprising loss for the Roosters in the Coop where they rarely lose (last loss at home was 2019 vs. Wesleyan)...Ran 81 offensive plays for 444 yards and only came away with 15 points...Kicker Matthew Jumes was the star of the day for Hartford State booting 5 FGs including 2 over 40 yards...Roosters travel to Williamstown this week to face the Ephs.

3). Tufts Jumbo's (1 first place votes)(4-1; Last Week Rank: 2): Impressive and big win for the Jumbo's at home under the lights...Despite the win, moves down one spot in our poll as a result of MID's win over a team that Tufts previously lost to; however, they do garner one 1st place vote in our weekly poll...Big crowd and great atmosphere...Led 28-0 with 19 seconds gone in the 2nd quarter and 42-7 at the half...Held Wes to 86 yards rushing on 38 attempts and 253 yards of total offense...6 sacks and 8 tackles for a loss for the Jumbo's...Wes actually ran more plays (65 to 55) and had more time of possession due to the quick strike ability of the Jumbo's...Career day for LB Shane Reiner (9 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 sacks and 1 forced fumble)...Tufts held Wes to 4 of 14 on third down... Tufts did not allow a sack and have only allowed 1 sack in their first 5 games...WR Jaden Richardson had another big game going for 147 yards on 4 catches and 2 TDs...Tufts travels to Amherst to face the Lord Mammoths this week.

4). Colby Mules (3-2; Last Week Rank: 5): Mules win their third game in a row beating the Lord Mammoths on FG with 3 seconds left...Trailed this game all day...Held the LM's to 13 yards rushing (on 25 attempts) and 222 yards of total offense...Held the Lord Mammoths to only 1 of 3 in the red zone...Colby played without star all NESCAC LB Julian Young...Mules host the hapless Alexander Hamilton's this week in Waterville.

5). Wesleyan Cardinals (3-2; Last week Rank: 3): Another disappointing loss for Wesleyan...Wesleyan now focused on winning this week, winning the Little 3, and having another winning season...Bright spots for Wes included 2 rushing TDs and no interceptions...Wes hosts the Polar Bears at home where they are 2-0 this year and try to avenge last year's heartbreaking loss in Brunswick.

6). Bowdoin Polar Bears (3-2; Last Week Rank: 6): Bowdoin bounces back with a come from behind win at home against C-B-B rival UBates...Bowdoin's offense was better this week (19 first downs, 389 yards of total offense)...Polars run defense was the star of the day (-25 yards net rushing for UBates, 1 rushing first down, 12 tackles for loss, no rushing TDs, an held leading UBates runner to 5 yards)...QB Andrew Boel had 4 TD passes including 3 to Colton Fahey...LB Koy Price had a big day for the Polars with 8 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble...Polars travel to Middletown to face Wesleyan in a battle of winning teams.

7). Amwurst Lord Mammoths (2-3; Last Week Rank: 7):  Lord Mammoths lose the C-B-B title in last second loss to the Mules...Amwurst continues with Jack Cox at QB and he has another decent day (2 TDs for 209 yards and no INTs)...Rushing offense continues to struggle...DB Luke Harmon had another big game with 13 tackles, 4 TFL and 1 sack...Lord Mammoths have to do better than 1 of 3 in the red zone...Missed 24 yard FG in the second quarter ended up being the difference...This week they face the surging Jumbo's at home.

8). Williams Purple Cows (2-3; Last Week Rank: 8): Ephs back in the win column in a game that was basically a statistical tie...Pass offense was better this week with Owen McHugh leading the charge...McHugh was also the Ephs leading rusher with star RB Mario Fischetti on the shelf...Longest running play was only 9 yards for the Ephs...Ephs host the angry Roosters this week in Williamstown.

9). University of Bates Bobcats (Lewiston Campus)(0-5; Last Week Rank: 9): UBates loses to the Polars after holding an early 10-0 lead...Running offense needs to be better (-25 yards on 21 carries)...4 sacks against... Will try to upset Middlebury and get their first win of the year on the road in Vermont; not an easy task.

10). Hamilton Alexander Hamilton's (0-5; Last Week Rank: 10): HAM had a shot at first win against the Ephs but ultimately did not prevail...The Alexander Hamilton's future (QB Luke Kurzum and RB Nate Wildman) both played well ...only 211 yards of total offense on the day including 74 yards rushing....travel to Colby this week to face the Mules in what has to be the longest bus ride in the NESCAC (approx. 7 hours).

I'm sorry but Colby at 4 and Bowdoin dropping in the rankings??? I understand that Colby beat your precious Cardinals so ranking them higher in turn makes the loss look better for you, but still they only won because of a missed short field goal by Wes. Their other 2 wins were close games against the 0-5 Bates team and the Lord Jeffs who everyone on the boards has been calling extremely underwhelming this year. On the other hand Bowdoin dominates a rival, performing better on offense and defense against the Bobcats than Colby did along with having wider margins in wins and tighter margins in losses than Colby. I really don't see how the Mules can be ranked over the Polar Bears other than the fact they beat your Cardinals, who seem to be spiraling of late.

The beauty of the NESCAC 9-game schedule is that everyone plays everyone so we shall see...in fact, we'll find out about the Mules, the Polars and Wes starting this Saturday in Middletown...Care to put your money where your mouth is? It's a bit early for our weekly picks and spreads but we think we'll set Wes as a 3 point fave at home on the grass....are you up for that? Loser buys the winner a bottle of his/her choosing...and if you need to check whether or not we pay, just ask some of our fellow boardsters....  "Lanisters always pay their debts!"

I'm all for a friendly wager but I'm an adult and can buy my own booze. Let's make things a little more interesting. Loser can't post on the boards until after the season. Time to put up or shut up.

Thats a ridiculous proposition- a total unknown who never posts betting a gag order with a guy who does a great service to the board with all his work.
If you can't handle an opposing view I guess the impulse is to try to eradicate the source. Chicken s**t bet.
"Put up or shut up"--- laughable.

Thanks Lumber...it's a labor of love, as you know. People may not always agree with our thoughts, but we try to tell it like it is and have some fun too, albeit with a slightly "red" slant at times. For those that want to hear more of us us live, we may be coming to a webcast of a NESCAC game near you very soon....

[SpringSt7]

Personally I find nescacman's Wesleyan bias a stark and quite frankly, disgusting, contrast to the rest of the unbiased and truly neutral posters on this board.

[GroundandPound]

I do not believe anyone who posts on this board is neutral or unbiased.  NESCACMAN is candid and forthright about the team he supports.  Regardless, he does an outstanding job evaluating each game and team.  This is a great service to all NESCAC fans and players and he brings outstanding insight and analysis to everyone who wants to follow NESCAC football. I am a tad shocked at how one would get so disgruntled that their team is not ranked higher in a weekly poll or list.  Most know that what matters is how the team plays on Saturday and what their final record is at the end of the year.  Instead of attacking NESCACMAN, maybe you should thank him for giving the Polar Bear coaches some extra fodder for pre-game and half-time speeches.  Personally, I was planning on cheering for the Polar Bears to beat Wesleyan because of the program's history and I like to see programs turned around.  Now, I am not so sure if I want a Polar Bear victory.

[AmherstStudent05]

Personally I find nescacman's Wesleyan bias a stark and quite frankly, disgusting, contrast to the rest of the unbiased and truly neutral posters on this board.

I assume this is sarcasm?? I'm not sure why a true "neutral" would ever bother posting on a NESCAC football board.  As has been mentioned before, at the beginning of his posting career, Nescacman tried to mask his Wesleyan bias behind a supposed "consortium" of partisans from all (or was it nearly all?) the NESCAC. But in recent years he has been open about his rooting interests. While some of the snark might sometimes cross the line in my eyes, has anyone contributed more to this board in recent years?  The man knows NESCAC football (but less about how pass interference is enforced). To boot, like nescac1, Vandy, myself and presumably many many others, he is a diehard NY Giants fan!

[JumboJerry]

Go Jumbos!

[jumbolina]

Go Jumbos!

Don't Say Nothing Bad!

[Gray Fox]

Go Jumbos!

Don't Say Nothing Bad!

You are off to a bad start on a board where proper English is a plus.

[jumbolina]

Go Jumbos!

Don't Say Nothing Bad!

You are off to a bad start on a board where proper English is a plus.

If you know, you know Mr. Fox...hop off my bantam (Had to repost since everything is censored on here )