Well, NESCAC fans, it’s been a fun season with a surprising amount of upsets, full of talented new faces and the continued dominance of veterans. We have one last ride together this season, and this preview should help cap it off. We still have some championship implications alive here as Trinity needs to beat Wesleyan on the road to secure their third straight NESCAC championship, and I’m sure that Mark Piccirillo won’t want to head off into the sunset of his football career on a low note. Expect some fireworks there. If Trinity loses and Amherst wins, then the Mammoths will retake the NESCAC crown, although they have no cake walk either with a game against a volatile Williams squad. I’m excited thinking about it and you should be too. Cold weather football is the best and it’s finally here.
Hamilton @ Bates 12:00
I can’t really imagine how deflating that loss to Bowdoin must’ve felt for Bates last week, but I would imagine it hurt. Bates officially lost its chances to retain part of the CBB for the first time in 5 years and were on the receiving end of Bowdoin’s first win in 24 tries. All they have left now is playing to avoid a winless season, but it doesn’t look like they have a quarterback to do it, losing their first two stringers and leaving WR/DB Kevin Claflin ‘19 to take snaps under center. Plus, it feels like the type of day where the good Kenny Gray ‘20 shows up for Hamilton. Look for the Continentals to end the season on a high, and the Bobcats on the lowest of lows.
Final Score: Hamilton 34, Bates 6Trinity @ Wesleyan 12:00
The Bantams take their shot at a three-peat in Middletown on Saturday while the Cardinals look to play spoiler and pull off what feels like an improbable 6-3 season, coming off their big win over Williams. The Cardinals defense can play with anyone, but they’re going to get their money’s worth against this Trinity offense. The other problem too is that Wesleyan simply can’t hang in a shootout with Trin. QB Mark Piccirillo ‘19 was 9-17 for 151 yds and 1 TD against Williams and 75 of those yards came on one pass. Those numbers don’t equate to much success against this Trinity D. A dynasty will he cemented on Saturday.
Final Score: Trinity 38, Wesleyan 14
Williams @ Amherst
On paper this game seems like a forgone conclusion with Williams QB Bobby Maimaron ‘21 missing the Biggest Little Game in America with a knee injury. They haven’t had the offensive success they thought they’d have this year with Maimaron under center so why would QB Jackson Bischoping ‘22 have any luck against this fearsome Amherst defense? Well Bischoping in his brief time as Eph understudy has shown an uncanny ability to find WR Frank Stola ‘21, and this Williams defense is humming along lately as well as they have since they were fully healthy. Upset on the cards? Not quite, this Amherst team will just be better on Saturday, but this game has always been close lately and this one will be no different.
Final Score Amherst 24 Williams 20
Tufts @ Middlebury 12:30
Two teams without much to play for except bragging rights and being able to go out with a W. At this point we have no idea what Middlebury team is going to show up, and this Tufts team has done nothing but come to play every weekend, only dropping two respectable contests to the two best teams in the league, Amherst and Trinity (both away). QB Ryan McDonald ‘19 has been spectacular all year (as some of us said he would be) and still has an outside shot at winning Player of the Year, especially if they finish 7-2. Middlebury’s offense has never been able to replicate the rhythm they found in Williamstown, and Will Jernigan ‘21 has been the most inconsistent quarterback in the league not named Kenny Gray. Theoretically this could be a great game but in actuality Tufts has been better on both sides of the ball all season and it isn’t going to change Saturday.
Final Score Tufts 27, Middlebury 10