Saturday, November 14 · 12:00 PM · Farley-Lamb Field · Homecoming · The 140th Biggest Little Game in America.
Amherst arrives at 7-1. Its only loss came last Saturday, 16-13 at home to unbeaten Trinity, after a fourth-quarter rally came up just short. Close games have defined the Mammoths’ season: they won five of their eight by a single score, several of them with late comebacks. A lot rides on Saturday for them. If Amherst wins and Wesleyan upsets Trinity, the three teams would share the NESCAC title, and a draw would decide the league’s automatic NCAA bid.
Williams is 5-3 after a 20-7 loss at Wesleyan. The defense was dominant there: it held the Cardinals to 12 rushing yards and had six sacks. But four interceptions and a 1-for-4 day in the red zone sank the Ephs. Williams can’t win the title, but it can end Amherst’s title hopes and leave the Little Three in a three-way tie.
Key Mammoths. Amherst wins by throwing.
- QB Marek Hill (#12, Jr.) ranks 3rd in the league in passing at about 250 yards a game. He just threw for a career-high 350 against Trinity.
- His four receivers all produce: Max Alexander (#11, So.), Jadon Davis (#1, So.), Christian Moore (#81, Sr.) and Cam Fowler (#86, Fr.). Alexander and Davis both rank in the league’s top six.
- The running game is modest, at about 3 yards a carry.
- On defense, DL Jackson Duncan (#98, Sr.) leads in tackles for loss and sacks. LBs Noah Onkst (#49, Jr.) and Carson Skotak (#4, Sr.) lead in tackles.
Common opponents. The two teams played the same eight teams. Williams was more convincing against the league’s middle and lower teams. Amherst beat Wesleyan and Tufts, both of whom beat Williams, and lost to Trinity by 3 where Williams lost by 45.
By the numbers.
- Amherst ranks in the top four in scoring offense and defense, total defense, passing offense and run defense.
- Williams leads the league in rushing behind Jack Fabiano (#33, Fr.), the NESCAC’s top rusher. It is tied for 1st in sacks, and Will Baker (#32, Sr.) and Luke Mangini (#44, Jr.) have both been disruptive all season. Williams also has the league’s best punter in Leonardo Maiuolo (#34, Sr.).
- Williams’ weak spots are passing (9th) and pass defense (8th).
- Amherst’s weak spots are a -5 turnover margin and poor red-zone results.
INSIGHTS
- Hill vs. the Williams secondary. This is the main matchup. Williams stops the run, so Amherst will throw often. Holden Gering (#5, Sr.), Brady Carroll (#29, Sr.) and the rest of the secondary have to keep the play in front of them.
- The pass rush. Pressure from Baker, Mangini, Ben Yedid (#93, Jr.) and Will Gale (#69, Jr.) is Williams’ best way to slow Hill.
- Ball security and finishing drives. Both teams struggled with these last week, and in this series one or two plays usually decide the game.
- Field position. It favors Williams through Maiuolo and a strong punt-return unit.
- Amherst’s late comebacks. The Mammoths have come back late all year, so no lead is safe until the end.
The series. Williams leads the all-time series 76-58-5, including 45-23-1 in Williamstown. The last ten meetings are split 5-5. The most recent was last November 8 at Amherst, a 14-13 Mammoths win, the year after Williams’ 21-0 shutout at Farley-Lamb. This time Williams can spoil Amherst’s championship hopes on its home field.