Monmouth athletics file photo

Gallaudet and Northwestern (Minn.) clinched automatic bids, Monmouth forced a three-way tie at the top of the Midwest Conference and Springfield and Catholic set up an unbeaten showdown next week for the NEWMAC crown. 

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Gallaudet clinched a return trip to the NCAA playoffs as the Bison won at Alfred State 36-22. Gallaudet is in the clubhouse at 7-2 overall, 5-1 in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference. Gallaudet last won the conference and advanced to the playoffs in 2013.

"I am so proud of this team for what they have been able to accomplish this season. It feels great to bring the ECFC championship back to Gallaudet University," said Gallaudet coach Chuck Goldstein. "Thank you to our administration, department and fans for supporting us throughout the season. We are excited to be back in the NCAA tournament and look forward to what's ahead."

Sophomore slot/quarterback Brandon Washington ran for a career-high 228 yards on 28 carries and scored three of GU's five touchdowns on a warm and windy day in Western New York. Washington is now 50 yards shy of 1,000 for the season and leads the Bison with eight rushing touchdowns. Gallaudet won on National Bison Day, which is recognized annually on the first Saturday in November.

Monmouth handed Ripon its first loss of the season and left the Redhawks likely on the outside looking in in terms of Midwest Conference championship hopes, as the Scots win 39-31. Monmouth, Ripon and Lake Forest are all tied atop the conference standings with one loss. Monmouth finishes up at archrival Knox, which hasn't beaten Monmouth since 1998. Ripon hosts winless Lawrence, while Lake Forest goes to the University of Chicago (7-2, 6-2). If the three teams remain tied, then the first tiebreaker is quarters led, as in quarters the team finished with the lead in conference play. Right now, Ripon has just 24 and Monmouth and Lake Forest have 28 apiece. Ripon wins the tiebreaker only if they win next week and Monmouth loses to Knox.

Northwestern (Minn.) clinched its first trip to the NCAA playoffs since 2016 under Kirk Talley as the Eagles flew past Crown 39-14. Northwestern is 5-4 overall, but 5-0 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference entering next week's regular season finale against Martin Luther. Sivert Klefsaas ran for two touchdowns in the win.

While the UMAC will have a champion clock in at near the .500 mark, the SCIAC avoided that possible fate on Saturday when Claremont-Mudd-Scripps rolled over the Bulldogs 42-0. CMS had edged Redlands in a non-conference meeting back in September, but Justin Edwards ran for 141 yards on 22 carries and scored two touchdowns in the shutout win. The Stags (7-1, 5-0 SCIAC) held Redlands to just 96 total yards in the win, and in fact, Tyler Tremain threw for just 49 yards, while Jacob Yep picked off one of his second quarter passes and returned it 70 yards for a score. Assuming Pomona-Pitzer gets past Whittier (21 consecutive losses) in tonight's late game, the two teams which share a campus and five institutions will meet next Saturday for the SCIAC title and automatic bid.

Springfield held on for a 16-14 victory over MIT in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference on Stagg Field. Playing at home for the seventh and final time this regular season, the Pride improved to 7-2, 5-0 in conference play, and will meet Catholic (6-3, 5-0) on the road next weekend in a head-to-head battle for the NEWMAC title and automatic bid. Catholic defeated Norwich 31-14. The Pride held the ball for 37:47 against MIT as it rushed for 323 yards and ran 76 offensive plays. Dante Vasquez led the Pride with 106 rushing yards and scored the hosts lone touchdown of the game, while Christian Hutra delivered three field goals, including what would prove to be the game-winner on a 46-yard boot in the fourth quarter.

Alma improved to 9-0 for the first time in the 128-year history of the Scots program as Alma defeated Adrian 30-10. Up next, a showdown with 20th-ranked and fellow unbeaten Albion next Saturday for the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association title and automatic bid. Carter St. John completed 14 of 24 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns for the Scots in the victory.

King's kept its slim hopes for an at-large bid to the NCAA playoffs alive with a 14-0 victory over Misericordia. The Monarchs put the game away on Tyler Moore's 29-yard touchdown pass to Joe Herman with 11:38 to play. King's held Misericordia to 1-for-12 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth.

Hampden-Sydney was unable to make next week's rivalry game with Randolph-Macon one for all the ODAC marbles, as the Tigers fell 23-7 at Shenandoah. Steven Hugney passed for 150 yards (15-for-24) and one touchdown with no interceptions for the Hornets (7-2, 4-2 ODAC), adding 63 yards rushing on 10 attempts and one touchdown. Randolph-Macon clinched the ODAC automatic bid with a win against Ferrum.

Down 14-3 at halftime and by 20-9 in the fourth quarter, Keystone rallied for a 21-20 victory on Senior Day, capturing the program's first-ever home win in Saturday's ECFC contest against visiting SUNY-Maritime. Keystone went 56 yards on four plays as Mujaheed Muhammad enjoyed a 15-yard score to get the Giants within six, 20-15, after a failed two-point conversion. The Giants then forced Maritime into a fourth-and-short situation with 6:37 left, getting the ball back on the turnover on downs. Muhammad capped off a 10-play 89-yard drive on the next possession with a 5-yard TD run, giving Keystone a slim 21-20 edge with just 58 seconds remaining. On third-and-7, Sean Pettway intercepted a tipped pass down the middle to seal the win.

A blocked field goal from Matt Guarneri and a 1-yard touchdown run from Hunter Carey in the second overtime period sealed a wild win for WPI as the Engineers topped NEWMAC rival Coast Guard on the road 30-24 in WPI's season finale. Coast Guard plays Merchant Marine next weekend in the Secretary's Cup. The evenly matched contest was knotted at 17-17 after regulation and both teams scored touchdowns in the first overtime session. In the second overtime, Coast Guard went just 9 yards before setting up for a 33-yard field goal, but Guarneri got a hand on it to thwart the scoring attempt.