Venue & Logistics
Location: Vendetti Field, Dudley, Massachusetts (home of Nichols College Bison)
Kickoff Time: 1:00 PM ET (10:00 AM PT)
Conference Context:
New England College (NEC) – Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) affiliate, in its early years of varsity football.
Nichols College – Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) member, established DIII program.
Context: This is a first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Weather Forecast (Dudley, MA)
Temperature: ~68°F (20°C) at kickoff
Conditions: Partly sunny with scattered clouds
Winds: 5–9 mph from the northwest
Precipitation: ~10% chance of light showers
Impact: Mild fall conditions, no major disruptions expected
Injury Report (as of latest updates)
New England College Pilgrims: No major reported injuries; QB rotation continues after early-season struggles.
Nichols Bison: No confirmed long-term absences; defensive backfield depth remains a watchpoint after conceding big plays in September.
(Note: DIII programs often release limited injury details, so official confirmations may be sparse.)
Key Player Matchups
Quarterback Play:
NEC: QB struggled in a 55–0 loss to MIT (Sept 13, 2025), but showed flashes in a 21–49 loss to Plymouth State (Sept 6, 2025).
Nichols: QB has been inconsistent, with turnovers in losses to Western New England (56–28) and Endicott (50–10).
Running Game:
NEC: RB corps has been limited, averaging under 100 yards per game.
Nichols: Ground game has been more effective, producing multiple TDs in a 47–41 shootout loss to Curry.
Defensive Edge:
NEC: Defense has struggled, conceding 49 and 55 points in its first two games.
Nichols: Defense has been porous as well, giving up 40+ in three straight contests.
Recent Team Form
New England College Pilgrims (0–2 in 2025)
L 21–49 vs. Plymouth State (Sept 6)
L 0–55 vs. MIT (Sept 13)
Struggles: Winless, offense averaging just 10.5 points per game
Nichols Bison (0–4 in 2025)
L 13–46 vs. MIT
L 28–56 vs. Western New England
L 41–47 vs. Curry
L 10–50 vs. Endicott
Struggles: Winless, defense conceding 50+ in three of four games
Series History
All-time head-to-head: First-ever meeting
Trend: Both teams are winless in 2025, making this a chance for one program to break through.
Betting Trends
New England College is 0–2 ATS (against the spread) in 2025
Nichols is 0–4 ATS this season
The Over has hit in 3 of Nichols’ 4 games
NEC has failed to cover in all games since program launch
Nichols has failed to cover in 6 straight CCC games
Historical Betting Results
2024 (NEC): Lost 63–12 to Nichols’ CCC rival Maine Maritime (ATS loss, Over hit)
2024 (Nichols): Lost 92–60 to Coast Guard (ATS loss, Over hit)
Totals: Both teams trend toward Overs due to defensive struggles
Game Odds
New England College Pilgrims 53
Nichols Bison – 7
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 26, 2025
