CLINTON, NY (October 28, 2023) -- The Tufts University football team led 17-0 at the halftime intermission, but Hamilton College battled back and eventually earned a 36-34 victory in five overtimes in conference action from Steuben Field.
Hamilton tied the game at 17 with two seconds to go on a Ben Waterman 29-yard field goal, sending the contest to overtime. Hamilton scored on three plays with their first attempt on offense, but the Jumbos (5-2, 5-2 New England Small College Athletic Conference) answered right back with a one-yard scoring rush by junior quarterback
Michael Berluti.
The offense stayed on the field, and converted again as
Jaden Richardson scored from six yards out to make 32-24 after the Tufts got the two-point conversion. The touchdown catch was Richardson's second of the day and 20th of his career, breaking the previous school mark of 19. Hamilton answered with a touchdown and two-point conversion to make it 32-32, forcing two-point tries from the three.
After the two teams went through overtime periods three and four deadlocked, Hamilton scored on their two-point try in the fifth overtime and the Jumbos attempt was unsuccessful as Berluti and
Cade Moore couldn't hook up.
The Jumbos dominated the opening half of action, as
Chartellis Reece finished off a 13-play, 75-yard drive on the opening possession of the game for the Jumbos with a one-yard touchdown rush. The Jumbo lead increased to 10-0 in the second quarter as
Vaughn Seelicke nailed a 35-yard field goal with 6:23 to go in the first half. On the next possession,
Louis Timmins picked off a pass for Tufts and Richardson caught a 63-yard bomb from Berluti to make it 17-0.
The Continentals (2-5, 2-5 NESCAC) started their comeback with a 13-play drive to open the second half, as Luke Kurzam hit Ezra Lombardi for an eight-yard touchdown. Tufts continued to lead 17-7 until the fourth quarter, when Michael Lau blocked a Tufts punt and Chester Boynton recovered the ball in the end zone for a Continentals touchdown.
Down the stretch, Tufts had the ball with a little over two minutes to go but was forced to punt. Hamilton would go 65 yards over 2:01 to set up the game-tying field goal.
Tufts posted a 441-336 edge in total offense on Saturday, while posting a strong 9-for-18 clip on third downs. Defensively,
Javier Rios posted seven stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks on the day including a forced fumble.
Jameer Alves added six stops, a tackle for loss and pass breakup, and Timmins and
Henry Ferrelli each had interceptions.
On the offensive side of the ball, Berluti was 19-of-36 for 203 yards and three touchdowns (1 rushing), as he added 55 yards on the ground. Reece had another big game, averaging 6.2 yards per carry en route to 168 yards and a touchdown. It was Reece's third 100-yard game of the season, while his score was his seventh of 2023.
Richardson pulled down five grabs for 87 yards, including his two touchdowns. With his 20 touchdown catches, he passes David Halas (2005-08) and his 19 scoring receptions. Moore finished with five catches for 38 yards, and
CJ Burton pulled in three catches for 16 yards.
Kurzum was 17-of-29 for 177 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, while Matt Banbury gained 87 yards on the ground in the win for Hamilton.
Tufts will be back at Ellis Oval Saturday, November 4 at 1 p.m. for Senior Day.
--JUMBOS--
