WATERVILLE, ME (November 2, 2024) -- Tufts University picked up its fourth straight victory on Saturday afternoon, finishing its 2024 road schedule with a 28-21 win over Colby College in action from Harold Alfond Stadium in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play.
The Jumbos (6-2, 6-2 NESCAC) got the game going like they have much of the season, scoring on their first drive of the contest as sophomore
Christian Shapiro pushed in from six yards out to finish a 6-play, 75-yard drive to make it 7-0. The opening drive score was the seventh in eight games this season for Tufts.
On the first play from scrimmage of the game for Colby, senior cornerback
Louis Timmins picked off Miles Drake to set up the Jumbos at their own 48-yard line. The Jumbos doubled their lead to 14-0 on a 10-play, 52-yard drive, as senior quarterback
Michael Berluti scored on 4th and Goal from the Colby 1-yard line. It was Berluti's fifth rushing touchdown of the season.
The Mules (3-5, 3-5 NESCAC) scored on their next two drives to even the score at 14-14, benefiting from a lost fumble from the Jumbos midway through the second quarter. Tufts regained its lead at 21-14 at 1:08 of the second quarter, as Shapiro took it in from seven yards out for his eighth touchdown of the season and second of the game.
Colby nearly tied the score before halftime but
Henry Ferrelli intercepted Drake in the end zone with six seconds left in the half to send the game to intermission with Tufts up 21-14.
In the third quarter, Berluti hit
Cade Moore for an 8-yard touchdown reception with 50 seconds left in the third to push Tufts lead back up to 14 at 28-14. The Jumbos had a chance to make it a two-score game early in the fourth quarter but a 43-yard field goal was just short. On the next possession by the Mules, sophomore
Riley Yaker forced a fumble and recovered it himself to give the ball back to Tufts.
After another missed field goal by Tufts, Colby brought the game to within one score at 28-21 as Drake carried in from five-yards out with 2:57 to play in regulation.
That's as close as the Mules would get though, as Tufts ran out the remainder of the clock with two first downs to secure the win.
Berluti was 20-for-28 for 268 yards passing with one touchdown, adding 16 yards and a score on the ground. With his 284 yards of total offense, he went over 10,000 yards for his career at Tufts, the first-ever Jumbo to accomplish the feat.
Shapiro had his third 100-yard game in the last four outings, as the sophomore rushed for 109 yards and two scores while adding three catches and 35 yards through the air. Moore finished with eight receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown, and
Jack Elliott also pulled in three grabs for 76 yards in the win.
Ferrelli finished as the leading tackler with Tufts, posting seven stops and the one interception, while Yaker had six tackles and a tackle for loss.
Nate Sousa and
Dom DeCrescenzo each had five tackles as well for Tufts.
Tufts posted a 415-353 edge in total yards on Saturday, and held a 32:47 edge in possession time. Tufts did not punt on Saturday at Colby as well, marking the first game since September 23, 2023 against Bates College they have not needed to punt.
Drake was 18-of-31 for 215 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, and Keon Smart gained 87 yards on 20 carries. Jack Nye also pulled in 82 yards receiving in the loss for Colby.
Tufts will host Senior Day next Saturday, November 9 at 12:30 p.m. against Middlebury College in the season finale. Tufts can still finish as the NESCAC runner-up with a victory against the Panthers.
--JUMBOS--
