MEDFORD, MA (October 25, 2025) -- Sophomore quarterback
Hudson Weidman threw for a career-high 335 yards on 17-of-23 passing, while the defensive unit stifled visiting Williams College in the second half to pick up a big 41-20 home win in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) action from Ellis Oval Saturday.
The win was the second straight for the Jumbos, who improved to 4-3 on the season, while Williams dropped to 5-2. The win was also significant for Tufts head coach
Jay Civetti, who moved into a tie as the all-time winningest coach at Tufts with his 60th career victory. He now is deadlocked atop the wins column with Lewis Manley, who coached at Tufts from 1930 to 1945.
It was a quick start for the Jumbos for the third straight week offensively, as for the third consecutive week sophomore receiver
Keller Rogers hauled in a big touchdown pass on the opening drive for the Jumbos to put them ahead. This week, it was a 72-yard reception from Weidman to Rogers on the second play from scrimmage to put the Jumbos ahead.
The Jumbos defense forced another punt on the next possession for Williams, and Tufts marched 80 yards over eight plays and 4:12 before Weidman scampered in from eight yards out for his first rushing touchdown of his career to make it 14-0 for Tufts. The Ephs wouldn't go away though, scoring touchdowns on their next two possessions to make it 14-13 after the first extra point was missed by Williams.
A key drive for the Jumbos came on their last possession before halftime, as they drove 69 yards on 10 plays before Weidman connected with junior
Christian Shapiro for a 10-yard touchdown reception to make it 20-13 at the half.
After the intermission, Tufts regained a two-score lead as Shapiro hit paydirt for the second time Saturday with a seven-yard touchdown run to finish off a seven-play, 80-yard drive to make it 27-13. It was Shapiro's seventh rushing touchdown of the season, which tied for second in the NESCAC. Williams would punch right back on its next possession, as Owen Johansen turned a broken play into a 21-yard touchdown score to make it 27-20.
Tufts answered the score with another one of its own, as senior
Chartellis Reece was the workhorse on a seven-play, 84-yard drive as he rushed five times on the drive before punching in from a yard out for his second touchdown of the season. The big play of the drive though was the lone completion, as sophomore
Granville Anderson II took a pass over the middle and rumbled 65 yards to the Williams 9 to set up the score.
In the fourth quarter, Williams looked to be driving to get back into the game but senior
Steven Rauso picked off Johansen in the end zone to stop the Ephs at the Jumbos 6-yard line. Tufts would punt on its possession, but the next drive for Williams was once again halted on a pick, as sophomore
Amari Watson chalked up his first career interception with 7:57 to play.
It would take the Jumbos just three plays to push its lead out to three scores, as Weidman hit
Jack Elliott for a 22-yard score with 6:21 remaining. The Tufts defense would stop Williams on fourth down with 4:27 to go to seal the win for Tufts.
Weidman tossed his second straight 300-yard game for the Jumbos, as he posted three touchdown passes while also rushing for one more and 46 yards. It marked the first time since 2022 that a Jumbo signal caller has thrown for 300 or more yards in back-to-back games, when
Michael Berluti accomplished the feat three straight contests.
Henry Fleckner was the go-to receiver for Weidman, as he pulled in seven balls for a career-high 124 yards. Anderson also had a career-high 101 yards on three catches, as Fleckner and Anderson were the first pair of Tufts receivers to have a 100-yard contests together since Jaden Richardson and
Cade Moore against Trinity College in 2023.
Shapiro finished with 82 yards on 12 carries, while Reece added 18 yards rushing on seven totes. Senior
Vaughn Seelicke was also 5-for-5 on extra points, and is now three points shy of the all-time points lead at Tufts among all players in program history.
Johnny Ferrelli had a team-high eight tackles for Tufts, adding a pass break-up, while
Ryan Horigan also had six stops in the win. Senior
Ryan Saccu had a strong game for Tufts wiuth four stops including one for loss along with two passes defended. Watson added four tackles in addition to his interception.
Johansen was 18-for-28 for 256 yards, tossing one touchdown and two interceptions, adding a rushing score for the Ephs. Zach Falls also posted eight catches for 143 yards for one touchdown receiving, and Zakkai Moore had 10 tackles to pace Williams.
Tufts will look to keep the momentum going next Saturday for Senior Day at 1 p.m. at Ellis Oval, welcoming Colby College to town for more NESCAC play.
--JUMBOS--
