Skip To Main Content
Hamilton College, page loading
Jack Hoag breaks a Middlebury tackle and runs upfield with the ball in November 2025
Photo: Josh McKee (https://www.mckeephotoarts.com/)
Jack Hoag '27 runs with the ball after catching a pass against Middlebury on Saturday, Nov. 1.
24
Winner Middlebury MIDDLEBU 4-4 , 4
21
Hamilton HAMILTON 1-7 , 1
Winner
Middlebury MIDDLEBU
4-4 , 4
24
Final
21
Hamilton HAMILTON
1-7 , 1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
MIDDLEBU Middlebury 0 14 0 10 24
HAMILTON Hamilton 7 7 7 0 21

Game Recap: Football | | Jim Taylor

Football edged by Middlebury in The Old Rocking Chair Classic, 24-21

Hoag '27 caught nine passes for a career-best 119 yards and a touchdown for the Continentals

CLINTON, N.Y. – Middlebury College's Connor McClellan ran for 216 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 6:30 left in the fourth quarter, and the Panthers rallied for a 24-21 win against the Hamilton College Continentals in the 45th playing of The Old Rocking Chair Classic at Hamilton's Steuben Field on a blustery Saturday afternoon, Nov. 1.
 

Season Update

  • The Continentals (1-7 NESCAC) dropped their fifth straight game.
  • Middlebury (4-4) won for the second consecutive week after losing three in a row.
 

How It Happened

  • The Panthers took their first lead two plays after a Hamilton punt traveled just 18 yards into a stiff breeze to the Middlebury 35. After an eight-yard pass from Brian Moran to Luis Kuehberger, McClellan rumbled 57 yards for the touchdown and a 23-21 advantage. Tony Wang added the extra point for the final margin.
  • Hamilton drove to the 50-yard line on the ensuing drive but on third-and-long, Charlie Ozolin intercepted a pass at his own 26.
  • The Continentals forced a three-and-out and were going to get the ball back with a little more than two minutes remaining, but they were flagged for roughing the punter and handed the Panthers an automatic first down. McClellan ran five yards for a first down on third-and-three, and Middlebury ran out the clock from there.
  • Hamilton scored on its first drive, which covered 82 yards and nearly five minutes. Nate Wildman '27 punched it in around left end from one yard out and put the Continentals up 6-0 with 5:31 to go in the first quarter. A nine-yard run by quarterback Luke Kurzum '27 on fourth-and-five kept the drive alive. Carmelo Velardo '27 nailed the PAT for the 7-0 lead.
  • McClellan put the Panthers on the scoreboard with a 19-yard touchdown run 4:02 into the second quarter. A defensive pass interference penalty on third down at the Hamilton 28 kept the drive alive. Wang tied the score with his extra point.
  • The Continentals responded on their next possession. Kurzum faked a handoff to Wildman and found Mitchell Ivatts '29 cutting to the middle of the end zone for a 12-yard scoring toss with 8:32 left in the second. A 25-yard completion to Wildman on third-and-18 and a roughing the passer flag on Middlebury immediately preceded Ivatts' touchdown. Velardo's PAT made it 14-7.
  • The Panthers tied the score again with 58.2 seconds remaining in the first half. On second-and-six at the Hamilton seven, Moran was lined up in the shotgun and dropped the snap from center. He picked the ball up around the 10 and ran into the end zone.
  • Middlebury missed a 38-yard field goal attempt on its first possession of the second half and the Continentals came right back and went in front for the third time. The 79-yard, six-plus-minute drive was capped by a 23-yard touchdown pass to Jack Hoag '27. Kurzum rolled out to his right and lofted a perfect ball to Hoag, who had a step on his defender and caught the ball as he crossed the goal line with 1:49 to go in the third quarter.
  • Wang pulled the Panthers within four points at 21-17 on a 44-yard field goal with 11:59 left in the fourth quarter. Wang, who had the wind at his back, bounced the kick off the inside of the left upright and over the crossbar.
 

Notes

  • Kurzum was 22-of-35 for 221 yards passing. He's third in the NESCAC with 13 touchdown passes, second with 1,947 yards and second with 175 completions. Kurzum also ran for 54 yards.
  • Wildman scored his first touchdown since the 2023 season.
  • Hoag led all players with nine receptions for a career-high 119 yards. The touchdown catch was his third this fall. He has 21 receptions for 234 yards in the last two weeks.
  • Ivatts picked up his second touchdown reception in the last three games.
  • Mat Bucher '27 made a career-high 13 tackles, including his first sack, and added a quarterback hurry. Bucher is tied for sixth in the NESCAC with 60 tackles.
  • John Young '26 chipped in 10 stops and a QB hurry and is 10th in the conference with 54 tackles.
  • Jake Iacobaccio '29 intercepted his first pass at Hamilton.
  • McClellan leads the NESCAC in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Moran was 16-of-24 for 130 yards passing. Four of Wang's five kickoffs went for touchbacks. Owen Halter had a sack for a 13-yard loss, and Charlie Grant led the Middlebury defense with six tackles.
  • The Panthers finished with 391 yards of offense while the Continentals had 301. Both teams averaged 5.2 yards per play.
  • Middlebury ended up with one penalty for 11 yards and Hamilton had five flags for 48 yards in penalties.
  • The Continentals honored 14 seniors during a pre-game ceremony.
 

Next Game

Hamilton wraps up the 2025 season at Bates College (2-6) on Saturday, Nov. 8 at noon.
 
Print Friendly Version

Sponsors Rotator