DUDLEY, Mass. (10/3/2026) - The Nichols College football team used a balanced offensive attack and a strong start to defeat Maine Maritime Academy, 38-20, Saturday afternoon at Michael J. Vendetti Field.
The Bison now have wins in back-to-back weeks, and improve to 2-3 (2-0 CNE) overall. The Mariners, with the loss, drop to 0-4 (0-2 CNE) on the season.
The Bison (3-3, 3-0 CNE) scored on their first two possessions and never trailed, building a 24-6 halftime advantage before adding a pair of touchdowns in the second half. Nichols finished the afternoon with 452 yards of total offense, including 270 through the air and 182 on the ground. Nichols opened the scoring with 9:43 remaining in the first quarter when quarterback
Will Migliaccio connected with
Brett Lato for a 24-yard touchdown. After
Ethan Prum intercepted Maine Maritime quarterback Harris Stone on the Mariners' ensuing possession, the Bison quickly capitalized, as
Kahlil Talley hauled in a 40-yard touchdown pass from Migliaccio to make it 14-0.
Maine Maritime answered with a touchdown early in the second quarter, but Nichols responded with a 69-yard scoring drive that ended with a 14-yard field goal from
Jace McCarron. The Bison then closed the half with another extended drive, marching 87 yards on 12 plays before Migliaccio found Lato for a 17-yard touchdown with 34 seconds remaining, giving Nichols a 24-6 advantage at the break.
The Bison continued to control the game in the second half, putting together a 12-play, 64-yard drive in the third quarter. Nichols converted a fourth down during the possession before Migliaccio capped the drive with a three-yard rushing touchdown to extend the lead to 31-6.
Maine Maritime cut into the deficit with a 43-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, but Nichols answered with another long scoring drive. The Bison went 51 yards on 11 plays and converted a fourth down at the Mariners' two-yard line before
Teyshon McGee scored on a two-yard touchdown run with 3:04 remaining to make it 38-14.
The Mariners added a late touchdown to make it 38-20, but Nichols' defense sealed the victory when
Mike Orvil intercepted Stone with 17 seconds remaining.
Migliaccio completed 21-of-23 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns while adding 35 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. McGee led the Bison rushing attack with 80 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Through the air,
Ethan LaGuardia led Nichols with four receptions for 80 yards, followed by Lato's four catches (59 yards) and two touchdowns, and
Kahlil Talley's three receptions (55 yards) and a touchdown. Defensively, Orvil recorded six tackles and an interception,
JT Bresnahan posted four tackles with a sack and two tackles for loss, and
Charles DeMartino added three tackles, including a sack.
Jace McCarron connected on his lone field-goal attempt and made all five of his PATs.
As a team, the Bison controlled the clock for 33:56 and converted all four of their fourth-down opportunities.
The Bison enter their bye week before returning to action on Saturday, October 17th for a CNE matinee against Curry College (3-2, 2-0 CNE) at Michael J. Vendetti Field.
