Sep 13, 2025
HENNIKER, N.H. -- First year Jimmy Conners rushed for 100 yards and three scores and senior quarterback Chase Harmon threw for 175 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the MIT football team earned a lopsided 55-0 victory over New England College on Saturday afternoon at Laurie Stadium.
MIT improved to 2-0 on the 2025 season with the victory, defeating New England College (NEC) with a persistent running attack that gained 295 yards and a stingy defensive effort that intercepted a pair of passes and limited the host Pilgrims to just 81 yards of total offense.
THE BASICS:
- Score: MIT 55, New England College 0
- Records: MIT 2-0 Overall, New England College 0-2 Overall
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- After connecting for a pair of touchdowns in MIT's season-opening victory over Nichols, Harmon and wide out Colin Vollmer linked up again on MIT's second drive of the game, giving the Engineers a 7-0 lead when Harmon found Vollmer just short of the goal line for a 14-yard touchdown pass at 6:13 of the first.
- MIT carried the 7-0 lead into the second quarter before the offense found another gear and helped MIT take a commanding 28-0 lead at halftime. First, Harmon found Michael Dennison for a score at 11:36 of the second quarter, capping a six-play drive with a 23-yard touchdown pass to the junior tight end. MIT then forced a three-and-out on the next NEC possession before sophomore Andrew Kulhan blocked the ensuing NEC punt and the ball was recovered by Eric Anderson at the NEC 23-yard line. Conners took the next play 19 yards down the left side of the field before punching it in from the two-yard line for his first score of the game. Luke Pelletier added the extra point to put MIT up 21-0 at 10:14 of the second.
- NEC picked up a first down on its next drive, but MIT stalled the Pilgrims at their own 45-yard line, and the hosts were forced to punt. NEC got the ball back on the second MIT play, as Harmon was intercepted by Ethan Cenesca. However, the Engineers defense was quick to pick-up the MIT quarterback, as Andrew Pignataro got pressure on NEC quarterback Lukas Köttstorfer on the third down, forcing an errant pass that was intercepted by Thomas Shoales and returned to the NEC 40-yard line.
- MIT couldn't capitalize on its next drive, but the Engineers did take advantage of the team's final possession before the half, executing its two-minute offense to move 53 yards on seven plays as Conners put six more points on the board with a three-yard rushing touchdown.
- MIT scored on its first two possessions of the third quarter. The Engineers moved ahead 35-0 following a nine-play, 50-yard drive that took 4:35 before Andrew Erwin scored on a second and goal rush from the two.
- Chase Fishman made life difficult for Köttstorfer on the next NEC drive, hurrying the Pilgrims' play caller on first down before effectively ending NEC's drive with a sack on third down. That gave the ball back to MIT and saw the Engineers move ahead 42-0 on the strength of runs of four, 12, 13 and a four yards from Conners, the last resulting in the third touchdown of the day for the rookie.
- Leading 42-0 at the end of three quarters, MIT added two more scores in the fourth quarter to earn the 55-0 win. Andrew Kulhan scored for the second time in as many games, rushing six consecutive times as MIT's final drive of the third stretched into the fourth quarter before he registered six points.
- The final MIT score came at 7:04 of the fourth quarter after Gyeongwu Kim intercepted Köttstorfer at the NEC 48-yard line. Hilal Hussain and Peyton Worthington split carries throughout the ensuing MIT possession, with Hussain completing the drive with a 17-yard score.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- The Engineers finished one point shy of the program record for points in a game (56) since 1988.
- MIT's defense was one-yard shy of matching the program record for yards against, 80 yards at Siena on 10/21/89.
- MIT matched the program record for touchdowns in a game with eight.
- The 55-0 win was the largest shutout victory for the program since 1988.
- The game featured the largest margin of victory for MIT since the Engineers defeated Maine Maritime 51-6 during the 2017 campaign.
- Through two games, Fishman is the NEWMAC leader in sacks with three.
- Vollmer is tied for the NEWMAC lead with three receiving touchdowns. He had four total entering the season.
- Conners has rushed for 100 yards in each of his first two games.
- After totaling 487 yards in the season opener, the Engineers offense racked up 470 yards on Saturday.
- MIT is now 2-0 to start the season for the second straight year.
UP NEXT:
- MIT is off next Saturday before returning home to open the NEWMAC season against No. 25/RV Springfield College on September 27.