It's a rivalry renewed on Saturday when the Wesleyan football team heads to Medford for a 6:30 PM kick off between two sides that have played some epic duals in recent seasons. Wesleyan owns a slight 26-24-2 advantage in the all-time series against the Jumbos and have won the last three meetings.
 
The Wesleyan-Tufts rivalry has provided all sorts of sparks in recent memory as the final score has been decided by one score or less in each of the past six meetings. Last season saw the Cardinals hang on in the closing seconds for a 26-22 win as consecutive sacks from the Wesleyan defense put the game away. The last meeting in Medford saw the Cardinals hang on for a 36-35 win wherein Wesleyan marched 93 yards down the field in 13 plays to score the go-ahead TD with just under five minutes remaining.
 
Dating back to the 2019 season, Wesleyan drive down the field late in the fourth with the game tied at 13 apiece, before Ashton Scott '22 found Matt Simco '22 for a 29-yard touchdown with just six seconds left that won it for the Cardinals, 20-13. And in 2017, with Wesleyan trailing 17-3 with 13:26 left in the fourth, the Cardinals scored a pair of touchdowns including one with six seconds left to tie the score and send it into overtime. In the OT, Wesleyan cashed in with a TD two plays into their possession while an interception on the Tufts possession sent the home faithful home in hysterics.
 
If history is any indication, the 2023 version shapes up to be yet another thriller as both teams enter with 3-1 records. Tufts has won three straight after a season-opening road loss to undefeated Trinity. The Jumbos have rebounded in a big way, landing home wins over Bates and Williams while taking down Bowdoin last week on the road. Tufts has scored at least 24 points in all three wins, including a 44-16 explosion in Week 2 over Bates.
 
In terms of points and yards, the Tufts offense ranks behind only Trinity as the Jumbos average 28.8 points and 408.5 yards per game. Tufts has a very effective ground game, averaging 178.3 rushing yards per game which is second-best to only Williams thus far in the season. The passing attack is certainly dangerous, averaging 230.3 yards per game with a 9:2 TD to INT ratio this season. Tufts' offensive line has allowed just one sack all season.
 
After allowing 44 points in the season-opening loss to the Bantams, the Jumbo defense has rounded into forms, allowing just 36 points in the three games combined since the Trinity loss. Tufts is allowing just 289.5 yards per game and sport the best passing defense in the NESCAC at just 169.5 yards allowed per game through the air. The pass defense is worth noting as Wesleyan leans heavily on the passing game, averaging 274 yards through the air this season which ranks third in the NESCAC.
 
Wesleyan is coming off a disappointing 20-13 overtime loss at Colby in a rain-soaked Week 4 road game where not much went right for the Cardinals. After putting up 300+ yards through the air twice, the Cardinals could only muster 158 passing yards against the Mules and only 237 yards of total offense, a new season-low by a considerable margin as Wesleyan put up 400+ yards of offense in their three wins.
 
Through four games, QB Niko Candido '25 is establishing himself as one of the best in the NESCAC, as he has thrown for 1093 yards with a NESCAC-leading 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions with a 55.8 completion percentage. WR Chase Wilson '25 has been a scoring machine with 6 TD over the last two games combined as he has seven on the season. WR Thomas Elkhoury '24 meanwhile is second in the NESCAC in receptions with 27 for 357 yards and 2 TD.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, the Cardinals are coming off a game wherein the team set a new season-high with six sacks including the first career multi-sack game for DL Declan Welch '26. LB Jake Edwards '24 leads the team in tackles with 32 to go along with four tackles for loss while LB Ben Carbeau '25 has 31 tackles as both sit Top 10 in the NESCAC. The Cardinals pose a formidable duo at CB with Wesley Abraham '25 leading the NESCAC with three interceptions and eight pass breakups while Sean Walker '25 has five pass breakups in four games.
 
The winner of this contest catapults right back into the mix for the NESCAC title hunt as the two sides are chasing the Bantams who stand as the lone remaining undefeated team in the league.