MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – For the second straight year, it all came down to Wesleyan vs. Trinity for the NESCAC Championship and for the second year running, the Cardinals came out on top. On a picturesque fall afternoon in front of 5,000+ at Corwin Stadium on Andrus Field, the Wesleyan football produced a pair of big play touchdowns, dominated the line of scrimmage, and made timely plays on defense to take down the Bantams by a score of 31-28.
 
A year following the Cardinals' first-ever outright NESCAC title, Wesleyan defeats Trinity in Middletown for just the second time since 2001 and the first since 2014 to secure a share of the NESCAC Championship. With the Cardinals and Bantams both finishing the 2025 season with identical 7-2 records, the two sides are named Co-Champions. This marks the third NESCAC Championship in team history for Wesleyan (2013, 2024, 2025) and the team's first-ever back-to-back title winning run.
 
Setting the tone right from the opening whistle, the Cardinals controlled the pace of play throughout, holding the ball for more than 13 minutes of the first quarter.  A key component was the ground game, specifically RB Angelo LaRose '27 who took on the role of lead back for the first time in his career and the junior did not disappoint. Coming in with 290 career rushing yards, LaRose rushed 26 times for 218 yards against the Bantams. That rushing total is the most by a Cardinal since Kyle Gibson rushed for 244 yards against Hamilton back on September 29, 2012.
 
After holding the ball for nearly six minutes on their opening drive, then forcing Trinity into a three-and-out on offense, the Cardinals marched 73 yards down the field on 15 plays in a drive that drained more than eight minutes off the clock. Gage Hammond '27 knocked in a 22-yard field goal for the first score of the game to finish the drive.
 
Another Trinity three-and-out forced a punt back to the Wesleyan offense who hit the Bantams with the first of two 70+ yard touchdowns on the day. On a 2^nd-and-17 play deep on the Cardinals' defensive end of the field, QB Matt Fitzsimons '27 was flushed outside the pocket, rolling to his right where he hit WR Justin Meyreles '27 with room to run. As he crossed midfield, Meyreles juked to his right, leaving four Trinity defenders in the dust for a 74-yard score. That TD is the first of Meyreles' career.
 
The Bantams finally found some success on offense late in the second quarter, making the most of great field position as their drive started at the Wesleyan 45-yard line. Four plays in, Jaxon Carroll lofted a ball towards the back left corner where Darison Hooper hauled in the touchdown to make it 10-7.
 
On the very next play from scrimmage, LaRose took a carry off the right tackle, bursting through the line and then he outran three Bantam defenders to cross the goal line for a 78-yard score, restoring a 10-point Cardinal lead.
 
Forcing another Trinity three-and-out, Wesleyan had a chance to add to their lead with a drive starting at their 38-yard line with 1:39 left in the first half. Fitzsimons connected with WR Donte Kelly '29 for a 40-yard completion deep down the field on the first play of the drive and then one play later, Kelly caught a ball and was headed inside the Trinity 10-yard line but was stripped by Ethan Krauss and the loose ball was recovered by Charlie Cooper.
 
That momentum-shifting play right before halftime carried over into the second half where the Bantams caught the Cardinal defense out, with Carroll finding Jamieson Hodlin wide open over the middle for a 59-yard touchdown to make it 17-14 Wesleyan.
 
The big plays kept coming as LaRose rushed up the middle for a 65-yard gain on the first play of the ensuing Wesleyan drive. Just one play later, Fitzsimons faked a handoff to LaRose and hit WR Sam Wien '28 on a slant route for another touchdown as the Cardinals led 24-14 with 10:14 left in the third quarter.
 
A third straight TD drive followed as Trinity needed eight plays to go 69 yards down the field for a score that saw Carroll complete a 13-yard pass to Michael Miller for the score.
 
The Cardinal offense went back to work with a 6+ minute drive, entering the red zone as the clock expired on the third quarter. With a 4^th-and-2 from the Trinity 13-yard line, the Cardinals decided to keep the offense on the field and were met with a LaRose rush for a loss of one yard as Lincoln Moore crashed through the line to make the stop.
 
Trinity's offense, however, couldn't take advantage as their drive stalled out after one first down, punting the ball back to the Cardinals who started their next drive at their own 43-yard line. LaRose picked up 11 yards on a 2^nd-and-10 carry to kickstart the drive and then Fitzsimons found WR Sean Cannon '27 for 13 yards along the sideline on a 3^rd-and-12 play. Later on 4^th-and-1 from the Trinity 3-yard line, Fitzsimons kept the snap on a QB sneak and nearly crossed the goal line, being stopped just short at the half yard line. One play later, Fitzsimons went right up the middle on a sneak and scored to make it 31-21 Cardinals with 6:23 left.
 
The Bantams were pressured heavily on their next drive, with DT Dean Sokaris '26 breaking through the line for his second sack of the day, forcing the Bantams into a punt. The Cardinals punted back to the Bantams who made it a game late, going 64 yards down the field on 10 plays in a drive that lasted just two minutes of game clock. Carroll threw his fourth TD pass of the day, this time to Hooper, setting up an onside kick attempt with 1:48 left.
 
Trinity kicker Jack Sokol hit a squibbler right down the middle and with two Bantams crashing in for the ball, it was Dylan Connors '26 who secured the loose ball. Three plays later, Fitzsimons hit a pooch punt just across the goal line, and the Bantams had 10 seconds with the ball at their own 20-yard line.
 
Carroll connected with Hooper for a 21-yard pickup, getting out of bounds to set up the hail mary pass attempt as the clock hit 0:00. Carroll's moon shot intended for Nolan O'Brien was intercepted at the goal line by DB Mike Solimando '26, securing the win for the Cardinals in front of a ravenous home crowd as the Wesleyan team was swarmed at midfield soon after the final play.
 
Wesleyan outgained Trinity 493-292 in the contest, holding the ball for 36:55 minutes compared to 23:05 for the Bantams. Wesleyan rushed for a season-high 215 yards as a team, gaining 5.2 yards per carry, while throwing for 278.
 
Fitzsimons finished 15-for-26 for 278 yards and 2 TD with 0 INT. Kelly totaled six catches for 78 yards while WR Blake Newcomb '27 had three catches for 78 yards.
 
This win is the 27^th in the careers of the 19-member senior class for Wesleyan, representing the winningest four-year senior class in the program's 142-year history.