AMHERST, Mass. – The Amherst College football team won its fifth NESCAC Championship Saturday after finishing the season with a perfect 8-0 record. The Jeffs defeated Williams, 17-9, in the 129th edition of "The Biggest Little Game in America." Saturday's game was the first in the historic rivalry to be played under the lights, and also the first on the recently renovated Pratt Field.

The Jeffs finish with a perfect 8-0 record for the third time in the past six years, and fifth time ever. In the 135 year history of Amherst football, the Jeffs have finished the season without a loss 10 times including the inaugural season of 1877, as well as 1879, in which they went 1-0 on the year. Head coach E.J. Mills' impressive 18-year tenure continues as he improves to 109-35 since 1997.

Amherst has won at least a share of the NESCAC title in four of the last six years as they handed the Ephs (2-6) their sixth loss of the 2014 campaign for the second consecutive season. Senior quarterback Max Lippe threw two touchdown passes, one on the Jeffs' final drive of the first half and again on the opening drive of the second, to help lead Amherst to victory. The Purple & White have won four straight gainst their archrival and five of the last six meetings, but Williams holds a 71-53-5 advantage in the all-time series.

Lippe finished the game 13-of-22 for 170 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He completed three passes each to Gene Garay '15, Jackson McGonagle '16 and Nick Kelly '17. Garay led all receivers with 66 yards and a touchdown, while McGonagle and Kelly added 34 and 22, respectively. McGonagle caught Lippe's first TD of the game, in the closing seconds of the first half. In the running game, Raheem Jackson '17 led the way with 49 yards on 11 carries (4.5 ypc), while Kelly added 45 on 14 rushes. As a unit, the Jeffs totaled 267 yards of offense (170 passing, 97 rushing).

Despite the loss, Williams narrowly outgained the Jeffs in yards (290-267) as Austin Lommen threw for 197, going 24-for-39. However, he did not throw a touchdown and threw two interceptions. Amherst's stingy defense held the Ephs rushing attack to 72 yards as Mark Pomella and Jean Luc Etienne gained 28 and 27, respectively. Adam Regensburg pulled in 61 yards on five catches to leave the receiving corps.

Defensively, strong safety Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn '16 led Amherst with a game-high 13 tackles (10 solo) and inside linebacker Ned Deane '15 added 11 (5 solo). Outside linebacker Chris Tamasi '15 recorded eight (4 solo) including 1.5 for loss, 0.5 sacks, and also blocked an extra-point attempt by the Ephs late in the fourth quarter. Williams was led by Tom Cabarle with nine tackles, all solo, and also forced a fumble and pulled in an interception. Andre LaFontant had the Ephs only sack, while recording four tackles (2 solo).

Neither team could get much offense going in the first half. Williams gained possession first and drove down the field 51 yards on 11 plays, but Lommen was picked off by Jaymie Spears '16 at the Amherst-29. However, the Jeffs fumbled just three plays later as the visitors took over at the home 33-yardline. After a Eph penalty set them back to a 2nd-and-23 from the 46, Lommen completed four straight passes to put Williams in field goal position. Joseph Mallock then connected on a 30-yarder to put the Ephs ahead, 3-0.

Amherst went three-and-out on their ensuing drive and punted to give Williams the ball back. The Ephs had a commanding 12:25-to-2:35 lead in time of possession in the first quarter, but only came away with three points.

There were a total of five three-and-outs in the second quarter, until Amherst took over at their own-47. A 15-yard defensive pass interference call on the first play of the drive gave the Jeffs good field position. After calling a timeout with :46 remaining in the half, Amherst drew up a great play that concluded with a Lippe-to-McGonagle 16-yard touchdown in the corner of the endzone as the Jeffs took a 7-3 lead at the break.

The Jeffs received the ball to start the second half and finished where they left off. Lippe completed passes of 13 and 36 yards to McGonagle and Garay, respectively, before the senior quarterback concluded the drive with a 14-yard toss to his classmate, Garay. The opening drive of the third quarter went 75 yards on just six plays in a total of 2:11.

Amherst forced Williams to punt on the ensuing possession and took over at their own-12. The Jeffs put together another great drive, including an 18-yard rush by Jackson, to set up a 24-yard field goal for Phillip Nwosu '15. The drive went 81 yards on 15 plays and ate up 6:49 on the clock as they took a 17-3 lead with 1:56 left in the third.

With 11:21 left in regulation, Lippe threw a pick on the first play of the drive. Three plays later, Ryan Duzyk '15 intercepted Lommen and returned it 26 yards. However, the Ephs forced another interception just 55 seconds later but were unable to capitalize on the Purple & White's miscues.

After consecutive punts, Williams started at their own-31 with 5:44 remaining. Lommen completed four straight passes and six on the drive to eventually put the Ephs at the home 1-yardline. Alex Scyocurka punched it in two plays later. Spears blocked the extra-point attempt but Amherst was caught offsides. On the following attempt, Tamasi broke through and blocked the try as the Jeffs held a 17-9 lead. The Ephs attempted an onside kick but Spears picked it up as Amherst would run out the clock en route to the win.

The 2014 season was a special one for the Class of 2015, as they conclude their senior careers as one of the all-time winningest classes in Amherst program history. After finishing 8-0 during the 2011 season, they go out on top with another perfect campaign. In four years, the Class of 2015 posted an overall record of 29-3, including three NESCAC Championships.