Husson clinched the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference title with last week’s win over Norwich. That doesn’t mean the Eagles will coast through Saturday’s regular season finale at Mt. Ida.

“We’re going to play it just like it’s another regular season game,” Husson coach Gabby Price said. “We certainly don’t want to limp into the NCAAs. We’ll celebrate like hell after the game about winning the conference, but we’ll certainly play hard until then.”

Husson (8-1, 6-0 ECFC) will learn Sunday night who its first-round opponent in the NCAA Division III playoffs will be. Price said the school put in a bid to host, as it did two years ago, when the Eagles hosted MIT in a first-round game. Price said he expects just the three conference winners from New England — Husson, Bridgewater State (Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference), and Western New England (New England Football Conference) — will represent the region in the NCAA tournament.

“It would shock me if there’s any at-large bids from New England,” Price said.

The Eagles have won eight games in a row since opening the season with a 35-28 loss to Alfred, which is currently ranked 14th in the nation by d3football.com. Husson’s success this season has been built on a balanced offense, and a defense that leads the nation in yards allowed, just 160.3 per game.

“We’re not as big as some teams, but we’re quick and we get off blocks,” Price said.

Linebacker Ellis Throckmorton leads the Eagles with 61 tackles, while Oak Hill grad Luke Washburn has 47 tackles and 10 sacks. Cony grad Rick Orio had 36 tackles, and Gardiner’s Alonzo Connor has 31 stops.

Offensively, tailback John Smith is among the top rushers in the nation. In eight games, Smith has 1,345 yards, sixth-most in all Division III. Smith’s 168.1 yards per game is second in the country.

This will be the third consecutive season Husson plays in the postseason. The Eagles went to the NCAA tournament in 2014, and played in an ECAC Bowl last year. Price said the team will gather in the Hall of Fame room on Sunday night to watch the Division III playoff selection show.

“Everybody is extremely excited,” Price said. “First, Mt. Ida is a great opponent. We’ve had some great battles with them. We want our guys to play hard, then focus on the playoffs.”

• • •

There will be no Colby-Bates-Bowdoin trophy at stake when Colby and Bowdoin play for the 128th time Saturday, Bates made sure of that when it beat Bowdoin last week to clinch its fifth straight CBB title. Still, when your rivalry goes back more than a century, you don’t really need a trophy for motivation.

“This game is just as important for them, for their alumni and their program, as it is for our school. We know we’re going to get their very best and more,” Colby coach Jonathan Michaeles said.

Michaeles said he saw his team’s focus in the aftermath of last week’s 44-12 loss at Tufts, a game in which the Mules (2-5) were within four points of the lead midway through the third quarter, before the Jumbos pulled away.

“These guys have become a very close and passionate team. We’ve had a couple tough losses,” Michaeles said. “These guys came in on Sunday and it was, ‘All right, let’s watch the film.’ In a game like that, sometimes it’s like, should we show the film? These guys wanted to see the film. ‘Let’s watch this, let’s make these corrections,’ and we are fired up for this Bowdoin game. They’ve been flying two feet off the ground ever since.”

Michaeles said he likes the play of some younger members of the offensive line, including left tackle Shane Normandeau, as well as seniors Mike Roberts and Anthony Cappelino.

“We’ll have the same starting lineup (on the line) for the third straight week now, that’s good for us,” Michaeles said.

• • •

Colby will celebrate Military Appreciation Day at Saturday’s Bowdoin game. Kickoff is at 12:30 p.m. at Seaverns Field at Harold Alfond Stadium.

Military families are invited to attend the game, with free admission, and attend a tailgate party after the game.

Over the past three years, the Colby football program has raised nearly $20,000 for the Military Family Assistance Center’s “Christmas Across Maine” program, which supports Maine military families with presents for their children, food baskets, gift certificates, and help with utility bills during the holiday season.

Donations for “Christmas Across Maine” can be made at the game.

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM

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