Tailback Mack is driven

Jeff Mack painfully remembers the one-win season his freshman year at Plymouth State College.

That seems like a lifetime ago for the 5-foot-11-inch, 215-pound tailback who has put the Panther offense on his broad shoulders and carried Plymouth State to a 6-1 mark. Today, the Panthers have a New England Football Conference Boyd Division showdown against visiting Curry (7-0), the No. 1-ranked Division 3 program in New England that is riding a 37-game winning streak in conference play. Both are 4-0 in Boyd competition.

"It's just short of a miracle," said Mack, a fifth-year senior who missed his sophomore season with a shoulder injury. "We just continue to get better and better."

There is no secret formula: The Panthers run the ball, and run it very well.

With vision and toughness, and offering full credit to his blockers, Mack is averaging 168.3 yards per game and has scored 14 touchdowns. He has topped 200 yards three times.

"He's unbelievable," said Curry coach Skip Bandini. "He's probably the best back in the league. It's not about style, it's about results each week. He's impressive."

Curry is pretty impressive as well. Two weeks ago, quarterback Ryan Van De Giesen and the Colonels lit up MIT, 59-27. Last week, Curry crushed Endicott, 46-27.

"They have so many weapons and it all goes through the quarterback," said Plymouth State coach Paul Castonia.

Curry (39.6 points per game) has the NEFC's most prolific offense. Plymouth (16.0) has the best defense.

"We've been in a lot of big games in the last six years," said Bandini. "We arrive ready to play. Every week, everyone brings their 'A' game against us. I'd like to be a fan for this one."

Ranked second in New England behind Curry, unbeaten Trinity (5-0) hosts defending NESCAC champion Middlebury (3-2), a matchup headlined by a pair of outstanding quarterbacks, Bantams senior Eric McGrath and Panthers sophomore Donald McKillop.

"McKillop is a tough kid, and he has talented receivers," said Trinity coach Jeff Devanney. With McKillop (a conference-leading 323 passing yards per game) at the trigger, Middlebury is averaging a NESCAC-best 35 points per game.

Devanney calls McGrath (11 TD passes) "a winner that loves to compete, with a tremendous amount of poise." The Lynn Classical product has been a magician in pulling out wins against Williams, Hamilton, and Tufts, salvaging plays "when it seemed like all was lost," according to Devanney.

Harvard (4-1, 1-1 Ivy) has won 10 of its last 12 meetings against Princeton, but Crimson coach Tim Murphy said the Tigers (2-3, 1-1) are "dangerous" and expects a challenge on the road. Junior wideout Matt Luft (Ivy-leading 114.2 receiving yards per game) continues to be a big target for senior QB Chris Pizzotti, who is completing 61.7 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns.

Holy Cross (3-3, 1-0 Patriot) shoots for its third straight win, hosting Lehigh (2-4, 1-0) at Fitton Field. Senior back Mike Kielt broke out last week with an 18-carry, 120-yard, 3-touchdown game in a 44-26 win at Dartmouth, adding five catches for 75 yards, including a touchdown.

Tenth-ranked New Hampshire (5-1-1, 2-1 Colonial) can record the program's 500th victory when Towson (3-4, 1-2) visits Durham.

In the Northeast-10, 19th-ranked and unbeaten American International (7-0) travels to Assumption (1-6).

Craig Larson can be reached at clarson@globe.com