ALMA, Mich. – The Calvin University football team was in no sharing mood on Saturday, defeating Alma 51-16 at Bahlke Field in its MIAA and regular season finale.
Ranked 14
th in the AFCA D3 Top 25 poll and 15
th in the D3football.com Top 25 poll, Calvin closed out MIAA play with a 7-0 conference record, winning the outright MIAA title, one game ahead of rival Hope while improving to 10-0 overall.
The Knights have clinched an NCAA III Playoff bid and are in a likely position to host a playoff game. The NCAA III playoff bracket will be announced Sunday at 5 p.m. with a live announcement show on NCAA.com.
In Saturday's win at Alma, Calvin led 28-16 at halftime but outscored the Scots 23-0 in the second half to run away with the win. The victory marked the sixth time Calvin has scored 50 points or more this season. The victory was Calvin's first win over Alma and came after the Scots had defeated the Knights 73-13 in 2024 and 55-6 in 2025.
Senior quarterback
Thomas Vaccaro (Franklin, Tenn./Christ Presbyterian HS) was 33 of 45 passing for 429 yards and five touchdown passes, bumping his season touchdown passing total to 45. He also ran for 19 yards and a touchdown, his seventh rushing score of the season.
Vaccaro helped put Calvin on the board six minutes into the contest, tossing a seven-yard touchdown pass to junior
Jude Klunder (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) that helped put the Knights up 7-0. The touchdown completed a methodical 14-play, 75-yard drive to open the game.
Alma countered with a 9-play, 53-yard drive capped off by a one-yard touchdown run by Max Volk to tie the score 7-7. Calvin appeared poised to retake the lead as it drove into Alma territory early in the second quarter but a Vaccaro pass was intercepted on the 16-yard line by Emilio Riley to halt a Knight drive.
Calvin forced the Scots (3-7 overall, 3-4 MIAA) into a punt three plays later and the Knights took over on the Alma 47. Five plays later, Vaccaro found junior
M'Khi Guy (Muskegon Heights, Mich./Reeths-Puffer HS) on a swing pass for a two-yard score. The point-after by junior
Sal Ruffino (Shelby Twp., Mich./Eisenhower HS) was good and the Knights led 14-7.
Vaccaro then found junior
Aiden O'Brien (Decatur, Mich./Lawton HS) on an eight-yard touchdown pass that helped the Knights take a 21-7 advantage with 4:14 left in the half. Alma countered with a five-play, 73-yard drive, completed by an eight-yard touchdown toss from Jason Boge to Brayden Sullivan. The point-after was blocked by junior
Zaiden Chirco (Jenison, Mich./Jenison HS) and the lead stood 21-13.
With 37 seconds left in the half, Calvin received a short field after junior
Hunter Hogan (Ravenna, Mich./Ravenna HS) returned a punt 10 yards to the Alma 40. Vaccaro connected on a 33-yard toss to junior
Drake Irwin (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) and then a 7-yard pass to Irwin's first cousin
Jude Klunder for a touchdown. Ruffino's point-after was good and the Knights led 28-13.
Alma used a long punt return and a Calvin penalty to move to the 34-yard line of the Knights. The short field in the closing seconds helped the Scots connect on a 23-yard field goal by Will Soulliere to close out the half with Calvin on top 28-16.
The Calvin defense clamped down on the Scots in the second half, forcing Alma to punt twice, commit one turnover and also turning the ball over on downs.
Meanwhile, junior
Nick Earles (Greenville, Mich./Greenville HS) broke through for his fourth rushing touchdown of the season, running in from three yards out early in the third quarter to help the Knights take a 35-16 lead. Hogan later caught a 12-yard, third-quarter touchdown pass from Vaccaro for a 42-16 lead. Vaccaro dove in from a yard out in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter for a touchdown with Ruffino connecting on a 21-yard field goal to complete the win.
Hogan finished with eight catches for 106 yards and a touchdown while junior
Luke Michmerhuizen (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian HS) had six catches for 76 yards. Irwin had six catches for 74 yards with O'Brien snaring three catches for 72 yards and a touchdown. Klunder added four catches for 63 yards and two touchdowns while junior
Hayden Slegers (Ontario, Ca./Ontario Christian HS) had four catches for 27 yards.
M'Khi Guy led the Calvin ground game with 54 yards on six carries to go with his two-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. Freshman
Hunter Wilder (Whitehall, Mich./North Muskegon HS) came alive in the second half to rush for 47 yards on 11 carries. Earles had 30 yards on eight carries with Slegers adding 22 yards on eight carries.
Senior defensive end
Samuel Gallo (North Muskegon, Mich./North Muskegon HS) had a big game with seven tackles, a sack and a quarterback hurry. Junior
Caiden Bolduc (Muskegon, Mich./Reeths-Puffer HS) and senior C.J. Sheets (Longwood, Fla./Lake Mary HS) combined for a sack. Bolduc had six tackles and a quarterback hurry. Sophomore
Amari Powell (Holland, Mich./Holland HS) and senior
Caden Kolanowski (Goodrich, Mich./Goodrich HS) had six tackles each. Sophomore
Brock Sperling (Palos Heights, Ill./Chicago Christian HS) had four tackles and a sack. Junior
Kaden McCullough (Allendale, Mich./Allendale HS) had three tackles and two quarterback hurries.
Freshman
Sean Foley (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic Central) came up with a second half interception – the first of his collegiate career.
Calvin finished with 619 yards of total offense including 429 through the air. Alma finished with just 267 yards of offense including just 60 yards on the ground. Jason Boge was 17 of 27 passing for Alma for 207 yards and a touchdown. He was sacked three times. TJ Seiler had six catches for 79 yards. Jett King had 16 tackles for Alma.
COACHES COMMENT: "10-0, MIAA Champions and headed to the playoffs. This a true story of trust and faithfulness," said Calvin head coach
Trent Figg. "I am so thankful to all of our players, coaches and families who made a commitment to Calvin Football and have seen it through. Today was a huge day for our program and our university! When we started this program, our consistent prayer has been for God to bring theright young men for this team at this time. We have an unbelievable team, and these young men have grown and taken ownership of this program in a way that is hard to describe. God is teaching us what it looks like to trust and be faithful. Not for wins and losses, but that He is in control of the good days and the bad. This team was 2-8 two years ago, but these kids have persevered and now they are the first-ever Calvin Football (MIAA) Conference Champions. I am so proud of this group and we are excited for the playoffs. We will take a couple of days to heal up and get ready for our playoff run! Gold Bless and Go Knights!
NEXT UP: Calvin will await its NCAA III Playoff assignment late Sunday afternoon with the playoff pairings set to be announced on NCAA.com at 5 p.m. (ET).
