If the last three seasons have made anything clear, it's that the Hillsdale College football team knows how to put together a compelling finish.

2025 was no different for the Chargers, as Hillsdale finished with a flurry, winning four straight games and going undefeated in November to turn a 2-5 record into a .500 or better campaign for the third straight year, and earn the G-MAC bid to the Albanese Candy Bowl in December.

Hillsdale opened a season of promise with an exciting road victory over McKendree, taking the lead with 1:09 to play on a 50 yard touchdown pass from Colin McKernan to Tutt Carrico in a 22-17 finish. The Chargers also demolished Kentucky Wesleyan for a 44-0 Homecoming victory on Sept. 27. 

Tough, close losses in October, however, left the Chargers in a precarious position. Hillsdale either had a second-half lead or trailed by less than a touchdown with the ball in road losses at heavily-favored Tiffin and nationally-ranked Findlay, but ultimately both the Dragons and Oilers escaped despite Hillsdale's best efforts.

Hillsdale entered the final week of October needing to win out to finish with a winning record. While the Chargers faced a difficult road, it was a well-traveled one for Hillsdale, who'd overcome similar predicaments in both 2023 and 2024 and were up to the task again in 2025. The Chargers got back on track with blowout victories over Lake Erie and Thomas More, then rode a fast start on the road against a very competitive Walsh team to a critical 23-20 victory to get back to 5-5 on the year. 

That victory turned Hillsdale's final game of the regular season, a home contest against Ohio Dominican, into a showdown with a winning season and a berth in the Albanese Candy Bowl on the line. After a tight struggle with the Panthers in the first half, Hillsdale exploded in the second, scoring 21 unanswered points to turn a hard-fought contest into a rout and secure the prize.

Thanks to the victory over ODU, Hillsdale made its sixth bowl trip in program history and its second in five seasons. In the game on Dec. 6 in Hobart, Indiana, Hillsdale went toe-to-toe with a loaded Upper Iowa squad, using creative playcalling and strong individual performances to remain in the game until the final minute of a competitive 37-28 defeat.

Impressive individual performances played a key role for the Chargers and their success in 2025. Junior Shea Ruddy was once again one of the nation's top return men, leading all divisions in kickoff return yardage with 960 to break Hillsdale's career records for kickoff return yards and kickoff return touchdowns set by Chad Gurica in 2005. Ruddy, who also led the Chargers in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, was named the G-MAC Special Teams Player of the Year for the second straight season, and will likely be a repeat All-American when those teams are announced in December. He also was the only player in NCAA DII and one of a select few in the history of college football to record a passing, rushing, receiving and kickoff return touchdown in the same season.

Ruddy was joined by several other impressive performances. Tailback Ben Ngishu was named the G-MAC Freshman of the Year after putting up the best inaugural season by a Charger tailback in a decade, with 794 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, while tight end Andrew Konieczny and right tackle Carter Cushman also earned first-team All-G-MAC honors for the offense and quarterback Colin McKernan and receiver Tutt Carrico each had breakout seasons.

On the defensive side of the ball, Jacob Vance was named Team MVP and earned first-team All-G-MAC honors after leading the Chargers in tackles for the third straight season, and defensive end Drake Badger also earned a first team nod after finishing with 10 sacks, the most by a Charger in a single season since Drew Berube in 2009. Cornerback Ryan Niksa led the G-MAC in passes defensed with 17 and safety Colin Morrow led Hillsdale with three interceptions as well.

As the clock turns to 2026, the Chargers are hoping to grasp the momentum created by the strong finish to the season and the extra practices leading into the bowl game, and make a move up the standings to contend for the G-MAC title. Hillsdale will have important holes to fill in the lineup, especially on the offensive line, but five of its six all G-MAC honorees and many other key contributors are slated to return in 2026 for what could be a big season for the Chargers.