SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                  -------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)       October 4, 2000
                                                  ------------------------------

                                NBT Bancorp Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


         Delaware                    0-14703               16-1268674
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction       (Commission           (IRS Employer
    of Incorporation)              File Number)   Identification Number)

52 South Broad Street, Norwich, New York                     13815
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Office)                    (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code        607/337-2265
                                                   -----------------------------
                                      N/A
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

<PAGE>

Item 5. Other Events.

         On April 20, 2000,  NBT Bancorp Inc., a Delaware  corporation  ("NBT"),
and BSB Bancorp,  Inc., a Delaware corporation ("BSB"),  announced that they had
entered  into an Agreement  and Plan of Merger,  dated as of April 19, 2000 (the
"Merger  Agreement").  Pursuant to the Merger  Agreement,  BSB and NBT agreed to
merge (the  "Merger"),  with NBT being the  surviving  corporation,  to create a
holding  company  with assets of $4.7  billion.  Stockholders  of BSB would have
received two shares of NBT common stock for each share exchanged.  In accordance
with the Merger Agreement,  BSB and NBT granted  reciprocal  options whereby NBT
acquired an option to acquire  19.9% of BSB's  common  stock and BSB acquired an
option  to  acquire  19.9% of NBT's  common  stock.  The  options  would  become
exercisable  upon the occurrence of certain  future events.  The Merger had been
expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2000.

         On October 4, 2000,  the Boards of  Directors  of NBT and BSB agreed to
terminate the Merger  Agreement and the reciprocal stock option  agreements.  No
termination fees will be paid by either party.

Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

                  (a) Not Applicable.

                  (b) Not Applicable.

                  (c) Exhibits.

         The  following   exhibits  are  filed  with  this  Current   Report  or
incorporated by reference into this Current Report on Form 8-K:

Exhibit
Number   Description
------   -----------

2.1      Termination Agreement, dated as of October 4, 2000, by and between NBT
         Bancorp Inc. and BSB Bancorp, Inc.

99.1     Press release, dated October 4, 2000.



<PAGE>



                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                                 NBT BANCORP INC.


                                                 By:  /s/  Daryl R. Forsythe
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                      Name: Daryl R. Forsythe
                                                      Title: President and Chief
                                                        Executive Officer

Date: October 4, 2000

<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



2.1     Termination Agreement, dated as of October 4, 2000, by  and  between NBT
        Bancorp Inc. and BSB Bancorp, Inc.

99.1    Press release, dated October 4, 2000.
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "0001.txt", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 4277}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "NBT BANCORP INC", "cik": "0000790359", "assigned-sic": "6021", "irs-number": "161268674", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-14703", "film-number": "735794"}, "business-address": {"street1": "52 S BROAD ST", "city": "NORWICH", "state": "NY", "zip": "13815", "phone": "6073372265"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "52 S. BROAD STREET", "city": "NORWICH", "state": "NY", "zip": "13815"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                  -------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)       October 4, 2000
                                                  ------------------------------

                                NBT Bancorp Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

         Delaware                    0-14703               16-1268674
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction       (Commission           (IRS Employer
    of Incorporation)              File Number)   Identification Number)

52 South Broad Street, Norwich, New York                     13815
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Office)                    (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code        607/337-2265
                                                   -----------------------------
                                      N/A
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Item 5. Other Events.

         On April 20, 2000,  NBT Bancorp Inc., a Delaware  corporation  ("NBT"),
and BSB Bancorp,  Inc., a Delaware corporation ("BSB"),  announced that they had
entered  into an Agreement  and Plan of Merger,  dated as of April 19, 2000 (the
"Merger  Agreement").  Pursuant to the Merger  Agreement,  BSB and NBT agreed to
merge (the  "Merger"),  with NBT being the  surviving  corporation,  to create a
holding  company  with assets of $4.7  billion.  Stockholders  of BSB would have
received two shares of NBT common stock for each share exchanged.  In accordance
with the Merger Agreement,  BSB and NBT granted  reciprocal  options whereby NBT
acquired an option to acquire  19.9% of BSB's  common  stock and BSB acquired an
option  to  acquire  19.9% of NBT's  common  stock.  The  options  would  become
exercisable  upon the occurrence of certain  future events.  The Merger had been
expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2000.

         On October 4, 2000,  the Boards of  Directors  of NBT and BSB agreed to
terminate the Merger  Agreement and the reciprocal stock option  agreements.  No
termination fees will be paid by either party.

Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

                  (a) Not Applicable.

                  (b) Not Applicable.

                  (c) Exhibits.

         The  following   exhibits  are  filed  with  this  Current   Report  or
incorporated by reference into this Current Report on Form 8-K:

Exhibit
Number   Description
------   -----------

2.1      Termination Agreement, dated as of October 4, 2000, by and between NBT
         Bancorp Inc. and BSB Bancorp, Inc.

99.1     Press release, dated October 4, 2000.
SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                                 NBT BANCORP INC.

                                                 By:  /s/  Daryl R. Forsythe
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                      Name: Daryl R. Forsythe
                                                      Title: President and Chief
                                                        Executive Officer

Date: October 4, 2000
EXHIBIT INDEX

2.1     Termination Agreement, dated as of October 4, 2000, by  and  between NBT
        Bancorp Inc. and BSB Bancorp, Inc.

99.1    Press release, dated October 4, 2000.