Two teams hungry for a win square off this Saturday in Somerville, Mass. when the Bates football team visits the Tufts University Jumbos. Kick is set for 1pm.
The Bobcats and Jumbos have played some close contests in recent years, with the Jumbos prevailing in six of the last 10 games between the two squads.
This year, both teams have suffered some heartbreaking defeats on their way to 0-3 starts. The Jumbos have dropped two of their first three games by just a field goal, while Bates fell by three last week to Wesleyan.
Amherst is the only common opponent so far this year for the two teams. Bates fell 28-20 to the Mammoths in the season opener for both teams and Tufts visited Amherst last week, falling 24-21.
Tufts has struggled on defense this year, surrendering 32.7 points per game, last in the NESCAC. The Bates defense is eighth in the conference, giving up 26.3 points per game. The Jumbo offense has fared better, scoring 26 points per game, tied with Wesleyan for third in the conference. Bates (hurt by a shutout at Middlebury) is seventh at 14.7 points per game.
Bates senior quarterback Brendan Costa (Westport, Mass.) ranks fourth in the NESCAC in total offense, averaging 251 yards per game. Junior linebacker Tony Hooks (New Rochelle, N.Y.) is tied for the NESCAC lead in tackles with 34.
Philip Lutz is a dangerous weapon on offense for the Jumbos, averaging 86.3 receiving yards per game, third in the conference.
THE PARTICULARS:
What: Bates (0-3) @ Tufts (0-3)
When: Saturday, Oct. 9, 1:00 p.m.
Where: Ellis Oval/Zimman Field (Somerville, Mass.)
Live Coverage: Video | Stats
All-Time Series: Tufts leads 63-17-3
Previous Meeting: Tufts 33, Bates 28 (Oct. 5, 2019 in Lewiston, Maine)
TUFTS LAST WEEK:
Amherst's Brad Breckenridge rushed for three touchdowns as the Mammoths edged Tufts University 24-21 in NESCAC football action last Saturday.
The Jumbos amassed 454 yards of total offense on 92 plays, including 337 through the air. First-year quarterback Michael Berluti came on and threw for 256 yards (24 for 40), including seven passes for 118 yards to junior Philip Lutz. Breckenridge carried 16 times for 103 rushing yards leading the hosts to 327 total yards.
Tufts, who had 30 first downs in the game to Amherst's 17, got 77 yards rushing and eight receptions for 46 more yards from junior running back Tyler Johnson. Sophomore Jaden Richardson caught five passes for 68 yards. Johnathan O'Neal (11 tackles) Spencer Alligood (10) and Edward Iuteri (two TFL's) were defensive leaders for the Jumbos.
BATES LAST WEEK:
David Estevez connected with Luis Sanchez with 4:29 remaining in regulation for the go-ahead score and the Wesleyan University Cardinals hung on from there to edge the Bates football team 27-24 Saturday at Garcelon Field.
The Bobcats (0-3) had two potential game-winning drives snuffed out by turnovers. After Wesleyan's go-ahead touchdown, senior quarterback Brendan Costa (Westport, Mass.) found senior Sean Bryant (Falmouth, Maine) for a 26-yard gain to the Wesleyan 44. But Cole Hoffman forced a Costa fumble on the next play and Wesleyan's Isaiah Miller recovered, setting the Cardinals up with a first and 10 at their own 34.
Bates stepped up on defense, forcing a three-and-out. The Cardinals punted to the Bobcat 31. Costa and the offense took over with 2:07 remaining in regulation. Costa connected with senior Caleb Bolden (Dover, N.H.) for a gain of eight. Then he found Bryant for 16 yards and senior Derek Marino (Marblehead, Mass.) for 17 yards to the Wesleyan 28.
On the very next play, Costa's quick swing pass went off the hands of the intended receiver and Wesleyan's Darreyl Williams made a diving interception at the 27-yard line. Bates forced another punt with less than a minute remaining but a running into the kicker penalty gave the Cardinals (3-0) a first down and secured the win for Wesleyan.
Costa completed 26-32 passes for 303 yards and a touchdown, setting career-highs in completions and passing yards. He also rushed for 25 yards and two touchdowns.
Marino and Bryant had huge games for Bates, with Marino catching seven passes for a game-high 100 yards and Bryant catching a game-high nine passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Bolden finished with four catches for 44 yards. Marino and Bryant are the first Bobcats to record 100 receiving yards in a game since Frank Williams '18 went off for nine catches for 223 yards and three touchdowns against Williams in a 29-17 win for Bates in 2016.
In a very even contest, the Cardinals gained 319 yards of total offense and the Bobcats tallied 314 yards. Penalties killed Bates, as the Bobcats committed nine penalties for 164 yards on the day, one of which took a kickoff return for a touchdown away from junior Mohamed Diawara (Philadelphia, Pa.).
BATES' AND TUFTS' LAST MEETING:
Christian Sanfilippo scored a career-high three rushing touchdowns and Parker Smith caught the first touchdown pass of his career but the Bates football team fell just short in a 33-28 loss to the visiting Tufts University Jumbos on "Back to Bates" weekend at Garcelon Field.
The Bobcats held multiple leads, including a 14-10 advantage midway through the third quarter before Tufts responded with 23 unanswered points to go up by three scores. Bates refused to back down, tallying the final two touchdowns of the game and cutting the deficit to five. The Bobcats even got the ball back with 1:07 remaining but were unable to drive the field for a go-ahead score.
Although he didn't start the game, quarterback Brendan Costa returned to action after missing the previous game with an injury. He completed 19-28 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown. Costa did not turn the ball over in a strong performance, rushing eight times for a team-high 62 yards as well.
Bates outgained the Jumbos, tallying 373 yards of total offense to Tufts' 366.
BATES' PROBABLE STARTERS:
MULTIPLE OFFENSE
LT 73 Peter Simplicio So. 6-5 265
LG 73 Cole De Magistris So. 6-5 243
C 71 Nick Florio Sr. 6-0 280
RG 56 Erik Stephens Sr. 6-1 260
RT 77 Cameron Winslow Jr. 6-4 306
TE 89 Steven Guerrette So. 6-3 220
WR 7 Mohamed Diawara Jr. 6-1 183
WR 81 Sean Bryant Sr. 6-3 200
WR 84 Derek Marino Sr. 6-3 205
QB 3 Brendan Costa Sr. 5-11 190
RB 26 Caleb Bolden Sr. 5-8 185
DEFENSE
DL 44 Tim Simplicio Sr. 6-2 245
DL 90 Matthew Juneau Fy. 6-2 226
DL 99 Finn Duffey Fy. 5-11 285
DL 52 Jack Ryan Sr. 6-2 251
LB 6 Mike Bulman Sr. 5-11 200
LB 5 Tony Hooks Jr. 6-1 225
LB 53 Spencer Adams Sr. 6-0 220
CB 21 Owen Straley Sr. 5-8 163
CB 2 Mohamed Coulibaly Jr. 6-0 175
S 4 Anthony Costa Sr. 5-9 178
S 17 Thomas Formus Sr. 6-0 202
SPECIALISTS
K 86 Simon Redfern Sr. 6-1 192
P 35 Archie Green Jr. So. 5-11 185
TUFTS' PROBABLE STARTERS:
OFFENSE
QB 8 Michael Berluti Fy. 6-1 165
RB 26 Tyler Johnson Jr. 5-9 195
WR 3 OJ Armstrong Sr. 5-10 170
WR 6 Billy Dunn Jr. 6-4 200
WR 16 Jackson Butler Jr. 6-2 190
TE 87 Joshua Meriwether Jr. 6-3 250
LT 74 Nick Swift Sr. 6-5 290
LG 79 Travis Cepalia Jr. 6-2 250
C 63 Blair Horning Jr. 6-1 260
RG 75 Dylan Daisey Sr. 6-1 265
RT 52 Ciaran Hourihan Sr. 6-4 260
DEFENSE
DE 9 Jovan Nenadovic Sr. 6-3 230
DT 62 Edward Iuteri So. 6-0 260
DT 97 Michael Butler Jr. 6-4 250
DE 92 Dom Haley Jr. 6-1 235
LB 58 Shane Reiner So. 5-11 220
LB 33 Marty Drouillard Sr. 6-0 210
LB 41 Spencer Alligood Sr. 6-3 195
CB 1 Brandyn Jones Sr. 5-9 165
S 28 Johnathan O'Neal Sr. 6-0 185
S 7 Cam O'Brien Jr. 5-10 180
CB 31 Jason Ndansi Sr. 6-0 180
SPECIALIST
K/P 98 Patrick Walsh Jr. 6-3 220
