SOMERVILLE, Mass. -- Senior quarterback Brendan Costa threw three touchdown passes to Sean Bryant and ran for a touchdown as well to lead the Bates football team past Tufts by a final score of 33-10 Saturday afternoon at the Ellis Oval. 

Costa (Westport, Mass.) returned to his home state in style, throwing for 254 yards and rushing for a game-high 113 yards, propelling Bates (1-3) to its first win over Tufts (0-4) since 2013. 

Bryant (Falmouth, Maine) turned in another outstanding performance, catching five passes for 91 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Christian Olivieri (Hull, Mass.) added four receptions for 80 yards on the afternoon while senior Derek Marino (Marblehead, Mass.) caught two passes for 39 yards.

Senior Spencer Adams (Bedford, N.H.) continued his outstanding season with a game-high 12 tackles. He also broke up two passes and recorded an interception. 

A turnover led to the first points of the afternoon for the Bobcats, who never trailed on the day. Facing a third and seven from their own 33, the Jumbos appeared to have a first down thanks to the legs of quarterback Michael Berluti. But as Berluti dove for the marker, he lost control of the ball and senior Jose Calleja (Secane, Pa.) fell on it for the Bobcats at the Tufts 42-yard line with 9:31 left in the first quarter.

The Bobcats went to work, with Costa completing a screen pass to senior Caleb Bolden (Dover, N.H.) on second and eight for nine yards and a first down. Bates moved the ball to the Tufts 20 on a completion to Bryant. Then on second and 10, Costa faked the hand-off to senior Chris Capo (West Newbury, Mass.) and fired a strike to Bryant at the five. The veteran receiver did the rest, diving into the end zone for the touchdown. 

Bates missed the extra point but led 6-0 with 6:50 remaining in the opening quarter.

The teams traded punts on the next two drives before Tufts got something going early in the second quarter, moving the ball to the Bobcat 20 on a 15-yard completion from Berluti to Tyler Johnson. The Bates defense stiffened and forced a Patrick Johnson field goal attempt. Johnson made the 35-yard field goal, cutting the Bobcat lead to 6-3 with 13:46 left in the second quarter.

Starting at their own 27, the Bobcats didn't waste any time answering on offense. Costa rushed for 13 yards on a third and four; then he connected with sophomore tight end Steven Guerrette (Bow, N.H.) down the far sideline for a 23-yard gain to the Tufts 30. 

On the very next play, Costa faked the handoff to Capo, moved to his right then cut back to the left toward the far sideline. He had wide open space in front of him until the 10-yard line, where he juked a Jumbo defender and cruised into the end zone for the 30-yard rushing touchdown. Senior Simon Redfern (Providence R.I.) made the extra point and Bates led 13-3 with 11:06 left in the second quarter.

The Bates defense forced a three-and-out and the Bates offense had a chance to add to the lead, only to have the Jumbos block the Redfern field goal attempt from 40 yards out. Neither team scored for the remainder of the second quarter, as Walsh missed a 49-yard field goal for Tufts as time expired. 

The Bobcats led 13-3 at the half. Tufts got the ball to start the third quarter and marched into Bates territory. Walsh lined up for a 35-yard field goal and first-year Finn Duffey (Scituate, Mass.) blocked the kick. The Bates offense took over, only for Costa to throw one of his two interceptions on the day, with Brandyn Jones picking off the pass at the Tufts 45.

Tufts moved the ball to the Bates 37 and on fourth and four, Adams snuffed out a Berluti rushing attempt, giving the ball back to Bates with 8:49 left in the third quarter on the turnover on downs. 

Costa immediately scampered 19 yards to the Tufts 46 and hooked up with Olivieri for an 11-yard completion to the Tufts 35.

On second and seven from the Tufts 32, Costa faked the handoff to Bolden, rolled left, then settled in the pocket, launching a pass toward the near sideline as the Tufts defense brought the pressure. Bryant was there in the end zone, out-jumping his defender and reeling in the pass for the touchdown, his second of the game. 

The extra point got tipped and was no good, but Bates led 19-3 with 7:16 remaining in the third quarter.

Bates forced a Tufts three-and-out, only to see Spencer Alligood pick off Costa, setting the Jumbos up with a first and 10 at the Bates 45. Philip Lutz caught a pass for 23 yards to the Bates 22 and Billy Dunn hauled in a 10-yard reception, giving the Jumbos first and goal at the 10.

Then sophomore George Hawkins III (Jacksonville, Fla.) made a huge play, tipping a Berluti pass into the hands of Adams for an interception. 

The only downside to the interception was it set Bates up with tough field position on the Bobcats' own six-yard line. The offense did not get a first down and a short punt gave Tufts the ball at the Bates 24.

Tufts got one first down and then Berluti found Paul Campo for a 13-yard touchdown, the first, and only, touchdown of the day for the Jumbos against a stout Bates defense.

The Jumbos made the extra point and Bates led 19-10 with 1:07 left in the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Jumbos appeared poised to make it a one-score game. After a Bates punt, Tufts marched the ball down the field to the Bates three-yard line. On first and goal, Johnson took the ball down to the one, with senior Anthony Costa (West Springfield, Mass.) making the tackle. Then Adams and senior Nolan Potter (Wells, Maine) teamed up on a stop of Johnson for no gain. On third and goal, the Jumbos tried to pitch the ball to the left, but Johnson fumbled it. Tufts recovered, setting up a 29-yard field goal attempt from Walsh, which missed wide right.

The Bates defense continued to hold, forcing a pair of turnovers on downs in the fourth quarter. The Bates offense got the ball with 4:13 left in regulation, enough time for one more scoring drive. The nine-play, 51-yard drive ate up 3:49, culminating in Bryant's third touchdown reception of the afternoon, a 28-yard strike on fourth down. 

Redfern made the extra point, putting Bates up 26-10.

It appeared that would be the final score but then the defense decided they wanted some points too. The Jumbos attempted a "hook-and-ladder" play that ended poorly for them, with the fumble scooped up by senior Owen Straley (Norwell, Mass.) and returned 29 yards to the house for the touchdown. Redfern's extra point provided the final margin of victory of 33-10. 

The teams were nearly identical in total yards with Bates finishing at 380 and Tufts 379. Berluti threw 52 passes for Tufts, completing 32 for 302 yards and a touchdown. He was also the Jumbos' leading rusher with 33 yards on eight carries. Lutz caught nine passes for 91 yards. Senior Matt Drouillard led Tufts with eight tackles, including two for losses.

The Bobcats stay on the road next Saturday when they travel to Trinity. Kick is set for 1pm.