MEDFORD, MA (October 26, 2022) – The Tufts University football team will look to snap a two-game skid on Saturday afternoon, hosting the Continentals of Hamilton College from Ellis Oval in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play.
Game Details
Opponent: vs. Hamilton College (2-4, 2-4 NESCAC)
Date: Saturday, October 29, 2022
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Somerville, MA – Ellis Oval (
Directions)
Live Coverage:
LIVE STATS –
LIVE VIDEO
Tufts is coming off a tough 20-17 loss at home last weekend to Amherst College, as the Mammoths connected on a last second field goal to earn the win. The Jumbos had led the game for most of the contest, but 10 fourth-quarter points by visiting Amherst were the difference. With the loss, Tufts moved to .500 for the season at 3-3, but looks to get back on track this weekend.
Hamilton College is also coming off a loss, as the Continentals fell at Colby College last weekend 18-12 as the Mules rallied from down 12-0 to score 18 straight points to earn the win. Hamilton has wins over Amherst College (24-10) and Williams College (15-13) this year, while falling at Bowdoin College (13-41), Wesleyan University (14-49) and Trinity College (0-45).
These two schools have played on the gridiron only 13 times since 1999, as the Jumbos hold an 16-6 edge record all-time over Hamilton. The Jumbos have won five of the last six meetings including last year's 30-24 win for the Jumbos in overtime. In that contest, Sal CoCoco drilled a 41-yard field goal as time expired to send the game to extra sessions. In overtime,
Tyler Johnson plunged in from a yard out to make it 30-24 and
Spencer Alligood intercepted Joe Cairns to secure the victory.
Despite the 11-2 edge in the series for Tufts, these two twos have played close games as six of the last eight meetings have been decided by one score or less. The last time these two teams played in Somerville was 2019, as Hamilton knocked off the Jumbos 36-21.
The Jumbos come into this weekend as one of the top offensive units in the conference, despite a minor hiccup in the passing game against Amherst. Tufts is averaging 319.2 yards per game in the passing game, eighth-best in the country and first in the NESCAC as
Michael Berluti is seventh nationally in completions per contest with 23. He also ranks in the Top 20 in NCAA Division III in completion percentage (68.3%), passing yardage per game (315.0) and total offense (347.7).
The squad is second in the NESCAC in total offense with 438.3 yards a game, while topping the NESCAC in passing efficiency. Looking at Tufts receiving unit, four players have had huge impacts through six weeks led by
Phil Lutz and
Jaden Richardson. Lutz's name is littered in the national leaders for receiving, as he is currently fourth in the country in receptions per game with 8.3, while ranking sixth in receiving yardage with 122.3 per contest. Lutz has also pulled in four touchdowns on the season.
Richardson leads the squad with six touchdowns through the air, while pulling in 80.8 yards per contest. His 5.2 catches a game are sixth-best in the NESCAC. The pair of
Jackson Butler and
Cade Moore also have made huge contributions of late, as Moore had four grabs last week against Amherst while Butler caught six balls for 175 yards and two scores at Wesleyan.
The rushing attack for Tufts picked up last week against the Mammoths, as
Tyler Johnson rushed for 89 yards and a score while Berluti also had 66 yards and a score in that contest. Johnson is second in the NESCAC in rushing scores with four, while ranking second in the league in rushing yards with 411 on the season. Berluti also has three rushing touchdowns on the season.
The defensive unit had a strong game on Saturday against Amherst, as
Louis Timmins posted his NESCAC-leading third interception of the season.
Matty Drouillard is tops on the squad in tackles with 36, while his 5.0 tackles for loss is also atop the leader board for the Jumbos.
EJ Comerford has two sacks to pace the Jumbos, while
Victor Garza and
Kristian Rosario have a team-high four pass break-ups each.
Hamilton comes into this week looking to establish the offensive unit, as it ranks ninth in the NESCAC in scoring offense at 12.7 points per game. The Continentals are posting 242.3 yards per game on offense, which is 10
th in the league, while its rushing attack is also 10
th in the NESCAC at 76.0 yards a contest.
Individually, Kamau Hopewell leads the rushing attack with 280 yards on the season, scoring three times on 107 attempts while Matt Banbury also has 71 yards rushing on 48 attempts. Banbury is also 95-for-159 through the air on the season with four touchdowns and just one interception. Mark Howrigan has a team-best 28 catches, while Lucas Perez-Segnini has pulled in 19 catches for a team-high 272 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively, the Continentals are allowing 376.3 yards per game which is ninth in the NESCAC, while allowing teams to convert third downs at a 57.6 success rate. George Johnson is fourth in the conference in tackles per game with 8.3 a contest, while Cole Rivell is 13
th in the NESCAC with 6.5 tackles per game. Rivell is also second in the league with two interceptions, and Jake Dale and Chase White each have sacks this season.
TUFTS VS. HAMILTON SERIES
Series Record: 17-6, Tufts
Last Tufts Win: 2021, 30-24 at Hamilton
Last Hamilton Win: 2019, 36-21 at Tufts
Current Streak: Tufts, 1
Large Margins: Tufts, 29-2, 2018; Hamilton, 20-0, 1978
--JUMBOS--
