SOMERVILLE, MA (October 17, 2026) -- The Tufts University football team forced four turnovers Saturday afternoon against visiting Trinity College, but the Jumbos were unable to capitalize as Tufts fell to the visiting Bantams 28-9 in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play from Ellis Oval.

Tufts (3-2) kept things close early in the contest, as Trinity College's Jaxon Carroll was picked off for the first time by junior Ryan Horigan on the first possession by the Bantams to give the ball to the Jumbos at the Trinity 43. 

The Jumbos would go 25 yards over the next nine plays and 4:22 of the game before Caden Lawlor cashed in a 36-yard field goal to make it 3-0 Tufts with 6:37 to go in the first quarter. On the next drive for Trinity, Tufts got a big sack on third down by senior Johnny Ferrelli to force a punt. 

Unfortunately, Tufts wouldn't be able to add on to its lead and Trinity took the lead for good with a touchdown on a Carroll pass to Darison Hooper from 19-yards away to make it 7-3 going to the second quarter. 

The next possession for Tufts moved down to the Trinity 35, but the Jumbos couldn't convert a 4th and 4 to give the ball back to Trinity. The Bantams traversed 65 yards over the next nine plays before Carroll connected with Cooper Edwards for an 8-yard touchdown catch to put the visitors up 14-3. 

Late in the first half, Tufts was stopped on fourth down but two plays got the ball back on an interception by junior Cameron Pineda at the Bantams 43-yard line. Two plays after that with 45 seconds left in the half, Trinity's Bryce Farrell picked off an overthrow and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-3 at the half. 

Trinity added on another score in the third quarter, but Tufts didn't bow down as it went 80 yards on 16 plays before junior Caden McCallum pushed in from a yard out to finish a 7:49 drive at the 4:58 mark of the fourth quarter to finish the scoring. 

McCallum finished with 61 yards on the ground on 18 carries and a score, while Reed Ramirez rushed for 18 yards on five totes. Sophomore Nate Johnson was 7-for-21 for 69 yards passing, while Hudson Weidman was 4-for-8 in relief for 23 yards. Keller Rogers had four receptions for 32 yards, and John Getman pulled in two balls for 20 yards. 

Ferrelli had a strong game defensively with nine tackles, a sack, interception and a pass break-up. Horigan added five tackles to his interception, while Justin Keller added five tackles as well. Pineda had two tackles, including one for loss, and picked off a pair of passes. Brayden Beyer also added five tackles. 

The Jumbos held the NESCAC's top offensive unit to just 283 yards for the game, including only 172 yards through the air. Tufts finished the game with 183 yards offensively, and dominated time of possession at 36:30-23:30 but couldn't take advantage. 

Trinity's Ethan Krauss had a strong game at linebacker, as he made 11 stops and three tackles for loss, while Charlie Newhall added 12 tackles and a sack. Josh Woodford had 67 yards rushing for the Bantams, and Carroll finished 14-for-25 with four interceptions and three passing touchdowns. 

Tufts returns to the road this upcoming Saturday, October 24, traveling to Williamstown, MA to take on Williams College at 1:30 p.m. in Week 6 action.