Hartford, Conn. - The Trinity College football team, which won, 34-7, at Hamilton last weekend to remain tied with Wesleyan and Williams for first place at 4-0 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), will host the Bates College Bobcats on Saturday, October 16 at 1 p.m.  The Bantams, coached by Jeff Devanney (16th season, 100-19), lead the all-time series against Bates, 38-7, and have won the last 24 meetings dating back to 1979.  The Bates College football squad, coached on an interim basis this year by Ed Argast, have been more than competitive this fall.  The Bobcats are 1-3 after thumping Tufts, 33-10, on the road on October 9.  Trinity's win at Hamilton gave Coach Devanney 100 wins in his career. The Bantam graduate boasts a career mark of 100-19 for a .840 winning percentage.  The Bantams are ranked No. 1 in New England: 1. Trinity (4-0), 2. Endicott (5-1), 3. Williams (4-0), 4. Wesleyan (4-0), 5. Salve Regina (5-1), 6. Framingham State (4-2), 7. Husoon (4-1), 8. Western New England (3-3), 9. Bridgewater State (4-2), 10. Anna Maria (3-1).

Trinity junior QB Spencer Fetter (Winter Haven, Fla.) threw for 330 yards and five touchdowns at Hamilton. Fetter started the scoring with a 14-yard TD pass to senior WR DeVante Reid (London, England) and then connected three times for touchdowns with fellow senior WR Jonathan Girard (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), from 27, 16, and 14 yards with the first one giving Girard the Trinity career touchdown catch record of 24. Fetter completed his day with a six-yard touchdown toss to sophomore RB William Kirby (Darien, Conn.).  Fetter finished with 29 completions in 34 attempts and Girard finished the day with a remarkable 153 yards on 11 receptions. Reid added an impressive 73 yards on seven catches, while Kirby rushed 18 times for 107 yards and caught six balls for 50 yards. The Bantam defense allowed just 273 total yards, led by junior LB Cade Klarides-Ditria (Seymour, Conn.) with five tackles and classmate Joseph Lepore (Winchester, Mass.) with four tackles and 2.5 sacks. Junior Darren Warren (West Haven, Conn.) paced the secondary with two tackles and two pass breakups.

Trinity tops the NESCAC in eight different categories, including total offense (454.8 ypg), total defense (277.5 ypg), pass offense (335.8 ypg), pass efficiency (186.4 QB rating), sacks (15-106), third-down conversions (47.2%), red zone offense (17 for 20 with 16 TDs), and time of possession (36:16 per game). Fetter tops the league in passing (320.5 ypg), and total offense (334.5 ypg), and Kirby is second in the conference with 328 rushing yards including six touchdowns. Reid and Girard are 1-2, in receptions and receiving yards with 29 for 474 and 32 for 441, respectively, while Girard adds a league-best seven touchdown catches. Reid also ranks first all-purpose yards with 477, followed by Girard in second with 441, and Kirby in third with 428.  On defense, senior Noah Glantz (Scarsdale, N.Y.) and Lepore are tied with others for the NESCAC lead in sacks (3), while Glantz also tops the conference in forced fumbles (2, tied) and ranks second in tackles for loss (6). Junior William Crowley (Milton, Mass.) is one of many NESCAC players with two interceptions thus far, and classmate Justin O'Neil-Riley (Dorchester, Mass.) is tied for the league lead with five passes defensed. Senior DB Matt McCarthy (North Reading, Mass.) paces Trinity in tackles with 23.

Bates earned its first victory thanks to the play of senior QB Brendan Costa who threw for 254 yards and three touchdowns and added 119 rushing yards and a fourth score against the Jumbos. Costa was named the Gold Helmet Award recipient as New England's top football player last week.  Costa is second to Fetter in passing yards and ninth in the NESCAC in rushing, while Sean Bryant is Costa's favorite target with 24 catches for 284 yards and five scores. Bates LBs Tony Hooks and Spencer Adams have totaled 39 tackles apiece to tie for second in the NESCAC, while Adams, the reigning NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week, also has two picks. Bates punter. Mohamed Diawara is the conference's top punt returner (16.2 avg.).