Hartford, Conn. - The Trinity College football team, which won, 45-7, against Bates last weekend to remain tied with Wesleyan and Williams for first place at 5-0 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), will begin a two-week road swing at Colby College on Saturday, October 23 at 1 p.m.  The Bantams, coached by Jeff Devanney (16th season, 101-19), lead the all-time series against Colby, 39-13, and have won the last 13 meetings dating back to 1995.  Trinity is also currently ranked No. 1 in the New England Football Writers Division III Poll: 1. Trinity (5-0), 2. Williams (5-0), 3. Endicott (6-1), 4. Wesleyan (5-0), 5. Salve Regina (6-1), 6. Framingham State (5-2), T7. Bridgewater State (4-2), T7. Western New England (4-3), 9. Anna Maria (4-1), 10. Husson (4-2).

The Bantams scored three touchdowns in the first 11 minutes against Bates, taking advantage of a partially blocked punt by sophomore Enzi Dabner-Teacher (Tarrytown, N.Y.) to score the game's first touchdown on an eight-yard pass from junior QB Spencer Fetter (Winter Park, Fla.) to senior captain WR Jonathan Girard (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) 1:39 into the game.  Trinity tacked on two more scores on a six-yard run by sophomore RB William Kirby (Darien, Conn.) and a 19-yard pass from Fetter to senior captain WR DeVante Reid (London, England) to lead, 21-0, with 4:25 left in the first quarter.  Trinity rookie Matt Jumes (Franklin, Mass.) added a 24-yard field goal, while Fetter tossed an 11-yard touchdown reception to Girard, and Kirby added a pair of touchdown runs early in the third quarter to round out the scoring.  Fetter finished 20-for-25 passing for 236 yards and three touchdowns, while Kirby rushed for 66 yards and sophomore Cal Messina (Pittsfield, Mass.) added 45 yards on the ground.  Girard led all receivers with 108 yards on seven grabs, while Reid added six catches for 65 yards.  Defensively, Trinity was paced by senior DB Aidan Kennedy (East Longmeadow, Mass.) who notched three tackles, a sack, and an interception, while senior captain LB Brian Casagrande (Madison, Conn.) had four tackles and a sack.  Bates LB Tony Hooks totaled a game-high 14 tackles, while Anthony Costa added six tackles and a pass breakup, and Nolan Potter contributed four tackles and a sack.

Trinity tops the NESCAC in nine different categories, including scoring offense (37.4), total offense (441 ypg), total defense (277.5 ypg), rushing defense (57 ypg), pass offense (315.8 ypg), pass efficiency (187.1 QB rating), third-down conversions (46.9%), red zone offense (24 for 27 with 22 TDs), and time of possession (35:47 per game). Fetter tops the league in passing (303.6 ypg), with 16 touchdown passes with just one interception, and total offense (334.5 ypg), while Kirby is third in the conference with 394 rushing yards including nine touchdowns. Reid and Girard are among the conference's top four in receptions and receiving yards with a combined 74 grabs for 1,088 yards while Girard adds a league-best nine touchdown catches. Girard also ranks third all-purpose yards with 549, followed by Reid in fifth with 543, and Kirby in seventh with 501.  On defense, senior Noah Glantz (Scarsdale, N.Y.) and Lepore are tied with others for fifth in the NESCAC lead in sacks (3), while Glantz also tops the conference in forced fumbles (2, tied) and ranks second in tackles for loss (7.5). Junior William Crowley (Milton, Mass.) is tied with many for second in the conference with two interceptions, and classmate Justin O'Neil-Riley (Dorchester, Mass.) is second in the league lead with five passes defensed. Senior DB Matt McCarthy (North Reading, Mass.) paces Trinity in tackles with 26.

Colby is 2-3 this season, most recently defeating Middlebury, 28-14, over the weekend.  Quarterback Matt Hersch has thrown for over 1,000 yards but has just touchdown to go with as many interceptions.  Matt Panker and Jack Sawyer have combined for 32 catches for 611 yards receiving. Defensively, Nick Donatio is seventh in the conference in tackles with 38, while Brett Holmes tops the conference in interceptions with three for the Mules.