WALTHAM, Mass. – The Bentley University football season will reach the midpoint Saturday when the Falcons travel to Rindge, N.H. to take on the Franklin Pierce University Ravens. Kickoff at Sodexo Field is set for 1 pm and fans can watch the game live on the NE10NOW digital network.

Bentley, 2-2 overall and 1-1 conference, will be looking to bounce back from a tough 21-13 loss to defending Northeast-10 champion New Haven last Friday night. The Falcons kept the Charger offense off the board over the final 39 minutes but gave up a costly 34-yard scoop and score with ten minutes left in the fourth quarter.

That was a rare turnover – just the third this season – for coach Alvin Reynolds' team, which is tied for tenth nationally for the fewest in Division II.

Bentley will be taking on a Franklin Pierce team which earned its first-ever NE-10 victory on Saturday, 7-3 at American International College. The Ravens, who are in their third Division II season, forced three turnovers and limited the Yellow Jackets to 212 yards total offense.

Bentley's offense has centered around graduate quarterback Mark Waid (Cortland, Ohio/Girard HS), who is third in the conference in total offense with 910 yards. He's completed 51 percent of his passes for 623 yards and five TDs, and has scrambled for 287 yards, third most in the NE10. He's only been sacked three times and has four rushes of at least 20 yards, including twice against New Haven.

Including Waid, the Falcons have three of the conference's top seven rushers. Senior Nate Larkins (Huntington, N.Y./John Glenn HS) has 215 with four touchdowns and junior Vinnie Holmes (Mansfield/ Mansfield HS) has 179 with two TDs. In the New Haven game, Larkins surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for his career, a mark he achieved on 180 carries.

Senior Noah Neville (Boston/Newton North HS), the Falcons' leading receiver with 11 catches for 202 yards and three TDs, has moved to within four of 100 career receptions. Included among his total are 18 for scores, seventh most in school history.

The Bentley defense ranks 13^th in Division II with the Falcons giving up only 238.2 a game. They've been even stingier over the last two games, limiting Post to 154 in a 49-6 win and New Haven to 208. The Chargers, who averaged 239 passing yards in their first three contests, were just 7 of 13 through the air for 62 yards against Bentley.

Junior linebacker Salvatore Lupoli Jr. (Chelmsford/Chelmsford HS) has climbed to fourth in Division II in tackles after making 15 this past Saturday. It was the fifth time in his last seven games he's reached double figures.

The Falcon D averages 3.5 sacks per game, resulting in total losses of 110 yards, fifth most in D2. Senior defensive end and 2021 NE10 Defensive Lineman of the Year Cedie Dashiell II (Buena Park, Cal./Buena Park HS) has 3.5, pushing his career total to 23.5. Eight others have at least one, including junior Joe Rivers (Lunenburg/Lunenburg HS) with 2.5.

The secondary has 15 pass break-ups, including five apiece by two-time All-Northeast-10 honoree Jailen Branch (Randolph/Milton Academy) and senior Mathieu (Lynn/Lynn English HS).

Franklin Pierce, which will be celebrating Homecoming and Family Day Saturday, have reached the endzone only three times so far this season. The Ravens are averaging 217.8 yards total offense, 3.8 yards per carry and 5.0 points. Defensively, they allow 304 yards, 19.3 first downs and 16.8 points a game.

Senior Bryce Macina is listed as the starting QB for Franklin Pierce. He's split playing time with Kevaris Thomas this season and has completed 57 percent of his passes for 298 yards and one TD. Neither QB has been intercepted on their combined 108 attempts.

Graduate running back EJ Burgess was the NE10 Offensive Player of the Year in 2021 when he ran for 1,204 yards and ten touchdowns. This season, he's gained 244 yards with a high of 75 against Edinboro.

Key contributors on defense include junior free safety Tyvarius Daniels, with 19 tackles and two interceptions, and junior end Chris Yeboah, with three sacks.

Bentley and Franklin Pierce have met twice previously with the Falcons winning both, including 24-14 last season in a game they recovered four fumbles.

Next Saturday, Bentley will be back at home for a 12 noon encounter with currently unbeaten Saint Anselm College. This Saturday, the Hawks are at home against New Haven.

BENTLEY BRIEFS: In the red zone, Bentley has scored 94% of the time with 11 touchdowns and five field goals in 17 trips. On the other hand, Franklin Pierce is just one of six (17%) … defensively, the Falcons' red zone percentage is 73% and the Ravens are at 67% … Bentley junior kicker Mason Campbell (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) has scored 29 points with five field goals and 14 extra points … Branch is one of 13 semifinalists from Division II for the National Football Foundation's Campbell Trophy for academic, athletic and community service. Earlier this season, he was one of 22 college football players named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team … Reynolds is in his first season as Bentley's head coach after spending the previous four as an assistant, including two as defensive coordinator. His resume includes 19 years as a defensive assistant coach in the NFL.