WALTHAM, Mass. – After a bye week, it's back to business for the Bentley University Falcons, one of three Northeast-10 football teams with only one conference loss as the schedule turns to November.

Saturday at noon, coach Alvin Reynolds' Falcons will host American International College in the last of six home games this season. It will be Bentley's Senior Day with the Falcons from the Class of 2023 being honored postgame.

Following a 4-0 October that saw Bentley allow only one touchdown and outscore its opponents by exactly 100 points (113-13), the Falcons are 6-2 overall and 4-1 NE10. With two weeks left in the regular season, they are tied with New Haven and Assumption for first in the conference in the loss column. All three were listed in this week's NCAA Division II Super Region 1 rankings with Assumption fourth, New Haven eighth and Bentley ninth.

AIC will make the trip from Springfield in search of its first win of the season. The 0-8 Yellow Jackets came close last Saturday before falling to Southern Connecticut State in overtime, 23-22, on a missed extra point try.

The Bentley defense, which has held four of its last six opponents under 200 yards total offense, has climbed to number one in Division II in fewest points allowed (9.8), red zone defense (47.6%) and fewest first downs allowed (99), and is also third in total defense (220.1). In October, the opponents entered the red zone 10 times and came away with only one touchdown and one field goal. That included only a field goal in five red zone trips by Southern Connecticut in the Falcons' most recent contest, a 24-3 win.

While many players have contributed to the team's defensive success, most of the notoriety has gone to the experienced trio of defensive end Cedie Dashiell II (Buena Park, Calif./Buena Park HS), linebacker Salvatore Lupoli Jr. (Chelmsford/Chelmsford HS) and cornerback Jailen Branch (Randolph/Milton Academy).

Dashiell II, last year's Defensive Lineman of the Year in the Northeast-10, has 8.5 sacks this season, resulting in losses of 84 yards, along with four forced fumbles. Among active Division II players, he is tied for first in career forced fumbles (11) and is sixth in career sacks (28.5).

Lupoli Jr. leads the Northeast-10 in tackles with 80 after coming up with 14 in the Southern Connecticut win. That performance resulted in him being recognized as the NE10 Defensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week.

Branch, who was named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team earlier this fall, is one of three NE10 players with four interceptions this season.

Other defensive notables have included senior linebacker Christian Lanzalotto (Rumson, N.J./ Rumson-Fair Haven HS) and senior defensive back Mathieu Severance (Lynn/Lynn English HS) and Joseph Howshan (Lawrence/Central Catholic HS). Lanzalotto has 44 tackles, Howshan has four takeaways and Severance is third in the NE10 in pass break-ups (10).

The offense, which ranks second in the NE10 in scoring and third in total yards, is led by quarterback Mark Waid (Cortland, Ohio/Girard HS), a graduate transfer from Youngstown State. He's made his mark for the Falcons this fall with his 552 rushing yards third most in the conference and his 14 touchdown passes fourth most.

Senior tailback Nate Larkins (Huntington, N.Y./John Glenn HS) leads the NE10 in rushing touchdowns (7) and has twice run for 100 yards. Junior Vinnie Holmes (Mansfield/Mansfield HS) is coming off the best rushing performance on his career (17 for 94 yards against Southern Connecticut).

Through the air, sophomore Isaiah Decias (Ozone Park, N.Y./Hudson Catholic HS) has 17 receptions for 292 yards, both team-best totals, and seniors Noah Neville (Boston/Newton North HS) and Abel Lopes Jr. (Scituate/Scituate HS) each have caught four TD passes.

The offensive line, which includes 6-9, 330-pound graduate tackle Gavin Olsen (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset HS), is the best in the conference in terms of sacks allowed, having given up only eight all season.

Special teams have also been a plus with junior placekicker Mason Campbell (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) the NE10's number one scorer (58 points). He's perfect on 28 extra points and 10 of 12 on field goals. Senior punter Charlie Ogletree (Needham/Needham HS) has also been solid with his 39.5 average second best in the conference.

Positives for AIC have included 15 takeaways, five blocked kicks and the play of wide receiver Dahvey Hicks. His 41 receptions are a conference-best and his 539 yards rank second. QB Brandon Robinson is number two in the NE10 in passing yards (1,567) but he's been hampered by interceptions, throwing 15.

As a team, the Yellow Jackets have turned the ball over 26 times and been outscored 275-109. The offense has picked it up in recent weeks, putting up 34 in a loss to Pace Oct. 15 and 22 in last Saturday's OT loss.

Bentley, 15-12 all-time against AIC, has won six of the last seven meetings in the series, including 35-27 a year ago out in Springfield. In that one, Larkin rushed for 131 yards and two TDs as the Falcons overcame a 14-0 second-quarter deficit.

Bentley will wrap up the regular season Nov. 12 at Pace University, the second meeting of the season between the two programs. Back on Sept. 10 in a game considered non-conference, the Falcons prevailed 41-20 in Waltham.

BENTLEY BRIEFS: Since mid-season 2019, Bentley has won 20 of its last 24 games, including 11 of 12 on the home turf … Neville, who has 19 career TD catches, is two receptions away from the century mark … Bentley has had the edge in time of possession in six of the last seven games … The Falcons have scored on 89 percent of their redzone trips, have converted 38 percent of their third downs and are 9 of 14 on fourth down tries … Bentley's defense has allowed only one TD in the last 18 quarters. The only other touchdown given up during that stretch came on a fumble recovery and return.