WALTHAM, Mass. – Fresh off its first win of the season - and two more Northeast-10 honors - the Bentley football team continues its stretch of road games when it kicks off at Southern Connecticut State Saturday, Sept. 23, at 12 p.m.

Birds of a feather

Vinnie Holmes and Mason Campbell both earned NE10 weekly honors following the Falcons' 40-13 win at Post (Sept. 16). Holmes was named the Offensive Player of the Week after he rushed for 260 yards against the Eagles and averaged 8.4 yards per carry. He broke an 81-yard run on the first play from scrimmage, and added a rushing TD in the fourth quarter. His rushing total was the third-most in a single game in program history. It's also the most rushing yards by a Division-II player so far this season. Campbell was named the Special Teams Player of the Week by accounting for 10 points with field goals of 33 and 29 yards, and four extra points. He had three touchbacks on seven kickoffs, and averaged 54.9 yards per kickoff. This is the second time in his career he's been named Special Teams Player of the Week. It's also the second time this season a Bentley player has won the award after Tajon Vassar for Week 2 of the season.

There's no place like Holmes

Vinnie Holmes leads the NE10 rushing, and it's not even close. He is averaging 142.7 rushing yards per game. The second-best rusher in the conference is a familiar face – Mark Waid (81.7).  

On the Mark

Mark Waid threw three touchdown passes in Bentley's win over Post, tying his second-best career mark. He also threw for three touchdowns in a 41-0 win at Franklin Pierce in 2022. Waid's career-best is five touchdown passes in a 38-7 home win against St. Anselm last year.

More than Abel

Abel Lopes Jr., who was Bentley's second-leading receiver in 2022, had his best game of the brief 2023 season at Post. Lopes finished with 54 receiving yards on four receptions and a touchdown.

Vassar is faster

Tajon Vassar came up with his first interception of the season at Post, returning it 48 yards down to Posts' 17-yard line. Two weeks ago at home against New Haven, Vassar set a Bentley record by turning a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. He was subsequently named the NE10 Special Teams Player of the Week.

Getting it done on both sides

Bentley has the conference's leading defense in terms of yard allowed per game (238.3), and the offense ranks second in total yards per game (369.3)

Local feature

David Brown Jr., a native of Lynn, Mass., was recently featured in the Lynn Item. Click here to read his story.

Scouting Southern Connecticut (0-3, 0-1)

The winless Owls have lost to Shepherd, Assumption, and New Haven so far this season. Despite the record, Southern Connecticut puts up a respectable 332.0 yards per game (total offense). The team's 233.7 passing yards per game ranks third in the NE10, with quarterback Keith Ridley accounting for all of those yards. Shawn Martin is averaging 6.4 yards per carry, and has 173 rushing yards so far. Tylon Papallo is the popular target in the passing game with 21 receptions for 257 yards in three games. Defensively, Joe DiGello accounts for half of the team's four sacks for the season.