WHERE: Jessee/Miller Field at Tansill Muldoon Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut

WHEN: 1:30 p.m. Saturday

STREAMING: Northeast Sports Network

ALL-TIME SERIES: Trinity leads 43-6-2. The Bantams have won the last 24 meetings.

KEY STAT: 188, the number of pass attempts Trinity has without an interception. Bowdoin was the last team to do so on Nov. 18, 2023. The Bantams have completed 71.5% of their passes this season, the highest mark in the conference.

OUTLOOK: In the final out-of-state game of the season, Bowdoin will travel to Connecticut to take on Trinity, the defending NESCAC co-champions. Bowdoin fell at home to Wesleyan in a 17-14 game that included a negated Bowdoin defensive touchdown in the first quarter.

“Highly disappointed in the officiating,” head coach B.J. Hammer said. “Horrendous. One of the worst official officiating calls I have seen in 20 plus years of coaching and all my years as a player on a clear-as-day pitch fumble that Koy Price was scooping and scoring with. That was horrific, terrible officiating (that) needs to be reviewed…In a three-point score game, that’s a big-time play right there.”

Hammer acknowledged his team “can’t leave any doubt” and must finish drives so that games aren’t decided by things out of their control. Against Trinity, there will be no time to wait for a lucky bounce. The Bantams are coming off a 24-21 loss to Middlebury, its first defeat of the year.

Trinity boasts the NESCAC’s highest-scoring offense (30.7 ppg), most productive offense (397.3 ypg), as well as a top two defense (13.8 ppg, 288.0 ypg). Quarterback Zander Zebrowski leads the league in passing with 1,650 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 16-0. Wide receivers Nolan O’Brien (40 rec, 640 yards, 8 TD) and Sean Clapp (29 rec, 341 yards, 3 TD) are the first-year starter’s top targets and threats to race down the field. Tyler DiNapoli leads the Trinity ground attack with 76 carries for 338 yards and three touchdowns. Defensive end Jordan Atkinson has recorded two sacks in each of the last two games, but the return of Tim Ladka from injury should strengthen Bowdoin’s offensive line.

The Bowdoin defense still leads the NESCAC in sacks (29) and takeaways (12) and will have to continue its disruptive ways for the Polar Bears to have a chance. Mike Randall (2 TFL, FR in four games) will be available, rejoining Price (11 TFL), Aidan Reidy (10 TFL) and Kanoa Young (5.5 TFL) on the defensive line after an injury. Look for running back Luke Watson (14 touches, 121 scrimmage yards, TD last week against Wesleyan) to be more involved in the RPO offense.

“There are opportunities for explosive plays,” Hammer said. “We gotta find them, we gotta take them. That’s kind of a missing piece for us offensively.”

OF NOTE: The Bantams have lost only three games in the past four seasons…Trinity has the highest third down conversion rate in the conference with 44.1%…The Bowdoin defense sacked Wesleyan eight times last week, the highest single-game total in 20 years…Trinity leads the league in interceptions with nine…It is 20-for-20 in scoring on trips to the red zone, 17 of which have been for touchdowns…Two Trinity assistants have Maine connections; former Bridgton Academy coach Chris Simmons now coaches the offensive line, running backs coach Ricky Crayton has stops at Thomas College, Colby College and Maine Maritime Academy.