As October hits Massachusetts in full force, the football team is beginning to catch its stride and look like a force in the NESCAC. After a pair of victories to open up the season, the Jeffs pushed their record to 4-0 in the last two weeks, triumphing over both Middlebury and Colby.

Fueled by a punishing running attack and a tenacious defense, the football team pummeled Bowdoin 20-3 on a soggy Pratt Field last Saturday. The Jeffs improved to 2-0 with the victory, having beaten Bates 20-7 last week.

While the offense played solid, unspectacular football, it was the dominating defense that again paved the way to victory. The Jeffs tormented Bowdoin quarterback Grant White into throwing three interceptions, and held the Polar Bears to just 94 passing yards and 74 rushing yards — a miniscule 2.43 yards per play.

The football team opened its season with a gritty road performance at Bates, bringing home a win to right the ship after losing the last game of the 2010 season to Williams.

While Amherst has a recent history of dominating the Bobcats, this game was competitive from the outset.