The Game: Saint Anselm returns to Grappone Stadium on Saturday with a Northeast-10 Conference game against the Bulldogs of Bryant College on Homecoming Weekend. Kickoff is slated for 12:00 PM.

Saturday's game will be the Northeast-10 Conference Game of the Week, and can be accessed via the NE-10 website at http://www.northeast10.org.

This is the first home game for Saint Anselm since September 27, a span of four games and 42 days. Last weekend, the Hawks broke into the win column for the first time this season with a 23-8 win over Division I-AA Siena College in Colonie, N.Y. The win broke a seven-game slide, the worst in the school's modern history, to move the team's record to 1-7 overall.

Bryant comes into Saturday's contest with a 3-5 record both overall and in league play. The Bulldogs suffered a 34-19 setback at Merrimack last weekend.

Series History: This series has been evenly matched and bitter at times with each team recorded two wins. Bryant won last year's meeting by a score of 25-13 in blistering winds at Bulldog Stadium. Bryant ran for 303 yards on 56 carries and the Bulldogs benefitted from two Saint Anselm turnovers in the red zone in winning the game. The last game played at Grappone Stadium as in 2001, won by the Hawks, 31-16. Each team is 1-1 at home. The Hawks will be looking for their second straight Homecoming win over Bryant.

Inside The Numbers: Saturday's matchup will likely be determined on the ground. Bryant leads the NE-10 in rushing yards per game at over 200 yards and will clash against a Saint Anselm team that held its last opponent, Division I-AA Siena, to just 96 yards on 44 carries (2.1 ypc). If forced to throw, Bryant could be in trouble. The Bulldogs are completing just 40- percent of their passes for 78 yards per game this season.

Saint Anselm ran for a season-high 190 yards last week against Siena. It marked just the second time this season that the Hawks have run for more than 100 yards as a team (107 at Assumption). The Hawks are next to last in rushing with just over 94 yards per game.

The Hawks will also look to get the ball deep in Bryant territory to exploit a statistical advantage. The Hawks lead the league in red zone scoring with 12 scores in 14 chances (86 -percent), and Bryant's defense is last, having allowed 25 scores in 26 chances with only a missed field goal going their way.

The Hawks will have to buckle down on defense and guard against the big play after having allowed 14 scoring plays of 35 yards or more so far this season.

Bryant: Bryant is led by quarterback Andre McLeod who accounts for 162 yards of total offense per game. The Bulldogs defense featured eight different players with at least 30 tackles but no one with more than 38. Jesse Lewis leads the NE-10 with six interceptions, and has returned two for touchdowns.

Saint Anselm: The Hawks held Division I-AA Siena to just 63 yards in the first half and led 23-0 en route to a 23-8 win over the Saints to break into the win column for the first time this season. The Hawks led 17-0 at halftime, marking the first time since September 27 that the Hawks have led a game. All told, the Hawks outgained Siena, 320-200, with 190 of those yards coming on the ground for a season-best.

The defense came up big, holding the Saints to just 94 rushing yards on 44 carries (2.1 yards per attempt). The team also came up with season-highs of seven quarterback sacks and 14 tackles for a loss in the game. In all, 10 different players registered a TFL, and eight different players recorded at least half a sack.

More DiMartino: With his hamstring injury as healthy as it has been all season, Derek DiMartino ran for a season-high 154 yards on 28 carries with two touchdowns. He scored on runs of one yard and 28 yards. His 28 carries fell one shy of his own single game record, set earlier this season. DiMartino has eight touchdowns this season, as well as all seven of the team's rushing TDs.

Sunny Side Up: Brian Sundell registered a career-high 18 total tackles (seven solo) last week, falling one shy of the school's single game record.

Ward's World: James Ward also had a good day last week, totaling 13 tackles (four solo, 2.5 for a loss)), one pass breakup, a sack, two forced fumbles, and one recovered fumble. Both forced fumbles led to Saint Anselm scores. He leads the team in tackles (72), TFLs (12.0), sacks (5.0-tied), forced fumbles (4), and is second with three interceptions.

DeMasi's Mark: Junior cornerback Michael DeMasi recorded his team-leading fourth interception of the season Saturday, giving him a school record 10 for his career.

Welcome Back: Junior DT Peter Kaufman returned from an injury Saturday to post 2.0 sacks and 3.0 TFLs for 17 yards.

Show Me Some Leg: Freshman kicker Michael Garcarz was 3-for-4 on field goal attempts and converted successive career-longs with a 41-yarder in the second quarter and a 47-yarder in the third. He now leads the NE-10 in made FGs and FG percent at 8-for-11 (.727), and has tied the Saint Anselm single season record for made attempts and percent.