When: Today, 1 p.m.

Where: Vendetti Field, Dudley, Mass.

Records: Coast Guard 1-2 overall, 0-0 New England Football Conference; Nichols 1-2, 0-0.

Last week: Coast Guard lost to No. 25 Hampden-Sydney 56-0; Nichols defeated Becker 10-3.

Players to watch: Coast Guard, QB Derek Victory (48-for-94, 483 yards, 3TDs, 4 INT), RB Jake Wawrzyniak (39 carries, 149 yards, 3 TDs), TE Jordan Groff (9 catches, 141 yards, 2 TDs), WR Collis Brown (10 catches, 84 yards, 1 TD), WR Bryan Popp (19 catches, 188 yards), DE Aaron Black (23 tackles, 1 sack), DB Joe Rizzardi (28 tackles), DB Eli Maurer (13 tackles, 3 INT).

Nichols, QB Quillian Respass (24-for-54, 269 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 52 carries, 208 yards, 2 TDs), WR Jarvis Harris (8 catches, 62 yards), DB Connor Richard (26 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss).

Analysis: Coast Guard heads into game No. 2 of a three-game road trip needing to bounce back from last week's long trip to play No. 25 Hampden-Sydney (Va.), a 56-0 loss. The Bears topped Nichols last year 37-20 in what was Victory's first career start at quarterback, getting a pair of interception returns for touchdowns by Rizzardi. Nichols broke a 10-game losing streak with last week's victory over Becker, the first career win for new coach Dale Olmstead. Coast Guard coach Bill George, however, issues the following cautions about Nichols: 1) Respass is a talented running quarterback and 2) the Bison's offensive line is gigantic. Among Nichols' starting linemen are left guard Thomas Perci (6-foot-3, 340 pounds), right guard Robert Ricci (6-4, 304) and right tackle Joe Richardson (6-8, 359). "We've been on a little bit of a rollercoaster ride, from the high of the highs (win over rival Merchant Marine on Sept. 13) to the low of the lows," George said. "We've got to move the ball, keep the defense off the field … we've got to get back on track." … Endicott was picked to win the eight-team NEFC. Coast Guard was selected sixth and Nichols eighth. … One of Nichols' captains is senior cornerback Paul Craig of New London. Also listed on the Bison's depth chart are offensive lineman Kevin Panganiban, a Fitch High graduate, and Dean Beebe, a freshman from East Lyme, who is a backup safety as well as the team's holder.

- Vickie Fulkerson