When: Saturday, 1 p.m.

Where: Cadet Memorial Field, New London.

Records: Springfield 2-2, 0-0 New England Men’s and Women’s Athletic Conference; Coast Guard 2-3 overall, 0-1 NEWMAC.

Players to watch: Springfield, QB David Wells (11-for-27, 270 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT; 57 carries, 255 yards, 3 TDs), FB Arsen Shtefan (38 carries, 263 yards, 5 TDs), FB Joseph Cannizzaro (47 carries, 245 yards, 2 TDs), LB DJ Brown (31 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, 1 sack), LB Billy Carr (17 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, 1 sack), DB Tyler Pohlman (18 tackles).

Coast Guard, QB Joey Armentrout (97-for-179, 1,309 yards, 7 TDs, 4 INTs), RB Spencer McMillion (116 carries, 676 yards, 11 TDs), WR Tafari Wall (29 catches, 389 yards, 1 TD), WR Broock Desta (24 catches, 365 yards, 5 TDs), DL Conner McGuire (30 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks), LB Connor Healy (42 tackles, 2 INT), LB Ethan Lasher (38 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, 1 sack, 3 INTs), DB Garrett Bragg (37 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss), DB Logan Morris (27 tackles, 2 INT), K-P Finnegan Hall (19 punts, 43.0 yards per kick; 16-for-19 PATs, 6-for-9 FGs).

Analysis: Coast Guard running back Spencer McMillion came into last week’s game against Norwich with 601 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns in the previous three games and was promptly injured (ankle) after six carries in what turned out to be a 31-23 loss in the Bears’ NEWMAC opener. “They were worried about stopping him,” Coast Guard coach C.C. Grant said of McMillion, whose availability for this week’s game is still uncertain. “They had the defense built up; when you have a running back with consecutive weeks with 200 yards, they started dropping a safety down into the box. Then when he got hurt, they figured, ‘They’re going to have a hard time running the ball without him.’” ... This week, the Bears defense will be put to the test against defending NEWMAC champion and league favorite Springfield, which beat Coast Guard 60-0 last season. The Coast Guard defense gave up scoring plays of 71, 45 and 58 yards against Norwich, something Grant knows the Bears cannot allow to happen if they hope to remain competitive in Week 6. “We’re going to have to play better on defense, very disciplined defensively,” Grant said of facing Springfield’s triple-option attack. “Possess the ball, put some first downs together, not make any major mistakes. They’re going to gain some yards on the ground; sometimes we can have a play defended perfectly and they’re still going to gain some yards.” ... Springfield is coming off a 49-7 win over Husson, in which the Pride piled up 540 yards offense, 429 yards rushing. Springfield’s defense contributed six sacks, with linebacker DJ Brown earning NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. ... Springfield offensive lineman Lou Cocozza was named earlier in the season as a national semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, college football’s premier scholar-athlete award. Cocozza was a first team All-American last season in leading the Pride to the NCAA tournament. ... East Lyme graduates Blane (halfback) and Cam Hart (linebacker) are juniors on the Springfield roster, while Fitch grad Aiden Greaves is a freshman wide receiver and NFA grad Joe Klick a sophomore defensive lineman. Blane Hart has three carries for 24 yards and a touchdown, while Cam Hart is the team’s fourth-leading tackler with 16 and has a sack and a pass breakup. Klick has a fumble recovery. ... Coast Guard QB Joey Armentrout was 24-for-42 passing for 346 yards, 2 TDs and no interceptions last week, adding 74 yards rushing on 18 carries. Said Grant: “He played great, with his legs, with his arm. He did everything he could to help us win.”

— Vickie Fulkerson