LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates football team looks to win its third consecutive game when the Bobcats welcome Middlebury to town Saturday afternoon for a 1pm kick at Garcelon Field. 

Bates (2-3) won 27-23 at Amherst two weeks ago and followed that up with a 21-14 win over Bowdoin last Saturday. The Panthers (4-1) are coming off a 27-21 loss to Trinity but the Bobcats have not defeated Middlebury in football since 1988. 

The Panthers sport the second ranked defense in the NESCAC, giving up just 12 points per game. Their offense is ranked fourth in the conference at 22.4 points per game. Bates will need to focus on stopping Middlebury pass catcher Donovan Wood, who ranks second in the NESCAC with 607 receiving yards on the year and a conference-high seven touchdowns. 

Middlebury quarterback Cole Kennon has aired it out this season, averaging 334.5 passing yards per game with seven touchdowns and only one interception. Back-up QB Ben Tauber is averaging 183.3 passing yards per game with five touchdowns and four interceptions. Bates sophomore QB Colton Bosselait (Westminster, Mass.) averages 191.5 passing yards per game, with five touchdowns and seven interceptions. Senior Mohamed Diawara (Philadelphia, Pa.) ranks eighth in the NESCAC with 65.6 receiving yards per game.   

The Panthers do not run the ball very much, ranking second to last in the conference with 71.8 yards per game on the ground. Bates averages 92.6 rushing yards per game, fifth in the NESCAC.

Finn Muldoon is Middlebury's leading tackler at nine per game, third in the conference. Bates senior captain and reigning NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week Tony Hooks (New Rochelle, N.Y.) leads the conference in tackling and is tied for fifth in all of NCAA Division III at 12.2 per game.

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THE PARTICULARS:

What: Bates (2-3) vs. Middlebury (4-1)

When: Saturday, Oct. 22, 1 p.m.

Where: Garcelon Field (Lewiston, Maine)

Live Coverage: Video | Stats

All-Time Series: Middlebury leads 47-14-3

Previous Meeting: Middlebury 24, Bates 0 (Sept. 25, 2021 in Middlebury, Vt.)

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MIDDLEBURY LAST WEEK:

Trailing 21-0 in the third quarter, the Middlebury football team mounted an impressive comeback attempt, knotting the contest with under five minutes remaining in the game. Trinity scored with just over a minute to go and held the Panthers at bay for the 27-21 win.

The Bantams slowly made their way down the field on the opening drive, making it 7-0 with a three-yard touchdown rush by Colin McCabe and an extra point from Matthew Jumes.

Middlebury responded on its ensuing possession. Cole Kennon connected with Anson Clough on a 60-yard pass, putting the Panthers on the five-yard line. Two plays later, it appeared that the Panthers scored a touchdown when Patrick Jamin caught a three-yard pass and darted into the endzone, but the ball came loose. The officials ruled the play a fumble and a Trinity recovery, nullifying the touchdown.

With under five minutes to go in the second quarter, Trinity struck again. This time, Spencer Fetter hooked up with Devante Reed for a 12-yard scoring strike, and the extra point by Jumes gave the Bantams a 14-0 lead at halftime.

With 5:39 left in the third quarter, Fetter connected with Thomas Walsh on a 14-yard touchdown pass, before Jumes made it 21-0 with the PAT.

The Panthers mounted their comeback attempt on the next possession. Kennon launched a 57-yard pass to Jamin, before the two combined for a two-yard scoring strike on the next play. Andrew Haas converted the extra point to make it 21-7.

Middlebury carried its momentum into the final quarter. Kennon found Greg Livingston in the endzone for a 36-yard scoring strike, before Haas put the Panthers within one touchdown (21-14).

On its next drive, Middlebury marched down the field from its own 36-yard line. Kennon eventually found Donovan Wood for a 25-yard touchdown, and Haas' PAT deadlocked the contest 21-21 with 3:15 to go in the game.

Trinity answered on its next possession, slowly making its way down the field before a three-yard rushing touchdown by McCabe made it 27-21 with just over a minute remaining.

BATES LAST WEEK:

Senior captain Tony Hooks set a Bates football program record with 23 total tackles and the Bobcats defeated Bowdoin 21-14 under the lights Saturday at Garcelon Field.

The Bobcats (2-3) never trailed in the contest, beating Bowdoin (1-4) for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons. 

Hooks (New Rochelle, N.Y.) broke a program record set in 1996 by Mike Holte '97, when Holte made 21 total tackles against Colby. Nine of Hooks' 23 tackles on Saturday against Bowdoin were solo stops. He had one tackle for loss in the contest.

Bates got on the board in the first quarter. The Bobcat defense forced a three-and-out on the opening drive of the contest, setting up sophomore quarterback Colton Bosselait (Westminster, Mass.) and the offense with good field position at the Bowdoin 48.

On third and 10, he found senior receiver Mohamed Diawara (Philadelphia, Pa.) for a gain of 11 yards to the Bowdoin 37. On second and seven, sophomore Jamil Mouehla (Harrington Park, N.J.) ran for 10 yards to the Bowdoin 24. But a sack of Bosselait combined with a couple of incomplete passes left the Bobcats facing a 4th down, with 14 yards needed for a first down.

They got 28.

Bosselait lofted a pass to the end zone over the outstretched hands of a Bowdoin defender and senior Jackson Hayes (San Marino, Calif.) reeled it in for the touchdown, putting Bates up 7-0 with 10:01 to go in the first quarter after junior Archie Green Jr. (Upland, Calif.) made the extra point.

The Polar Bears got the ball to the Bates 14-yard line on their next drive but senior Jack Ryan (Cornwall on Hudson, N.Y.) recovered an Andre Eden fumble.

The teams traded punts for the rest of the first and into the second quarter.

With 5:06 remaining until halftime, the Bobcats stopped Bowdoin on downs after the Polar Bears got the ball to the Bates 28. Three straight incomplete passes gave Bates the ball back, and the Bobcats made the most of it. 

On 3rd and 11, Bosselait connected with Diawara for 15 yards to the Bates 42. The Bobcats committed a false start, but Bosselait connected with senior Christian Olivieri (Hull, Mass.) over the middle and the speedy receiver raced all the way to the Bowdoin two-yard line for a 61-yard reception. Aidan MacNeil made the touchdown saving tackle for the Polar Bears.

A holding call backed Bates up to the 12. Then Bosselait called his own number and scampered into the end zone for the touchdown, putting the Bobcats up 14-0 with 1:19 left in the half after Green Jr. made the extra point. 

A big sack by senior Thomas Formus (Ridgefield, Conn.) ended Bowdoin's next drive and Bates took a 14-0 lead into the half.

Bates got the ball to start the second half but the Polar Bears forced a three-and-out and got the ball at the Bates 49-yard line after the Bobcats punted. The visitors went on a nine-play, 49-yard drive, capped off by an Eden 10-yard rushing touchdown up the middle on fourth and one, trimming the Bates lead to 14-7 with 8:44 to go in the third quarter.

The teams traded punts and Bates struck again midway through the third. Facing a third and eight at their own 40, the Bobcats took advantage of an all-out blitz from Bowdoin. Bosselait escaped the pressure and went on a 60-yard jaunt for six points, his second rushing touchdown of the night. Green Jr. made the extra point and Bates led 21-7 with 4:09 left in the quarter.

Bowdoin drove deep into Bates territory after Trent Lipsett picked off a Bosselait pass to start the fourth quarter. But on 3rd and 12 at the Bates 15, the Bobcats returned the favor when junior defensive lineman Kyle Hamilton (White River Junction, Vt.) made a leaping interception of an Andrew Boel pass at the Bates 18-yard line with 9:08 remaining in regulation.

The Polar Bears continued to put the pressure on Bates, getting a fourth and one at the Bobcat 28 with just over five minutes left. But Boel fumbled on a QB sneak attempt and sophomore Finn Duffey (Scituate, Mass.) fell on the loose ball for Bates.

Bowdoin did cut into the Bates lead late in the contest, as Boel found Brendan King for a 31-yard touchdown with 1:25 remaining. 

But the ensuing onside kick bounced off a Bates player out of bounds, securing a second straight win for the Bobcats.

BATES' AND MIDDLEBURY'S LAST MEETING:

The Bates football team's defense held its own but the Bobcat offense couldn't get anything going in a 24-0 loss at Middlebury.

Middlebury out-gained Bates 355-201 en route to the victory. 

The Panthers got on the board right away on their opening drive, going 72 yards on eight plays in 2:32. Peter Scibilia had a 12-yard rush, while quarterback Will Jernigan found Donovan Wood for an 18-yard connection as key plays on the drive. Jernigan later rushed for 18 yards on a pair of carries before connecting with Greg Livingston for an 11-yard touchdown strike.

The Panthers made it a 10-0 game at the 12:25 mark of the second quarter with a 20-yard field goal from Andrew Hass.

Late in the quarter, Jernigan connected with Scibilia for 12 yards and Livingston for 38, setting up his own three-yard keeper for the 17-0 advantage.

The Panthers added to their 17-point halftime lead early in the third quarter. An interception by Gordon Pollock left the hosts at midfield. Scibilia ground out 14 yards rushing, before Jernigan broke free on an option play for a 20-yard touchdown run.

Bates threatened several times in the fourth quarter, but the Panther defense held the Bobcats at bay. Kieran Sheridan broke up a pass on a fourth and eight play from the Middlebury 10 to end one drive, before picking off a pass at the Panther 10 on the next series. Nate Stewart recorded his second interception of the day late in the game.

BATES' PROBABLE STARTERS:

OFFENSE
LT 73 Peter Simplicio Jr. 6-5 280 
LG 76 Quinn Woods Sr. 6-2 275
C  71 Nick Florio Sr. 6-0 265
RG 77 Cameron Winslow Sr. 6-4 306
RT 63 Cole De Magistris Jr. 6-4 270 
TE 89 Steven Guerrette Jr. 6-3 225 
WR 7 Mohamed Diawara Sr. 6-1 180
WR 32 Christian Olivieri Sr. 5-11 200
WR 1 Jackson Hayes Sr. 5-9 165 
QB 8 Colton Bosselait So. 6-0 200
RB 33 Jamil Mouehla So. 5-11 190

DEFENSE
DL 94 Matthew Juneau So. 6-1 220
DL 98 Kyle Hamilton Jr. 6-3 230
DL 93 Drew Kremhelmer So. 6-0 275
DL 52 Jack Ryan Sr. 6-2 255
LB 17 Thomas Formus Sr. 6-0 205
LB 5 Tony Hooks Sr. 6-1 225
LB 23 George Hawkins III Jr. 6-1 205 
CB 21 Owen Straley Sr. 5-9 165
CB 2 Mohamed Coulibaly Sr. 6-0 180
S 24 Jarrin Sato Jr. 5-8 170
S 14 Jose Calleja Sr. 5-10 175

SPECIALIST
P/K 35 Archie Green Jr. Jr. 5-11 190 

MIDDLEBURY'S PROBABLE STARTERS:

OFFENSE
OL 53 Leonardo Urena Jr. 6-2 285
OL 67 Thomas Perry So. 6-3 300
OL 70 Sam Messina Sr. 6-8 325
OL 74 Charles Farrell Sr. 6-3 285
OL 75 Chris Fink Jr. 6-3 290
TE 89 Anson Clough Sr. 6-7 265
WR 2 Greg Livingston Sr. 5-11 175
WR 20 Patrick Jamin So. 6-0 195
WR 84 Donovan Wood Jr. 6-1 195
QB 10 Cole Kennon Jr. 6-3 215
RB 32 LeeCharles McNeil Sr. 5-9 195

DEFENSE
DL 21 Tomas Kenary Jr. 6-3 255
DL 92 Dave Filias So. 6-1 255
DL 95 Macken McDonald Jr. 6-1 295
LB 7 Kwesi Adu-Diawuo Jr. 6-1 217
LB 26 Jordan Ramos Sr. 5-8 185
LB 44 John McCool Sr. 6-1 210
LB 52 Cole Wiseman So. 6-0 210
DB 2 Nolan Tibball Jr. 6-1 200
DB 25 Liam Roy Sr. 5-9 180
DB 28 Adam Harrington Jr. 6-0 200
DB 49 Finn Muldoon Jr. 6-1 205

SPECIALISTS
K 42 Andrew Haas So. 5-10 185
P 86 Cole Crider Jr. 6-0 195