LEWISTON, Maine -- Bates football head coach Matt Coyne takes on his alma mater for the fourth time as the Bobcats host defending NESCAC champion Wesleyan Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Garcelon Field.

The Bobcats stunned the Cardinals last year in Middletown, handing Wesleyan their only loss of the season. 

Both teams boast top-5 offenses through two NESCAC games this season, with Wesleyan ranking second in the conference at 25.5 points per game and Bates checking in at 19.5 points per game, good for fifth. It will be strength vs. strength as Bates ranks third in the NESCAC at 133.5 rushing yards per game and Wesleyan ranks third in rush defense, giving up only 75 yards per game on the ground.
 

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THE PARTICULARS:

What: Bates (1-1) vs. Wesleyan (1-1)

When: Sat., Sept. 27, 1 p.m.

Where: Garcelon Field (Lewiston, Maine)

Live Coverage: Video | Stats

All-Time Series: Wesleyan leads 37-5

Previous Meeting: Bates 24, Wesleyan 13 (Sept. 28, 2024 in Middletown, Conn.)

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WESLEYAN'S LAST TIME OUT:

A late AJ Morris interception with 5:39 left and the Cardinals trailing by eight set up a dramatic ending that saw the Wesleyan score a touchdown with 1:57 remaining, but the would-be two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful. Tufts went on to recover the onside kick attempt and ran out the clock in a 22-20 win for the Jumbos on Saturday night from Ellis Oval.

Wesleyan's defense played well throughout, allowing just nine first downs and 219 yards from the Tufts offense. Dylan Connors led the Cardinals with nine tackles and one tackle for loss. Aiden Nelson broke up two passes and Morris came up with his second interception in as many games to start the year.
 
The Cardinal offense rushed for 124 yards on 32 carries, with four Wesleyan players rushing for at least 25 yards apiece. Junior quarterback Matt Fitzsimons went 14-for-24 throwing for 137 yards and 1 TD. First-year wide receiver Donte Kelly led the pass catchers with five catches for 67 yards. 

BATES' LAST TIME OUT:

The Bates football team got off to a slow start on Saturday and the Bobcats weren't able to recover in a 30-13 loss to Trinity at Jessee/Miller Field. 

The Bantams (1-1 NESCAC) led 20-0 at halftime and added a long touchdown early in the third quarter to go up by 27 points. The Bobcats (1-1 NESCAC) pulled to within 14 with 12:07 remaining, but that was as close as they'd get.

Bates junior captain running back Ryan Lynskey (Cranford, N.J.) had to work hard to gain a team-high 59 rushing yards on 22 carries. He scored both Bobcat touchdowns in the contest, a five-yard run with 5:18 left in the third quarter and a four-yard plunge to cut the deficit to 27-13 early in the fourth quarter.

Senior captain Sergio Beltran (East Palo Alto, Calif.) led the Bobcats in both passing (3-4 for 58 yards) and receiving (3 catches for 39 yards) on the afternoon. When passing the ball, he connected twice with sophomore Quinn Carver (Boston) for 39 yards and once with sophomore Jeff Vidou (Cornish, N.H.) for 15 yards. Vidou also ran the ball four times for 24 yards. 

Sophomore linebacker Carmel Crunk (Lancaster, Calif.) tallied a game-high 16 total tackles and broke up a pass. Meanwhile, junior Michael Spencer (Mansfield, Texas) added 12 tackles with a team-high six solo stops. Junior captain Ryan Rozich (Cromwell, Conn.) had a big game, tallying 11 total tackles while also blocking a kick and intercepting a pass.

BATES' AND WESLEYAN'S LAST MEETING:

The Bates football team executed in all three phases of the game, defeating previously unbeaten Wesleyan on the road by a score of 24-13, making some history in the process.

The Bobcats beat the Cardinals for the first time since 2005, and for the first time in Middletown, Conn. since 1981. 

In a breakthrough performance against Bates head coach Matt Coyne's alma mater, the Bobcats took a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter and never surrendered it. 

With Wesleyan leading 3-0, senior captain Matt Juneau (Wakefield, Mass.) recovered a fumble by Cardinal quarterback Niko Candido with 2:11 remaining in the first quarter. Taking over at their own 41, the Bobcats picked up a first down on third and five when senior captain Colton Bosselait (Westminster, Mass.) found Sergio Beltran (East Palo Alto, Calif.) for six yards to the Wesleyan 48. Beltran broke one tackle after making the catch and got the yards they needed for the first down before going out of bounds.

Ryan Lynskey (Cranford, N.J.) plunged forward for five yards to wrap up the first quarter, and on the first play of the second quarter, Bosselait found Ryan Gleason (Millbury, Mass.) on a quick hitter to the far side for 16 yards and a first down to the Wesleyan 27. On third and seven from the Wesleyan 24, Lynskey took a hand-off from Bosselait, got a great block from Jake Walters (West Lafayette, Ind.) and cut it outside for the go-ahead touchdown, a 24-yard scamper to the house. Marcos Ruiz (Haskell, N.J.) made the extra point and Bates led 7-3 with 13:15 remaining until halftime.

Lynksey's performance was one for the books, as he ran the ball 23 times for a career-high 121 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. 

The Cardinals moved the ball on their next drive, but they botched a field goal attempt when the holder dropped the snap. Samuel Christopher (Los Angeles) chased him down for a 14-yard loss and a turnover on downs. 

Then Bates used the big play to really put the Cardinals in a hole. On third and three from their own 41, quarterback Seneca Moore (Lansing, Mich.) handed the ball off to Lynskey, and the breakout star of the season so far on offense for Bates bounced it to the outside and took it all the way, 59 yards, for the touchdown. Ruiz made the extra point and the Bobcats led 14-3 with 6:13 left in the second quarter.

But the Cardinals bounced back quickly. On third and nine from their own 13, Candido connected with Chase Wilson for an 87-yard touchdown pass, trimming the Bates lead to 14-10 after the extra point.

The teams traded punts to end the first half, leaving Bates up by four.

Big plays continued to be a theme, as the Bobcats got the ball to start the third quarter. Facing a third and 12 from their own 14, Bosselait dropped back and found one-on-one coverage on the outside. He lofted a perfect pass to Gleason, who beat his defender and took it 86 yards for a touchdown, making the score 21-10 after Ruiz made the extra point. The Bosselait to Gleason pitch-and-catch is the longest forward pass in Bates football history, breaking the previous record of 84 yards, set in 1999 by Matt Bazirgan '00, with his pass to Jason Coulie '00 vs. Hamilton.

Gleason finished the afternoon with five catches for a game-high 119 yards and a touchdown.

A holding call on the ensuing kick-off pinned Wesleyan at their own 11. The Cardinals were able to move the ball to the Bates 49. But on a third and 13, they tried to hit Wilson deep, and Christopher broke up the pass, forcing a punt.

The Bobcats were forced to punt as well, and once against Wesleyan was able to move the ball. They ended the third quarter facing a third and goal with the ball at the Bates nine yard line. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Candido found Blake Newcomb for an eight-yard gain over the middle. Jack Morrison (Manchester Center, Vt.) was able to make a touchdown saving tackle for Bates, setting up fourth and goal at the one. An offsides call against Bates moved the ball to the one-half yard line. Candido took the snap, rolled to his left, and with a pair of Bobcats hunting him, fired a pass to Wilson in the end zone. Marquez Narvaez-Estrada (Montgomery Village, Md.) was there in coverage and broke up the pass, giving Bates a huge defensive stop.

Bates was forced to punt though, and Wesleyan got the ball back with great field position at the Bobcat 27. They got it down to the Bates 15, but the defense held again, forcing a field goal attempt. Wesleyan kicker Gage Hammond made the 33-yarder, cutting the Bates lead to 21-13 with 9:52 remaining in regulation.

Starting at their own 25, the Bobcats ate some clock on their next drive, matriculating the ball down the field. Bosselait continued to be on-target, finding Gleason and senior captain Steven Guerrette (Bow, N.H.) for first downs on the drive. On third and two from the Wesleyan 23, Lynskey gained a yard, setting up a fourth down. Instead of going for the first down, Coyne trusted his young kicker, and Ruiz did not disappoint, nailing a 38-yard field goal to cap off a drive that took just under eight minutes.

Now down by 11, the Cardinals got the ball back with 1:50 to play. They got the ball to the Bates 40 before linebacker Ryan Rozich (Cromwell, Conn.) broke up a pass over the middle with a big hit on Wilson, giving the ball back to Bates and sealing the win.