LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates football team returns home Saturday to host Middlebury at 1 p.m. in NESCAC action on Garcelon Field.
The visiting Panthers have one of the top rushers and one of the top pass catchers in the conference. Connor McClellan is averaging 67.2 yards per game on the ground, second in the NESCAC. He leads the conference with eight rushing touchdowns. Jordan Angstreich is second in the NESCAC in receiving at 89.8 yards per contest. Overall, the Middlebury offense is sixth in the conference in scoring at 18.6 points per game. They are fourth in scoring defense, allowing just 16.0 points per game.
Meanwhile the Bobcats are ninth in both scoring offense (8.6 ppg) and defense (31.4 ppg) on the season.
Bates' breakout performer this year has been sophomore linebacker
Liam Keaney (Swampscott, Mass.), who leads the NESCAC and ranks 14th in NCAA Division III in sacks at 1.10 per game.
The Bobcats are hoping to beat the Panthers for the second straight time at home, as two years ago they knocked off Middlebury 21-20 at Garcelon Field.
THE PARTICULARS:
What: Bates (0-5) vs. Middlebury (2-3)
When: Saturday, Oct. 24, 1 p.m.
Where: Garcelon Field (Lewiston, Maine)
Live Coverage: Video | Stats
All-Time Series: Middlebury leads 50-15-3
Previous Meeting: Middlebury 34, Bates 16 (Oct. 25, 2025 in Middlebury, Vt.)
MIDDLEBURY LAST WEEK:
The Middlebury football team battled to within one score at the end of the second quarter, but Williams held on for a 20-10 win last Saturday.
The Ephs got on the scoreboard first with 1:25 left in the first quarter. Panther punter Ty Brinkmann pinned the visitors at their own one-yard line. Williams methodically moved the ball down the field with a 14-play, 93-yard drive spanning 7:06. Leonardo Maiuolo capped the drive with a 23-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.
On the first play from scrimmage, Andrew Kreakie forced a fumble and Luke Mangini scooped it up and returned it to the Middlebury 24. Williams cashed in five plays later when quarterback Drew Weiler connected with Jimmy Montesano on a five-yard touchdown strike. Maiuolo converted the extra point to make it 10-0 with 13:35 showing on the clock.
After a pair of three-and-outs from each side, Aidan Moss guided the Middlebury offense down the field with a 14-play drive covering 71 yards highlighted by a 21-yard catch by Jordan Angstreich. Yaseen Mousa concluded the drive by splitting the uprights from 30 yards to cut the deficit to 10-3 at the 3:21 mark.
An interception by Wyatt Cotton on the first play of the next Middlebury drive gave Williams possession at the Panther 28. Weiler found Zach Falls on the second play in the corner of the end zone with 1:22 on the clock. Maiuolo converted the PAT for a 17-3 lead.
The hosts responded with a hurry-up approach, scampering down the field to pay dirt. Moss went 8-for-8 on the drive, connecting with Luis Kuehberger for 14 yards, Parker Loupessis for 16 and Angstreich for strikes of 18 and 14 yards. After a timeout, Moss rolled out and found Loupessis in the back corner of the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown. Mousa banged through the extra point to make it 17-10 with 10 seconds left.
The third quarter showcased both defensive units with four combined punts and a turnover on downs.
A Middlebury fumble on its 28-yard line with 11:02 remaining in the fourth quarter gave the Ephs good field position. The Panther defense stood tall, limiting the visitors to a 34-yard field goal for a 20-10 edge with 7:40 remaining.
The Panthers looked to put together a comeback attempt, but the Eph defense forced a turnover on downs near midfield and ran out the clock for the final 20-10 score.
BATES LAST WEEK:
The Wesleyan University Cardinals scored a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter to set the tone as the hosts defeated the Bates football team 34-8 in NESCAC action Saturday afternoon.
The game started with an 11-play, 58-yard drive from the Wesleyan offense that took 7:24 off the clock. But the Bobcats (0-5 NESCAC) stood tall, with junior
Major Spencer III (Mansfield, Texas) and senior
Camden Zambrowicz (Sandown, N.H.) teaming up to stuff Cardinal running back Matt Diaz on fourth and one from the Bates 12.
The Bates offense couldn't take advantage of the big stop, going three-and-out on a drive that started with Wesleyan's Dylan Minnick recording a sack to put the Bobcats behind the sticks.
Wesleyan (5-0 NESCAC) took over at their own 47 after a Bates punt, and on 3rd and 10 from the Bates 41, Cardinal quarterback Matt Fitzsimons found Diego Velez for a 41-yard touchdown.
The Bobcats fumbled the ball away on the first place from scrimmage on their next possession, giving the Cardinals the ball deep in Bates territory at the 24-yard line. The Bobcat defense did force the Cardinals to go for on it on fourth and eight from the 22, but Fitzsimons was able to find Blake Newcomb for a first down to the Bates 11.
Two Diaz runs later and the Cardinals led 14-0 with 28 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Bates offense continued to struggle, going three-and-out on their next possession. The Cardinals proceeded to go 57 yards on seven plays for their third touchdown of the first half, going up 21-0 on an Angelo LaRose four-yard touchdown with 11:50 left until halftime.
Bates and Wesleyan traded punts and interceptions for the remainder of the first half, with sophomore
Liam Keaney (Swampscott, Mass.) notching a pick for the Bobcats.
The Cardinals got the ball to begin the third quarter thanks to a Bates fumble on the opening kick-off. Fortunately, the Bobcat defense held strong, with first-year
Emmanuel Lizardo (Haverhill, Mass.) blocking a Gage Hammond 25-yard field goal to keep the Cardinals off the board.
Bates could get nothing going on offense, picking up one first down before being force to punt. Wesleyan took over at their own 31 and on third and 12 Fitzsimons found Newcomb for 55 yards to the Bates 16. Two Diaz runs were all the Cardinals needed for another touchdown, going up 27-0.
The Bobcats got on the board in an unusual way, with Lizardo blocking the PAT and Spencer III returning the ball 100 yards for two points.
Bates got the ball back but managed a lone first down before being forced to punt. The punt got tipped and only traveled 19 yards, giving the Cardinals a first down at their own 44. They took advantage of the good field position, with Fitzsimons running the ball in from 15 yards out for a 34-2 lead with 13:20 left in regulation after the PAT.
The teams traded punts before the Bobcats went on their only touchdown drive of the game. First-year running back
Ryan Foley (Foxborough, Mass.) sparked the offense, ripping off runs of eight, seven, and 15 yards. The Bobcats also got some help from a targeting penalty on the Cardinals. On third and goal from the six, Foley punched it in to make the score 34-8 with 6:27 left. The extra point was no good and neither team scored down the stretch.
Foley carried the ball 17 times for 76 yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. The Bobcats only completed 8-25 passes for 73 yards through the air. Meanwhile, Fitzsimons completed 19-33 passes for 243 yards and a touchdown. Diaz ran the ball 20 times for 103 yards and two scores.
Spencer III had a big day for Bates on defense, tallying 15 total tackles, including 11 solo stops. Senior captain
Ryan Rozich (Cromwell, Conn.) added nine tackles and one sack.
The Cardinals out gained Bates 422 to 142 yards in total offense on the day.
BATES AND MIDDLEBURY'S LAST MEETING:
The Bates football team kept things close until the fourth quarter as the host Middlebury College Panthers scored the final 10 points of the game to pull away for a 34-16 win over the Bobcats in NESCAC action.
Turnovers hurt Bates down the stretch, with two interceptions and a muffed punt in the fourth quarter sealing their fate.
Trailing 24-10, the Bobcats inched closer late in the third quarter, going on a nine-play, 75-yard drive to pull to within one score. The drive started with a big 41-yard completion from senior quarterback
Jack Perry (Newbury, Mass.) to
Jeff Vidou (Cornish, N.H.) as the Bobcats quickly moved the ball into Middlebury territory. On third and 10 from the Middlebury 34, Vidou caught another pass, this one for nine yards down to the 25. On fourth down, running back
Michael Seward (New Haven, Conn.) picked up the yard he needed to move the chains, extending the drive.
Perry rushed for eight yards on the next play and a personal foul on Middlebury moved the ball down to the Panther eight. On third and goal from the six, Perry found senior
Matthew Holmes (Carpinteria, Calif.) in the middle of the end zone for the latter's second touchdown of the season, trimming the deficit to 24-16 with 2:08 left in the third quarter.
The Bates defense forced a punt on the ensuing Middlebury drive, giving the Bobcats a chance to drive down the field early in the fourth quarter and potentially tie the game. But on first and 10 from the Bates 35, Middlebury's James Woodward intercepted a Perry deep ball at the Panther 37.
Bates stood tall on defense again, forcing another punt. But this time, the ball hit the Bobcat return man and the Panthers grabbed it, getting possession back deep in Bates territory at the 12-yard line. Once again, the defense did their part, holding Middlebury to a field goal as the Panthers went up by 11 at 27-16 with 6:21 remaining in regulation.
Unfortunately, another interception, this one by Middlebury's Charlie Grant, gave the ball right back to the home team. And this time, the Panthers turned it into a touchdown. Connor McClellan ran the ball in from six yards out to cap off an eight-play, 47-yard drive, icing the game.
Saturday's contest could not have started better for the Bobcats, as they received the opening kick and immediately marched 78 yards on 12 plays. On fourth and nine from the Middlebury 29, the Bobcats went for it and Perry found
Quinn Carver (Boston) for 26 yards down to the three. Seward punched it in from there for his first collegiate touchdown and
Marcos Ruiz (Haskell, N.J.) made the extra point to put Bates up 7-0 with 8:18 left in the opening quarter.
The Bates defense forced a three-and-out on Middlebury's opening drive and the ensuing punt only traveled 17 yards, giving the visitors great field position at the Panther 48. They got the ball down to the Middlebury 27 before a sack of Perry moved the ball back to the 34. They opted to punt from there and senior
Parker Huynh-Benningfield (Austin, Texas) pinned the home team at their own four.
But the Middlebury offense had the answer, going 96 yards on 12 plays, capped off by a Caleb Smith six-yard touchdown run with 12:30 left in the second quarter, knotting the game at seven.
Bates went three-and-out on offense and Middlebury took the lead for good on their next drive, going 68 yards on 10 plays. McClellan punched it in from one yard out with 5:03 remaining until halftime and the Panthers went ahead 14-7.
A Ruiz 24-yard field goal with 2:42 left until the intermission cut the deficit to 14-10. But the Panthers opened the second half with a McClellan nine-yard touchdown run and a Tony Wang 33-yard field goal to go up 24-10 with 5:34 left in the third quarter.
McClellan carried the ball 31 times for 121 yards and three touchdowns for the Panthers. Smith added 11 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Brian Moran completed 20-30 passes for 222 yards. Perry completed 14-28 passes for 243 yards and a touchdown. But he threw three interceptions and also got sacked twice. Seward carried the ball 11 times for 29 yards and a touchdown. Vidou caught three passes for a game-high 115 yards. Jordan Angstreich paced Middlebury with four catches for 70 yards.
Ryan Rozich (Cromwell, Conn.) and
Carmel Crunk (Lancaster, Calif.) both tallied a career-high 19 tackles in the contest, with Crunk notching six solo stops and Rozich five. Rozich had one tackle for loss and Crunk had half a tackle for loss.
Ryan Kimmel (Jeannette, Pa.) and
Ryan DeMayo (Concord, Mass.) both sacked the quarterback once for Bates.
Shane Johnson had seven tackles and a fumble recovery for the Panthers.
Middlebury tallied 391 yards of total offense to 291 for the Bobcats. Playing without their top two running backs, the Bobcats managed just 48 rushing yards on the day.
The Panthers held onto the ball for more than 36 minutes and converted 9-16 third-down opportunities. The Bobcats were 4-12 on third down.
