BRUNSWICK, Maine – The Bowdoin College football team scored a pair of first-half touchdowns and used a stellar defensive effort to earn a 17-9 Senior Day win over Bates Saturday at Whittier Field. The Polar Bears improve to 2-6 on the season while the Bobcats fall to 2-6.
The win sets up a de facto CBB championship game next Saturday in Waterville between Bowdoin and Colby, who both defeated Bates this year.
Game Highlights
- After a scoreless opening quarter, Bowdoin scored twice in the second quarter to build a 14-0 halftime lead.
- On a third-and-4 at the Bates 48, Soren Hummel found Ty Connolly over the middle on a hook pattern. Connolly shook off a defender and sprinted 48 yards to paydirt for a 7-0 Bowdoin lead.
- Later in the period, Hummel connected with Jude Baker over the middle on a post from 32 yards out to make it 14-0 with under four minutes left in the half.
- That proved to be all Bowdoin's defense would need as they held Bates scoreless for the first 55:18 of the contest, allowing no Bobcat first downs in the third quarter.
- Caden Perry connected from 30 yards out early in the fourth quarter, pushing Bowdoin's lead to 17-0.
- Bates added a pair of late, desperation scores, on a 22-yard touchdown run by Jeff Vidou and a 24-yard field goal by Marcos Ruiz that closed the gap to 17-9 with 1:07 to go, but couldn't recover an onside kick to extend the game.
By The Numbers
- Bates out-gained Bowdoin 285-187, but 154 of that came in the fourth quarter.
- The Polar Bear offense was efficient in the first half and won the battle of field possession in the second half to seal the victory. Soren Hummel went 13-21 for 130 yards passing and two touchdowns.
- Ty Connolly rushed 16 times for 42 yards and caught four passes for 55. Jude Baker added six catches for 60 yards.
- Angus Leary was all over the field, making six tackles, including 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. Zach Taylor had seven tackles, including 1.5 for a loss, and a fumble recovery.
- Ferris Collins and KJ Beckett had interceptions for Bowdoin, who totaled five sacks on the day.
- Caden Perry connected on both PAT's, hit a 30-yard field goal that effectively clinched the victory, and punted nine times for an average of 41.2 yards with five tucked inside the Bates 20.
- The win is the third straight for Bowdoin against Bates, the longest winning streak for the Polar Bears against their Lewiston foes since winning five straight between 2004-2008.
Up Next
- Bowdoin will travel to Waterville next Saturday, November 8 (5:00 p.m.) for the CBB title game. Colby will be looking to retain the crown they won last year and Bowdoin will be looking reclaim the trophy after a one year hiatus.