SATURDAY'S GAME
The Bowdoin College football team (0-1) will host Middlebury (0-1) Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Whittier Field in the home opener of the 2026 Polar Bear football campaign.
 
TAILGATE AND PARKING INFORMATION
Click this parking map for on-campus parking options and walking paths to Whittier Field. Tailgate parking will open at 10:00 a.m. Saturday. All Bowdoin football home games are free admission. 

LIVE COVERAGE
For every Bowdoin game this fall, the Northeast Sports Network will provide live video coverage of Saturday's game. Additionally, Bowdoin football games will be carried live over the air as Radio Midcoast WCME will broadcast every Polar Bear home game live on 99.5FM and 900AM. Live statistics can also be found via GoUBears.com

DIGITAL PROGRAM
Beginning in the fall of 2021, the Bowdoin College Athletic Department made the change to digital game programs for all home events as part of an effort for a more sustainable campus, as well as providing up-to-the-minute information on game days. You can visit goubears.com/programs and/or scan the QR codes around the stadium on game day.

LAST WEEK
The Polar Bear defense kept Bowdoin within striking distance for most of the afternoon at Williams, forcing three turnovers and holding the Ephs to 93 yards through the air. Williams led 7-0 at halftime and 10-0 after three quarters before adding a touchdown midway through the fourth. Bowdoin broke through on its final possession as Soren Hummel connected with Conrad Babka for a 27-yard touchdown to account for the final 17-7 margin.

Middlebury surrendered 21 points in the second quarter to Wesleyan, falling by an eventual 35-13 decision at home. In his first career start quarterback Aidan Moss went 23-of-39 for 262 yards passing with a touchdown to go alongside a team-high 38 rushing yards.

BY THE NUMBERS
Through one week, the two teams have shown very different profiles. Middlebury has been the more productive offensive team, ranking fifth in the NESCAC with 332 total yards and fourth in passing at 262 yards, while generating 15 passing first downs — the third-highest total in the league. The Panthers, however, surrendered 413 yards and 35 points to Wesleyan, including a league-high 79.2 percent completion rate by their opponent.

Bowdoin's strength was clearly on the defensive side, particularly against the pass. The Polar Bears allowed a NESCAC-low 93 passing yards, intercepted two passes, and held Williams to just nine completions; their 84.8 opponent passing-efficiency rating was tied for third-best in the conference. Bowdoin also committed just one penalty for six yards, both league lows, but offensively managed only 202 total yards and a league-low 12 rushing yards in the opener.

Middlebury features the NESCAC's leading receiver, Jordan Angstreich, who caught 10 passes for 130 yards, and leading tackler Matt Shaw (13 tackles) after one week of action. Bowdoin had three different players record sacks and two different players record interceptions in its opener. Charlie Saurack is tied for sixth in the NESCAC with nine tackles and is tied for seventh with 1.5 tackles for loss while Zach Taylor and Steven Vargo each had an interception.

LAST MEETING
Last year in Vermont, Middlebury built a 24-3 third quarter lead en route to a 31-10 victory over Bowdoin. Middlebury totaled 426 yards of offense to just 96 for Bowdoin.
  
BOWDOIN vs. MIDDLEBURY – ALL TIME
Despite the long-time rivalry between the schools in most sports, the football teams have played just 30 times due to the NESCAC's rotating schedule prior to 2018. Middlebury has won 11 straight in the series dating back to 2012 with Bowdoin's last win coming in 2009 (the teams didn't play in 2010, '11, '14, '16 and '20). The Panthers lead the all-time series 22-7-1.