The Bates football team pulled out an impressive win in their season opener against Amherst on Saturday, September 13. The game came to a dramatic close with a double-overtime field goal to secure a Bates victory 26-23. The win over Amherst served as a welcome back to the visiting Bates football alumni who were on campus to celebrate the 150-year anniversary of the football program.
Alumni filled the stands with an exciting energy as they shared anecdotes from their years on the field and marveled at the growth of the football community. Many graduates remarked on the crowd being significantly larger than they had remembered from the 1980s and 90s.
Bates received the ball in the first half, marking the debut of Sergio Beltran ‘26 as the starting quarterback. After a scoreless first 15 minutes, the second quarter opened with a 25-yard pass from Beltran to wide receiver Damien DiGiovine, followed immediately by another 12-yard pass to Jeff Vidou. Unfortunately, the Bobcats were unable to convert the promising drive into a score, getting stopped on a fourth down on the one-yard line by the Amherst defense.
After a scoreless Amherst drive, a 38-yard punt from Amherst kicker Kemit Fisher put the Bobcats in good field position on their own 45 yard line, an advantage furthered by two Amherst penalties conceding another 30 yards.
Quarterback Jack Perry ‘26 capitalized on the opportunity with a 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Walters ‘27 with six seconds left on the clock before halftime. The half finished with Bates up 7-0.
Coming out of halftime, the Mammoths responded with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Marek Hill to Keith Delaney to tie the game. Amherst kept their momentum with Hudson Fulcher kicking a 34-yard field goal. A fumble recovery from Amherst linebacker Carson Skotak set up their offense for another touchdown which brought the score to 16-7.
The Bobcats’ offense fought to get back in the game, but another fumble recovered by the Mammoths resulted in a touchdown putting Bates down by 16 points going into the final quarter.
With 12:33 left in the game, the momentum finally shifted to the Bobcats. A fumble from Amherst recovered by Ryan Rozich on Amherst’s 29 yard line gave the offense an opportunity to punch in another score. A 19-yard touchdown pass from Perry to Vidou brought the score to 23-13.
The Bates defense held the next three Amherst possessions to a total of 5:28, and an interception from defensive tackle Shane Broughton ‘26 gave the offense time for two successful drives.
The first drive resulted in a 27-yard field goal from Marcos Ruiz ‘27. The second drive saw an impressive 35-yard touchdown pass from Perry to Quinn Carver ‘28, tying the game at 23-23 with 1:52 left in regulation time.
The clock hit zero with both teams tied at 23-23, bringing the game into overtime. In overtime, each team got a possession starting on their opponent’s 25 yard line. Both possessions were scoreless and the game proceeded into double-overtime.
It was the Bates defense who opened the door to victory with a big stop. The Bobcats capitalized with a significant nine-yard run from running back Ryan Lynskey ’27 followed by subsequent runs from Jack Morrall ‘26 and Beltran. Left-kicker Ruiz concluded the run with a 24-yard field goal attempt that he drilled right through the goal posts, securing the win for Bates.
As the scoreboard flashed to reflect the 26-23 final score, Bates football players and staff rushed the field as the stands erupted in cheers. The Bobcats are now 1-0 for the season and face Trinity College on the road this weekend.
