Oct 25, 2014
LEWISTON, Maine --- Colby College had leads of 14-0, 21-7, and 28-21 before Bates College scored with 33 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and then scored again in overtime for a 34-28 win over the Mules in NESCAC football Saturday at Garcelon Field.
The Mules (1-5 overall) have suffered two dramatic road losses in Colby-Bates-Bowdoin (CBB) play in the last two rivalry games. Colby dropped its season finale last year at Bowdoin College on a "Hail Mary" pass.
The Mules seemed on their way to victory a number of times in the game, but can now settle only for a three-way tie for the CBB title. Colby will hope for Bowdoin to win at home against Bates (2-4) next Saturday. The Mules then would have a chance for a tie with a win over the Polar Bears at home on Nov. 8.
The game was extremely close statistically, with Bates recording 22 first downs to Colby's 21. Both squads averaged 4.7 yards per play. In total yards, Bates had a slight 341-339 edge before a 25-yard scoring pass in overtime gave the Bobcats 366 yards.
The overtime period begins with each team getting a chance from the opponent's 25-yard line. The Mules had three straight incompletions and then missed on a 42-yard field goal attempt.
After Bates gained no yards on a pass completion, Bobcat quarterback Matt Cannone got some time and found Frank Williams up the middle of the field for the winning points on a 25-yard pass play.
Williams had no catches in the game until he tied the game with 33 seconds to play in regulation on a 3-yard pass play from Cannone. The touchdown came on fourth down.
Colby, with a 28-21 lead, was trying to take time off the clock. On a 3rd-and-6 play, the Mules fumbled the ball away with 2:06 to play at the their own 18-yard line. Bates used seven plays, including a 3rd-and-2 conversion, to get the tying score.
Colby, after scoring 40 points in the first half against Hamilton last Saturday, got off to another great start. The Mules scored the first two touchdowns of the game to go up 14-0.
Mule sophomore quarterback Gabe Harrington tossed a 23-yard scoring pass to Ryder Arsenault for the first score to cap a 10-play, 79-yard drive.
The next drive was even longer at 87 yards, but took just six plays after Harrington threw a 51-yard touchdown to Nick Joseph with 2:45 left in the first quarter.
Bates quickly got back in the game when Cannone found Mark Riley, his favorite target this year, on a 22-yard touchdown pass with just nine seconds left in the first quarter.
After a scoreless second quarter, Harrington and Joseph hooked up again on a 51-yard touchdown reception for a 21-7 lead with 5:18 left in the third quarter.
The Bobcats scored four of the next five touchdowns in the final 20:18 to pull out the win. Shaun Carroll caught a 14-yard touchdown from Cannone with 2:05 left in the third quarter and Tyler Janssen added a 35-yard scoring run with 14:35 to play in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 21-21.
The Mules answered the challenge and drove 70 yards on six plays, capped off by a 13-yard touchdown pass from Harrington to Arsenault with 11:33 to go. Harrington has thrown eight scoring passes in the last two games.
Riley led all receivers with 109 yards on five catches. The Bobcats added 163 yards of total rushing.
Harrington had 234 yards passing and found Mbasa Mayikana and Arsenault five times apiece. Joseph had the two touchdown catches for 110 yards.
Colby's CT Harris had one sack among his 10 tackles and finished with three for loss. Tony Atkinson also had 10 tackles for the Mules. Jason Buco had his fifth interception of the season, while receivers Joseph and Luke Duncklee played both ways and made seven tackles each while working in the defensive backfield.
Colby heads to Tufts next Saturday for a 12:30 p.m. start.
Bates 34, Colby 28, OT
Colby............... 14 0 7 7 0 - 28
Bates............... 7 0 7 14 6 - 34
Scoring Summary:
1st 08:03 Colby - Ryder Arsenault 23 yd pass from Gabe Harrington (Louw Scheepers kick)
02:45 Colby - Nick Joseph 59 yd pass from Gabe Harrington (Louw Scheepers kick)
00:09 Bates - M. Riley 22 yd pass from M. Cannone (G. DeWald kick), 6-60 2:29
3rd 05:18 Colby - Nick Joseph 51 yd pass from Gabe Harrington (Louw Scheepers kick)
02:05 Bates - S. Carroll 14 yd pass from M. Cannone (G. DeWald kick)
4th 14:35 Bates - T. Janssen 35 yd run (G. DeWald kick)
11:33 Colby - Ryder Arsenault 13 yd pass from Gabe Harrington (Louw Scheepers kick)
00:33 Bates - F. Williams 3 yd pass from M. Cannone (G. DeWald kick)
OT 00:00 Bates - F. Williams 25 yd pass from M. Cannone
COL14FB BAT
FIRST DOWNS................... 21 22
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............ 34-105 46-163
PASSING YDS (NET)............. 234 203
Passes Att-Comp-Int........... 38-13-1 32-18-1
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS..... 72-339 78-366
Fumble Returns-Yards.......... 0-0 0-0
Punt Returns-Yards............ 7-46 1-4
Kickoff Returns-Yards......... 4-70 3-82
Interception Returns-Yards.... 1-0 1-25
Punts (Number-Avg)............ 5-38.8 8-39.2
Fumbles-Lost.................. 2-1 1-1
Penalties-Yards............... 7-73 10-120
Possession Time............... 43:17 31:43
Third-Down Conversions........ 6 of 15 7 of 17
Fourth-Down Conversions....... 1 of 3 1 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances....... 1-1 2-4
Sacks By: Number-Yards........ 1-9 2-19
RUSHING: Colby-Jabari Hurdle-Price 13-54; Robert Murray 11-39; Luke Duncklee 4-11; Gabe Harrington 6-0; Jesse Eddy 0-1. Bates-I. Reese 14-48; T. Janssen 4-41; S. Carroll 5-24; F. Williams 4-22; R. Spillane 5-21; M. Nichol 6-11; M. Cannone 8-minus 4.
PASSING: Colby-Gabe Harrington 13-38-1-234. Bates-M. Cannone 17-31-1-203; L. Combs 1-1-0-0.
RECEIVING: Colby-Mbasa Mayikana 5-59; Ryder Arsenault 5-58; Nick Joseph 2-110; David Von Euw 1-7. Bates-M. Riley 5-109; S. Carroll 4-33; M. Tomaino 4-27; F. Williams 2-28; M. Nichol 2-5; I. Reese 1-1.
INTERCEPTIONS: Colby-Jason Buco 1-0. Bates-J. Freedland 1-25.
FUMBLES: Colby-Jabari Hurdle-Price 1-1; Gabe Harrington 1-0. Bates-M. Cannone 1-1.
Stadium: Garcelon Field Attendance: 3200