MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – NESCAC football at its finest. That's about the only way in which one would describe the outcome of Saturday's battle between Wesleyan and Bowdoin on Andrus.
 
It was all Bowdoin in the first half before back-to-back defensive touchdowns kick started a stretch of 35 unanswered points for Wesleyan. Leading 35-7 entering the fourth quarter, the Cardinals saw the Polar Bears score 23 unanswered points including three touchdowns over a six-minute span, to set up an onside kick with 56 seconds left.
 
On what was their third onside kick attempt in the game, Bowdoin again came up unsuccessful, with WR Thomas Elkhoury '24 falling on the ball for the third straight time, this time ending a wild, roller coaster contest in Middletown with a 35-30 Cardinal victory.
 
There is very little logic in the Wesleyan win as Bowdoin's offense was a buzzsaw for most of play, gaining 542 total yards including 444 through the air. Even the Polar Bear defense was tremendous for most of the game, holding Wesleyan's offense to just 254 yards. Time of possession was 40-20 in favor of the visitors who also picked up 30 first downs compared to 16 for the Cardinals.
 
Where the game went completely wrong for the Polar Bears was a 15-minute stretch from the late stages of the second quarter through most of the third quarter where the Cardinals scored all 35 of their points.
 
The first play that kick started the surge came with 4:30 left in the second quarter and with Bowdoin's offense driving in Wesleyan territory once again. On the 10^th play of the drive, Andrew Boel was strip sacked by DL Colton Weier '24, with LB Jake Edwards '24 picking up the loose ball and running 59 yards to the house to tie the score at 7-7.
 
On the very next Bowdoin drive, the Polar Bears again crossed midfield but Boel was intercepted by LB Kade Doverspike '24 who made a couple of Bowdoin offensive players miss on a 55-yard touchdown return and suddenly it was 14-7 Wesleyan.
 
The Cardinal defense came up big once again before halftime, forcing a three-and-out, and Wesleyan's offense finally strung together some plays before a sack with just two seconds left looked to ruin chances of extending the lead. On the last play of the half, QB Niko Candido '25 had time and looked to his left where WR Chase Wilson '25 was left alone in the back corner of the end zone. The 27-yard scoring strike had Wesleyan leading 21-7 at the break despite having the ball for just seven minutes on offense in the entire half.
 
Receiving the kickoff to start the second half, Wesleyan put together an 8-play, 75-yard drive with Wilson picking up 42 yards on a 3^rd-and-7 play to push the Cardinals inside the red zone. Three plays later, RB Ezra Jenifer '23 took a handoff left and crossed the goal line untouched to make it 28-7 Cardinals.
 
Bowdoin's offense continued to stall before another TD scoring drive from Wesleyan, this time a 10-play, 77-yard possession capped off by Elkhoury scoring on an 18-yard pitch-and-catch from Candido as it was 35-7 Cardinals with 2:27 left in the third quarter.
 
It was still 35-7 Cardinals entering the fourth when Bowdoin mounted a ferocious comeback bid. The run started with a safety as Koy Price tackled RB Tyler Flynn '26 in the end zone to give Bowdoin two points.
 
On the ensuing Polar Bear drive, Boel found Brendan King on a roll out passing play to the right as the deficit lowered to 35-15 with 6:50 left.
 
Getting the ball back on their own 8-yard line and just 4:27 left on the clock, Bowdoin was all but assured of defeat but that didn't stop the Polar Bear offense from connecting on passing plays of 20, 31, and 39 yards as King scored again, followed by a two-point conversion and it was 35-23 Cardinals.
 
Another unsuccessful onside kick followed by a Wesleyan three-and-out gave Bowdoin the ball back with 2:17 remaining. The Polar Bears then went 85 yards down the field on 11 plays in a drive that lasted just 1:25 of game clock, capped by King's third straight TD to make it 35-30 and set up a pressure-packed onside kick, that Elkhoury recovered to seal the Wesleyan victory.
 
Candido finished with 216 passing yards on just 12 completions with 2 TD and 1 INT. Wilson finished with 86 receiving yards on four catches and a score while Eklhoury also had four catches for 58 yards and 1 TD. Jenifer led the rushing attack with 46 yards on seven carries.
 
Defensively, DB Dylan Connors '26 had a career day with 14 tackles including 11 solo stops. Connors' previous career-high for tackles was three as the sophomore defensive back was all over the field on defense and special teams for the Cardinals.
 
Edwards (11) and Carbeau (10) also had double-digit tackle totals. DL Declan Welch '26 recoded 1.5 sacks while DB Jack Nally '24 had two pass breakups and DB Sean Walker '25 had a blocked field goal.
 
Boel had a monster day with 431 yards on 31-for-51 passing with 4 TD and 1 INT. Colton Fahey totaled eight catches for 144 yards while King tied the school record with three receiving touchdowns to go along with seven catches for 90 yards. Luke Watson added seven catches for 85 yards.
 
Wesleyan is back at home again next Saturday for the Homecoming and Family Weekend, as the Cardinals play host to Little Three rival Amherst at 1 PM.