WATERVILLE, Me. – In a rain-soaked affair, mistakes on special teams proved costly for the Wesleyan football team in a 20-13 overtime loss to Colby on Saturday afternoon from Seaverns Field. The loss drops the Cardinals to 3-1 on the season while the Mules (2-2) snap a 12-game losing streak to Wesleyan, earning their first win over the Cardinals since 2010.
 
Heavy rainfall made for a difficult environment, while the Mules played a stellar game on the defensive end, holding the high-flying Wesleyan offense to just 237 yards of total offense. Even with all the trouble moving the ball, the Cardinals still had an opportunity to win the game in regulation as Wesleyan started a drive from the Colby 39-yard line with 2:01 remaining and the game tied 13-13. The Cardinals could only muster 18 yards of offense on six plays, setting up a game-winning 37-yard field goal attempt but problems getting the hold down on time saw Daniel Yoon '24 see his attempt blocked.
 
Colby wasted no time in the overtime period, as Thomas Keeling hit Jack Sawyer on a post pattern for a 25-yard touchdown on the first play of OT. Wesleyan took possession needing a touchdown and got to a 1^st-and-goal from the 10-yard line but could only gain three yards in the proceeding four plays as the Mules celebrated a long-awaited win over the Cardinals.
 
The blocked field goal attempt that would have won the game in regulation capped off a game that saw Wesleyan miss an extra point and fumble a kickoff return in the first half. After generating 400+ yards of offense in all three games to start the season, the Cardinals failed to hit the 250-mark as Colby's defense came in with a gameplan and executed.
 
Wesleyan's defense came in and played just as well as their counterparts, as the Mules were sacked six times and gained just 294 yards including 82 on the ground in 43 attempts (1.9 yards per rush). Six different Cardinals registered at least half a sack while DL Declan Welch '26 played his best game as a Cardinal, posting seven tackles (six solo) with two sacks, both career-highs.
 
The Cardinal offense took advantage of a Colby special teams miscue in the early going, as a snap over the punter's head set the Cardinals up with a 1^st-and-10 from the Colby 33-yard line. QB Niko Candido '25 hit TE Matt Luttenberger '24 with a 30-yard completion on the first play of the game on offense for Wesleyan and just two plays later, Candido found WR Chase Wilson '25 for a 1-yard touchdown pass to make it 6-0, but a missed extra point ended up looming large in the outcome as the game played out.
 
Colby found their groove on offense on the next series, marching 75 yards down the field on 14 plays to take a 7-6 lead as Keeling connected with Sawyer for a 9-yard pitch-and-catch along the near side. The Mules converted three third downs as well as a 4^th-and-7 play on the lengthy drive that lasted well over six minutes.
 
The Mules had a golden opportunity as the kickoff following the touchdown was fumbled and recovered by Sebastian Romai at the Wesleyan 27-yard line. However, the Cardinal defense stood their ground with the Mules in the red zone and a costly 15-yard offensive pass interference turned what would have been a 23-yard field goal into a 38-yard attempt that hit the right up right.
 
Both offenses struggled throughout the remainder of the first half, with the lone points coming on a 42-yard field goal from Colby's Chris Tzoumakas to make it 10-6 Mules at the half.
 
Wesleyan's offense suddenly came to life after five straight drives without points, the Cardinals went 93 yards down the field on 12 plays for a score. RB Tyler Flynn '26 began the drive with a 15-yard rush up the middle and Candido later hit Wilson for a big 26-yard pass as the Cardinals crossed midfield into Colby territory. After converting a 4^th-and-5 play, TB Ezra Jenifer '23 gained 12 yards on the ground and Wilson scored from 18 yards out just one play later.
 
The Cardinal defense continued to hold strong as the game entered the fourth quarter, with Colby eventually tying the score with a 31-yard field goal with 6:51 remaining.
 
On the next Cardinal possession, Candido found WR Thomas Elkhoury '24 for a 42-yard bomb that ended at the Colby 31-yard line. Armed with momentum, the Cardinals were stymied by the Colby defense, going backwards 22 yards as a personal foul penalty and sack had the ball back at the Wesleyan 47-yard line. Gage Hammond '27 then stepped up to punt and saw a beauty mishandled by the Mules' returner, as he muffed the punt before ultimately falling on the ball inside the Colby 1-yard line.
 
A three-and-out followed, with Colby punting back to Wesleyan, setting up the final minutes that ended with the missed field goal as time expired in regulation.
 
Candido finished the game with 158 yards and 2 TD and 0 INT but struggled to find receivers as he finished just 13-for-30 on his attempts while being sacked six times. Flynn led the ground game with 42 yards on 11 carries. Wilson scored two more touchdowns, giving him six over the last two games and seven on the season.
 
The Cardinals look to rebound next week with a trip to Tufts on Saturday for a game that'll be played under the lights with a 6:30 PM start.