The Bowdoin College football team will open its 124th season Saturday when they host Williams College. Both teams are coming off 2-6 seasons a year ago.
Saturday's game will be the 73rd meeting all-time between the squads and, due to the rotating NESCAC schedule, the first meeting between the teams at Whittier Field in Brunswick since 2011.
LIVE COVERAGE
Bowdoin will provide live coverage of Saturday's game via live statistics and video webcast, with instant replay, on the Northeast Sports Network. Links are available above.
POLAR BEAR PREVIEW
Saturday marks the beginning of the JB Wells era at Bowdoin as the first-year head coach takes the helm as 29th head coach in the history of the program. He assumes a roster that brings back 14 starters from last year's squad. Among those returning are junior running back Tyler Grant (226 carries, 893 yards, 8 TD), who was the first Polar Bear in league history to lead the NESCAC in rushing in 2014. Senior linebackers Brendan Lawler (55 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries) and Branden Morin (55 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception) will pace the Bowdoin defense.
Most recently the head coach at Endicott College (75-48 in 12 seasons), Wells will look to lead the Polar Bears to their first season-opening win since they defeated Middlebury in the 2009 opener. The new head coach will also look to become the first Bowdoin coach to win his first game since Peter Kostacopoulos won his debut in 1965 over WPI.
SCOUTING THE EPHS
The Ephs return 13 of 22 starters on both sides of the ball this season, including senior quarterback Austin Lommen (1,495 yds., 7 TD), who ranked third in the NESCAC in passing a year ago. Defensively, Williams brings back senior linebacker James O'Grady (64 tackles) and junior cornerback Justin Harris (42 tackles) from last year's squad.
Head coach Aaron Kelton begins his 6th season in charge of the Ephs. He owns a 21-19 career record as head coach at Williams.
LAST MEETING
Last year in Williamstown, the Ephs celebrated the opening of Farley-Lamb Field with a 36-0 victory. Alex Scyocurka rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns to spark a Williams offense that accumulated 403 yards of total offense. Tyler Grant had 58 yards rushing in the loss for Bowdoin, who committed three turnovers and suffered its first shutout loss since 2012.
BOWDOIN vs. WILLIAMS
Including the win last autumn, the Ephs have won three consecutive games in the series overall. Bowdoin's last victory came in 2007, 28-14, at Whittier Field. The Ephs hold a 51-15-6 advantage in the all-time series.