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BOWDOIN FOOTBALL Weekly Preview - Tufts Game

The Bowdoin College football team heads to Medford, Massachusetts, on Saturday to battle Tufts University in the 114th meeting between the teams at Zimman Field. Kick-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

LIVE COVERAGE

Fans can follow the game live online with live statistics at GoUBears.com or a video webcast on the Tufts JumboCast Network.

LAST WEEK

Last week at Amherst, the Mammoths build a 22-0 halftime lead that Bowdoin couldn't overcome in an eventual 36-14 loss.

Bowdoin actually recorded more first downs than Amherst (19-18) thanks to a number of long drives, as Nate Richam-Odoi totaled 106 yards on 23 carries to become the first Polar Bear to rush for more than 100 yards in three straight games since the institution of NESCAC play in 2000. Joe Gowetski made nine tackles, including two for a loss, while Alex Tyson recorded two sacks.

Alex Tyson

POLAR BEAR NOTES

Bowdoin tailback Nate Richam-Odoi now leads the NESCAC in rushing with 478 yards (95.6/game) and is 166 yards shy of surpassing 1,000 yards in his career.

Junior Gregory Olson is tied for fourth in the NESCAC with 23 receptions this year, surpassing his sophomore year total of 22, and has totaled 200 yards receiving on the season.

Gregory Olson

Richam-Odoi (577 yards) and Brendan Ward (562) are third and fourth in the NESCAC, respectively, in All-Purpose yardage. Linebacker Joe Gowetski stands ninth in the conference with 36 total tackles.

Brendan Ward

The Polar Bears are second in the league in time of possession (32:06 average per game) and continue to lead the conference in red zone percentage, scoring at a 79% clip inside the opposing 20.

SCOUTING THE JUMBOS

ROLLER COASTER RIDE

The Jumbos have enjoyed an up-and-down campaign, opening the season with a dramatic win over Trinity and then losing double-digit games to Williams and Amherst. They opened October with a five-point road win at Bates and then lost by a touchdown at Wesleyan last weekend.

The Jumbos are pass-heavy, standing second in the NESCAC in passing yards per game (255.2) and ranking last in rushing (86.8).

Quarterback Jacob Carroll is third in the league in passing yards (1,083) and has completed 59.2% of his passes this fall. His top target is O.J. Armstrong, who leads the conference in receptions (35). Defensively, Greg Holt leads the Jumbos, standing second in the league in tackles (51)

LAST MEETING

Last year at Whittier Field, Tufts posted its first shutout since November of 2006, defeating Bowdoin 28-0. The Jumbos got 231 yards passing from Ryan McDonald, on 19-25 attempts, with two TD's as they rolled up 522 yards of total offense in the win. Austin McCrum completed 21-47 passes for 162 yards while Gregory Olson caught six passes for 68 yards.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday will be the 114th meeting between the two long-time rivals with Tufts holding a 62-49-2 advantage in the all-time series. Tufts has won the last four meetings after Bowdoin claimed five in a row from 2010-14. The most noteworthy matchup in recent memory came in 2011, when Bowdoin became the first team in NCAA football history to return two 99+ yard interceptions for a touchdown in the same game. Bowdoin's Joey Cleary (99) and Griffin Cardew (100) were featured on ESPN, NBC Sports and Sports Illustrated for the feat.

Photos courtesy of Brian Beard/CIPhotography.com