Venue & Logistics
Location: Garcelon Field, Lewiston, Maine (home of Bates College Bobcats)
Kickoff Time: 1:00 PM ET (10:00 AM PT)
Conference: New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) – both teams are league rivals
Weather Forecast (Lewiston, ME)
Temperature: ~68°F (20°C) at kickoff
Conditions: Partly sunny with scattered clouds
Winds: 5–9 mph from the northwest
Precipitation: ~15% chance of light showers
Impact: Mild fall conditions, no major weather disruptions expected
Injury Report (as of latest updates)
Wesleyan Cardinals: No major reported injuries; offensive line depth remains a watchpoint after a physical loss to Tufts.
Bates Bobcats: No confirmed long-term absences; defensive backfield rotation expected after conceding 30 to Trinity.
(Note: NESCAC programs often release limited injury details, so official confirmations may be sparse.)
Key Player Matchups
Quarterback Play:
Wesleyan’s QB has been efficient, leading a 31–17 win over Middlebury (Sept 13, 2025) but struggled in a 20–22 loss to Tufts (Sept 20, 2025).
Bates’ QB showed resilience in a 26–23 double-overtime win over Amherst (Sept 13, 2025) but faltered in a 13–30 loss to Trinity (Sept 20, 2025).
Running Game:
Wesleyan’s RB corps has been steady, producing multiple TDs in the Middlebury win.
Bates’ ground game was effective against Amherst but limited by Trinity’s front seven.
Defensive Edge:
Wesleyan’s defense forced turnovers in their opener and held Middlebury to 17 points.
Bates’ defense has been opportunistic but inconsistent, giving up 30+ in their last outing.
Recent Team Form
Wesleyan Cardinals (1–1 in 2025)
W 31–17 vs. Middlebury (Sept 13)
L 20–22 @ Tufts (Sept 20)
Mixed form: Strong opener, narrow road loss in Week 2
Bates Bobcats (1–1 in 2025)
W 26–23 (2OT) vs. Amherst (Sept 13)
L 13–30 @ Trinity (Sept 20)
Mixed form: Emotional OT win, followed by a tough road defeat
Series History
All-time head-to-head: Wesleyan leads the series comfortably
2024: Wesleyan 27 – 17 Trinity, 25 – 24 Williams, 31 – 14 Amherst, 17 – 14 Bowdoin, 23 – 17 (OT) Colby
Bates closed 2024 with a 24–21 loss to Hamilton and a 35–24 loss to Bowdoin.
Trend: Wesleyan has consistently been a top-half NESCAC program, while Bates has struggled to string together wins.
Betting Trends
Wesleyan is 1–1 ATS (against the spread) in 2025
Bates is 1–1 ATS this season
The Over has hit in 1 of Wesleyan’s 2 games
Bates has failed to cover in 4 of its last 6 NESCAC games
Wesleyan has covered in 5 of its last 7 NESCAC games
Historical Betting Results
2024: Wesleyan (-7.5) covered in a 31–14 win over Amherst and a 27–17 win at Trinity (Totals: both Under)
2023: Wesleyan (-10.5) covered in a 34–14 win over Bates (Total: Under 49.5)
Totals: Recent Wesleyan games vs. Bates have leaned Under
Game Odds
Wesleyan-U Cardinals – 10.5
Bates Bobcats 47.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 26, 2025
