LEWISTON, Maine – Senior receiver Jack Cooleen caught seven passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns as the Tufts University Football team came from behind in the second half to earn a 17-16 win at Bates College on Saturday afternoon.
The Jumbos trailed 14-0 at halftime before junior QB Alex Snyder (19 for 37, 280 yards) and Cooleen had scoring connections of 45 yards and 27 yards to tie the score at 14-14 in the third quarter. Another 45-yard Snyder to Cooleen pass set up a 34-yard field goal by Tufts junior Willie Holmquist early in the fourth quarter which gave Tufts a 17-14 advantage.
A bad snap on a Tufts punt in their own territory resulted in a safety that pulled the Bobcats within 17-16 at 11:06 of the fourth quarter. The Bobcats then drove the ball down to the Jumbo one-yard line, but opted to go for it on fourth down rather than kicking a field goal. Bates fumbled on the play with the Jumbos recovering in the end zone.
That stop highlighted a second half in which the Tufts defense held the Bates offense scoreless, forced four punts, had an interception by freshman Tim Preston at the Jumbo 13, and caused a turnover on downs to essentially end the contest.
Tufts won a close encounter for the second straight week. They opened the season last week at Hamilton with a 24-21 overtime victory in a game they led 21-0 at halftime. Today's game was the opposite, with the Jumbos coming back in the second half. The two wins mark the first time that the Tufts team has won back-to-back games on the road since September 2007.
The defenses dominated the first half today with both teams combining for 10 punts (six by Tufts) in the first 30 minutes. Another miscue on a punt led to the first Bates touchdown. The Bobcats received the ball at the Jumbos' 14-yard line and needed four plays to score on a one-yard run by sophomore Frank Williams with 1:28 remaining in the first quarter.
Tufts would not convert a third down in nine attempts during the first half. One such failure resulted in Bates getting the ball back at the Jumbo 49 following a punt. Williams rushed for 23 yards, including eight yards on a fourth and four, to help put Bates in the red zone. The Bobcats would fumble the ball, forced by Tufts freshman DB Alexander LaPiana, but the Bobcats recovered. On the next play, senior QB Patrick Dugan found sophomore WR Mickoy Nichol for a 31-yard yard touchdown pass and Bates led 14-0 with 4:10 remaining until halftime.
Snyder and Cooleen would jump-start the Jumbo offense before the half was out, connecting on a 37-yard play to the Bates 32. The Jumbos would fake a field goal on the drive and pick up the first down with a six-yard run by Holmquist. However, he missed a 23-yard kick with a minute on the clock and the score stayed 14-0 heading into halftime.
With Bates getting the ball to begin the second half, the Jumbo defense forced a punt after Williams was held to a one-yard gain on third and two play by Tufts sophomore DL Micah Adickes. Taking over at their own 16, the Jumbos went 84 yards in 2:40 with Snyder passing 45 yards to Coolen for a touchdown making it 14-7 at 8:50 of the third quarter.
An eight-yard sack by sophomore DE Zach Thomas helped the Jumbo D force a punt again on Bates' next possession. After punting themselves, Tufts' defense held Bates to a three-and-out and the offense would strike quickly to tie the game.
Getting the ball at their own 41, the Jumbos needed just two plays to score. Snyder passed 32 yards to junior WR Mike Rando and then hit Cooleen with a 27-yard touchdown with 2:02 remaining in the third to knot the game at 14-14.
The Jumbo defense would give the ball back to the offense again late in the third. Snyder passed 45 yards to Cooleen on the last play of the period. Holmquist delivered a 34-yard field goal with 14:11 remaining in the fourth quarter giving Tufts its first lead 17-14.
Tufts' defense would continue to thwart the Bobcats, with Preston making his first collegiate interception on a deep ball to the Jumbo 13. However, Tufts was unable to get a first down and snapped the ball over the punter's head for the safety.
Trailing 17-16, Bates would get the ball at the Tufts 47 following the punt. They put together their only sustained drive of the second half. Williams had a 21-yard rush to the Jumbo 20. Junior RB Ivan Reese converted a fourth and three with a four-yard gain to the Tufts 13. After an illegal motion penalty gave them first and goal at the 14, the Bobcats ran the ball down to the one before coming up empty on Reese's fumble.
Taking over at 6:25 of the fourth, the Jumbos had success running the ball for the first time all game to kill 4:43 of clock time. Bates got the ball back on its own 18 at 1:42, but the Jumbo defense made one final stand to secure the win.
Cooleen scored a pair of touchdowns for the second straight year against Bates. His two TD's helped the Jumbos win last year's meeting 42-24.
The Jumbos finished with 340 yards of total offense, but just 60 on the ground. Rando added five catches with 55 receiving yards. The Jumbo offensive line did not allow a sack. Sophomore linebacker Steve DiCienzo led the Jumbos with 14 tackles, including an early sack which forced a fumble recovered by sophomore DL Doug Harrison. Thomas finished with 2.5 sacks as Tufts recorded four for the second straight week.
Bates rushed for 188 yards, including 71 on 14 carries by Williams. However, the Bobcats fumbled five times and lost two to the Jumbos. Dugan was 9 of 17 for 97 yards. The Jumbos were able to contain Bates senior WR Mark Riley, who had nine catches, 142 yards and two touchdowns in last year's game. He made six grabs for 38 yards today. Andrew Jenkelunas led the Bobcat defense with 10 tackles.
Tufts, one of four 2-0 teams early in the NESCAC season, plays at home for the first time next Saturday on Homecoming Day in Somerville. The Jumbos welcome Bowdoin for a 1 pm start. Bates (0-2) is at Williams College for a 1 pm start next Saturday.
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