Following a 35–14 win over Hamilton that improved their record to 3–0, the Wesleyan football team traveled to Colby in what proved to be a rain-soaked affair. The Cardinals’ defense was stout, holding the Mules offense to 1.9 yards per rush and recording six sacks. Defensive lineman Declan Welch ’26 starred with six solo tackles and two sacks, both career highs. The Cardinals’ potent offense, which amassed over 400 total yards in each of their prior contests, only saw 237 yards of total offense, with the only two scores coming from passes by quarterback Niko Candido ’25 to wide receiver Chase Wilson ’25. With the score tied up 13–13, the Cardinals still had a chance to win the game with a 37-yard field goal at the end of regulation. The attempt was blocked, and the Mules swiftly capitalized, scoring on their very first play in overtime. They then thwarted Wesleyan’s 4th-and-goal attempt, handing the Red and Black their first loss of the season.

Cornerback Wesley Abraham ’25 attributed the loss to a combination of factors.

“Going into it, we were 3–0,” Abraham said. “We had just come off a dominant win against Hamilton and a great win against Middlebury. And when you have a good start, people sometimes feel like they’re invincible, almost. And I think the rain got into our heads a little bit.”

The following week, the Cardinals remained on the road, traveling to Medford, Massachusetts to play the Tufts Jumbos in a battle of 3–1 teams. The Jumbos put on their best performance of the season and boat-raced the Cardinals, beating them 49–14. Some teams let a loss like this deter them for the rest of the season, but the Red and Black did not. 

“There’s only two options when you lose a game: either live with it and get better, or ignore it and run away from the problem,” Captain and offensive lineman Justin Lockwood ’24 said. “And [we] definitely took it head on and have been getting better ever since.”

The Cardinals returned home to face a Bowdoin team that was also 3–2. Coming off two straight losses, the team knew how important this game was. 

“What I wanted to see from everyone was a response,” Abraham said. “What can we do to make sure that this doesn’t happen again? I’m so glad the team didn’t put their head down and give up because in the NESCAC, anything is possible. I’m so glad everybody didn’t give up on the season.”

The first 25 minutes of the Cardinals contest against Bowdoin followed a similar pattern. The Polar Bears jumped out to a 7–0 lead and were attempting to make it a two possession game with a 21-yard field goal attempt. Defensive back Sean Walker ’25 made a game-changing play, getting a great jump off the edge and blocking the kick to keep it a 7–0 game. The Polar Bears possessed the ball with 4:30 remaining in the second quarter and on 2nd down, captain and defensive lineman Colton Weier ’24 found his way into the backfield and knocked the ball out of Polar Bears’ QB Andrew Boel’s hand. Captain and linebacker Jake Edwards ’24 scooped the ball up and took it 59 yards to the house. On the ensuing drive, lineback Kade Doverspike ’24, picked off Boel and made a couple of Bowdoin players miss on his way to a 55-yard pick-six that gave the Cardinals their first lead in their last 94 minutes of game time. 

“Those two touchdowns from our defense really sparked the offense and we were able to get it going on that momentum and put the game out of reach early” Lockwood said.

The Cardinals’ defense forced a three-and-out on the Polar Bears next drive and the offense finally got involved, stringing together an eight-play, 60-yard drive that ended with Candido finding Wilson in the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown as the half concluded.

The Cardinals kept their foot on the gas, scoring twice in the third quarter. Halfback Ezra Jenifer ’23 MA ’24 found paydirt on a two-yard run to stretch the lead to 28–7 and wide receiver Thomas Elkhoury ’24 hauled in his third touchdown of the year with 2:33 left in the 3rd quarter to give the Cardinals a commanding 35–7 lead. 

Candido spoke on the offense finally finding their rhythm after some struggles. 

“I would say scoring success definitely sparked from the defense,” Candido said. “I think coming off two losses, we definitely struggled a little bit in the first quarter and right when the defense scored is really when it sparked back Wesleyan football. We came on the field and were like ‘let’s show them what [the offensive] side of the ball can do.’”

The Polar Bears refused to go down without a fight. They forced a safety to cut the lead to 35–9 and then found the end zone of their ensuing two drives to make it a 35–23 game. After an unsuccessful onside kick but a stout stand by the Polar Bears defense, their offense marched down the field and scored with 52 seconds left to make it a one score game. Elkhoury, who recovered the two previous onside kicks, once again fell on the ball, sealing the game for the Cardinals, and getting the Red and Black back into the victory column.

The team celebrated, but it was right back to work with their homecoming game against Amherst on the horizon. It was an important game for the Cardinals and they knew it would not be easy. 

“In the NESCAC almost every game seems like a rivalry, but Wesleyan, Amherst, and the Little Three is like a rivalry within a rivalry,” Wilson said. “And especially after we beat them at their home last year, we knew they would be coming to get revenge. We knew it was gonna be an electric atmosphere and it did not disappoint.”

It was a defensive battle to begin the game with the first score not coming until the second quarter when Candido connected with tight end Matt Luttenberger ’24 for a 22-yard touchdown. It was back and forth for most of the first half with Amherst responding with a touchdown of their own and then Candido and Wilson hooking up for their ninth touchdown of the season. Amherst’s offense responded and was marching down the field before defensive back Dylan Connors ’26 intercepted the Mammoths and ran 82 yards to the crib to extend the Cardinals lead to 20–7 heading into the break.

The Cardinals kept their momentum going and only needed five plays to find the end zone. Candido and Wilson connected again for the score on a 50-yard bomb. 

Wilson credits the offensive line for much of the Cardinals’ offensive success.

“I think a major factor in that win was the offensive line,” Wilson said. “They had their best game that they’ve had this season. They were opening up huge holes in the run game. They were giving a great pocket to Niko [Candido] and allowing him to go through his progressions which translated to him being able to deliver good balls to his receivers.” 

Candido piled on with the love for the guys up front.

“I remember when we played the first ball, they gave me like six seconds in the pocket,” Candido said. “I literally started clapping and screaming at them saying ‘you guys are balling. Keep it up.’ It really shows from the first play, if your o-line is giving you that time and that effort, you just trust them the rest of the game.”

On the next play from scrimmage, Abraham stepped in front of a throw to the sidelines and picked it off, tiptoeing down the sidelines for a 30-yard pick-six. His score marked the second straight game for the Cardinals with two defensive touchdowns. The game ended at 34–7, improving the Cardinals record to 5–2 which puts them only one game back of Middlebury and Trinity. The Cardinals rushing attack had their most efficient performance, with running backs Tyler Flynn ’26 and James McHugh ’26 combining for 98 yards on 15 carries.

The Cardinals will try to build on their win streak when they travel to Williams this Saturday where they hope to complete the Little Three sweep for the second consecutive year, a feat they haven’t accomplished since the 1969–70 academic year.

Candido spoke on the team’s mindset going into the Williams showdown. 

“I think the biggest thing going into it is just really playing as a team,” Candido said. “When we play as a team, we play our best football. Despite their record, they’ve played really good teams close, and that’s what we’ve been stressing to everybody. We need to be fully locked in and just do our thing.”

Erin Byerly can be reached at ebyerly@wesleyan.edu.

Sam Weitzman-Kurker can be reached at sweitzmankur@wesleyan.edu.