Bates College
2-7 2025 finalMaine grit meets scholarly discipline—Bates is the scrappy underdog that punches above its weight through toughness and organizational consistency.
The Bobcats are patient.
Maine grit meets scholarly discipline—Bates is the scrappy underdog that punches above its weight through toughness and organizational consistency.
Bates went 5–5 (2025), NESCAC middle tier. The program maintains its historical identity as a competitive mid-tier NESCAC player. The 2015 playoff run remains the modern high-water mark; current coaching tenure focuses on organiza…
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
Bates College sits 9th in the NESCAC and 194th of 240 in the CFB Zeitgeist — outside the at-large picture — the path runs through the conference title.
| Team | Conf | Overall | Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wesleyan University (CT) | 7-2 | 7-2 | 60.3 |
| 2 | Trinity (CT) | 7-2 | 7-2 | 60.1 |
| 3 | Colby College | 6-3 | 6-3 | 57.1 |
| 4 | Williams | 5-4 | 5-4 | 52.8 |
| 5 | Amherst | 5-4 | 5-4 | 52.2 |
| 6 | Middlebury | 5-4 | 5-4 | 52.2 |
| 7 | Tufts | 4-5 | 4-5 | 48.2 |
| 9 | Bates | 2-7 | 2-7 | 39.6 |
New for 2026: NESCAC champions enter the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time in the conference's history. Win the NESCAC and the automatic berth comes with it; fall short and an at-large bid is decided by NPI.
Signature win 35-28 over Tufts; toughest day 16-34 against Middlebury.
The Pulse on Bates College
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · Bates College
The benchmark for a successful season.
The conference championship — and, new for 2026, the automatic NCAA Division III playoff berth that now comes with it.
First-ever postseason for NESCAC football — a run at the Stagg Bowl.
Bates College · Next-Season Outcome Band
Floor / Base / Ceiling
Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.
Who We Are
Home-Field Advantage · Bates College · 2018-present
Soft
16% home win rate vs 22% on the road. margin runs -1.1 weaker at home.
Act IIILast Season Reviewed
2025 season · tap to expand
Recent Form · last 10 games
Cold
One of five. The film room is busy this week.
Schedule Strength · Bates College · 2025
Balanced
Average opponent win rate 53% across 9 finalized games. Balanced slate across the conference slate.
From the Archive — Bates College
2022: Lost 28-41 at Williams
In 2022, the program lost 28-41 at Williams — a one to file away road result, 13 points either way.
Go Bobcats.