Brunswick, Maine - The Colby College Football team took an early 17-10 lead to outpace Bowdoin College 34-10 in the 2024 season finale.  The Mules end the season 4-5, good for sixth in the NESCAC, while the Polar Bears fall to 3-6.  With Saturday's victory and a win over Bates 28-26 in late September, the CBB trophy returns to Mayflower Hill after a brief stay in Brunswick.  

The Mules wasted little time scoring 17 points in less than nine minutes of play.  Quarterback Miles Drake accounted for Colby's first two touchdowns, the first a 20-yard passing strike to Jack Sawyer on Colby's first possession.  After Julian Young forced a fumble with a strip sack on Bowdoin's ensuing possession, Christos Tzoumakas connected for a 40-yard field goal to push the score to 10-0.  Bowdoin was unable to move the sticks on their next possession, and a botched punt gave the Mules prime field position starting just outside the red zone.  Drake took off running on a 3rd-and-goal attempt and hit paydirt to shock the hosts to the tune of a 17-0 lead.  

Bowdoin owned the next 10 points, converting on their next two drives for a touchdown and a field goal, but those points would be the last they would put up on the night.  Averaging 22 points per game entering the contest, Bowdoin's 10 marked a season-low as Colby's swarming defense kept the Polar Bears off key all night.  Colby forced Bowdoin into seven turnovers, three via fumble and four by interception.  The Mules sacked the Bowdoin signal caller (four Bowdoin players attempted a pass in the contest) seven times, led by Sebastien Romain with three.  

While Bowdoin was held scoreless for the final 45 minutes of play, the Mules certainly weren't done.  Tzoumakas made good on his second field goal attempt of the night, this one from 41.  Dennis Dougherty capped the first half scoring after Colby pinned the Polar Bears at their own end zone. The junior linebacker stepped in front of a screen pass and tumbled into the end zone to give the Mules a 27-10 halftime lead.  Drake owned the lone score of the second half, connecting with Duke Ferrara midway through the final frame.  

Young and Drew Ramos led the Mules with seven tackles apiece.  Young had one of the most impressive all around defensive gems of his four years (the senior tallied 295 tackles in his stellar career), with 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception.  Trevor Smith capped a remarkable end to his junior season with two interceptions.  Romain and Jack Mullen finish the season tied for second in the NESCAC with nine sacks apiece.  Offensively, Jack Nye was Drake's favorite target, hauling in a season-high eight receptions for 92 yards.  His 526 yards on the season rank him 6th in the NESCAC, while Ferrara's team-leading 45 receptions rank him fifth in the conference.  

While the dominant victory allowed the Mules to end the season on a high note, it also ended a short two-game skid to the Polar Bears.  The 2024 NESCAC crown was won by Wesleyan with an 8-1 record, a team Colby took to overtime early in October. While the loss of 24 seniors to graduation will force Colby to make significant adjustments, the emergence of several key returners paint a very bright picture for the 2025 chapter of Colby Football.