Bowdoin was the first team to reach the end zone, as they took the game's opening drive 83 yards on 17 plays, punctuated by fullback Matt Boyd's three yard touchdown run. This touchdown was Bowdoin's first against Amherst since 1999.
The Jeffs were quick to respond, however, putting together a nine-play, 67 yard touchdown drive of their own.
After holding Bowdoin to a three and out on their second drive of the game, Amherst recovered possession of the football and promptly returned it to the Polar Bear end zone. Moseley connected on an 18-yard scoring strike to wideout Jason Wagstaff '05 at the end of the first quarter.
But Bowdoin, utilizing a no-huddle offense, was able to stay in the game against a banged up Jeff defense. The Polar Bears took the first drive of the second quarter 70 yards on 12 plays and leveled the score once again on a 6-yard scamper by tailback Rob Patchett.
Amherst once again followed up a Bowdoin score with a score of their own as Moseley found a wide open J.P. Zito '03 in the end zone for a 31-yard pass play on the Jeffs' ensuing drive. The extra point failed, and Amherst held a 20-14 lead with a little under eight minutes to play in the opening half. The Jeff defense held Bowdoin to another three and out on the following drive and Wagstaff returned the subsequent punt 68 yards to pay dirt.
Amherst succeeded in their two-point conversion attempt to extend their lead to 28-14. This was the score as both teams headed into the locker room at halftime.
Bowdoin opened the scoring in the second half after an Amherst fumble on a punt return gave Bowdoin the ball on the Amherst 17-yard-line.
Three plays later, Boyd was celebrating his second touchdown of the game. But that would be the last time Bowdoin would have a chance to celebrate; the Jeffs blocked the Polar Bears extra point attempt and then scored the game's final 14 points.
As they did all game, the Jeff offense responded immediately to a Bowdoin touchdown. Offensive Coordinator Don Faulstick called 12 consecutive running plays as the Jeffs pounded the ball straight through the porous Polar Bear defense. Ladd carried the bulk of the load, but he was aided by the stellar play of Amherst's veteran offensive line.
"The line this year is an extremely tight group with great chemistry. We have been working on our communication so that the right blocks are made at the right time," said starting guard Shane Morrow '04. Quarterback Jim Devine '04 took the twelfth and final play of the drive eight yards to the end zone on a quarterback sweep.
Up 35-20, the Jeffs sealed the game early in the fourth quarter when Moseley found Zito for another touchdown-this one from 27 yards out-finalizing the score at 42-20.
Defensively, the Jeffs were led by Michael Salvatore '05, who was playing in place of the injured Ed Sylvester '04. Salvatore amassed an amazing 17 tackles on the day to go along with a sack and an interception. Salvatore was named NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week and Quad-National Defensive Player of the Week by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette in reward for his efforts.
Amherst's first true test of the season will come next week when the team travels to Vermont to take on the Panthers of Middlebury College. Middlebury enters the game at 1-1 and is coming off a 17-14 win at Colby College.