HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College Football team took down No. 25 Hampden-Sydney 45-42 on a field goal as time expired on Saturday.

Bridgewater was forced to punt on its opening drive, and the Tigers looked to strike first. The HSC offense was moving the ball down the field and got into BC territory, but the Tigers fumbled a snap on third down and long, and Shalin Green fell on it to give the Eagles the ball back. BC went nowhere offensively after the turnover, and Aiden Grefe punted it away.

Hampden-Sydney got nothing going on the first two plays of the drive, and Ty Johnson appeared to pick off a pass from Carter Sido and take it back to the house for a score, but the play was nullified by offsetting penalties. HSC got a first down, but was forced to punt. The Eagles’ special teams capitalized as Xavier Edelen broke off a 38-yard return to give BC a short field. Bridgewater moved the ball methodically down the field and cashed in on the great field position as Jaicere Bateman punched it in from two yards out to get on the board. Agustin Miguel made the PAT to make it 7-0 for the visitors.

HSC tried to punt it away as the BC defense stifled one of the nation’s best offenses on the following series. The Tigers looked to punt, but it was blocked, and the Eagles fell on it to take the ball back. BC had a short field again, but a busted trick play set the Eagles back. Miguel trotted out to attempt a 48-yard field goal, but missed it just to the right. The Tigers got the ball back, but only for a play, as Sido’s pass was intercepted by Edelen as his helmet was knocked off.

Bridgewater added on to the lead three plays later as Bateman connected with Evan Welsh for a 62-yard touchdown. Miguel made the point-after to make it 14-0 for BC. Hampden-Sydney got on the board with a drive that has been its calling card all year. Multiple plays over 10 yards, capped off by a 12-yard pass by Sido, got the Tigers on the board 14-7 after the PAT.

The Tigers pulled even a few plays later as a strip-sack by Robert Clarke gave them a short field. On the only offensive play of the set Sido found Kam Mahoney for a 10-yard score to make it 14-14. BC got the ball back and went straight to work. Four straight plays of 10 yards or more pushed the Eagles into HSC territory, and it did not stop there. Bateman kept it himself for a 10-yard gain, and Wyat Jervis followed on the next play with a seven-yard carry as he dove for the pylon for the score. Miguel’s PAT was true to make it 21-14.

The BC defense forced Hampden-Sydney to a fourth down and less than a yard early in the next series. The Tigers brought in the jumbo package and looked to shove it up the middle, but Terry Hicks broke free around the edge for a 52-yard score to allow the Tigers to draw even, 21-21, after the PAT.

BC’s attempt at a two-minute drill did not go as planned, as Grefe was sent on to punt. HSC got the ball back with just over a minute to play in the half and looked to have stalled out, but a deep pass by Sido found the endzone as time expired in the half to give the Tigers a 28-21 lead at the break.

The explosive HSC offense struck early in the third quarter as Sido completed a 44-yard pass to the house to make it 35-21 for the home team. The sides traded punts after the score, and BC’s offense started to move the ball once it got it back. BC got into HSC territory and went for it on fourth down and long, but did not convert to give the home team the ball back.

A holding penalty stalled HSC’s next drive and BC converted a third down early in the drive, but a sack forced another punt. Sido and company started to move the ball again, but this time, Sido found a white jersey as Elijah Choy picked him off in his own territory. The Eagles capitalized on the short field as a 20-yard rush on fourth down by Bateman moved the chains, and he finished the series off on the next snap with another rushing score. Miguel nailed the PAT to make it 35-28.

The Tigers struck back on the second play of the fourth quarter as Sido connected with Mason Cunningham for a 49-yard score. The point-after was true to make it 42-35.

The shootout continued as the Eagles’ offense dug deep. Brendan Robinson started the drive off with a 15-yard carry and Bateman followed that with a 31-yard completion to Ian England to flip the field. BC faced a fourth down and converted on a pitch to Jervis. BC got nothing going on the next three plays and faced another fourth down from the HSC 13 yard-line. The Eagles capitalized as Bateman found Ian Browne at the front pylon for the score. Miguel’s PAT was true again to make it 42-35.

HSC got nothing going on the next series as the defense stood tall. The Tigers went for it deep in their own end, and Green knocked the ball free. Oscar Whitely fell on it to give BC the ball back at the HSC 24 yard-marker.

Bridgewater kept the momentum rolling as Charlie Bratburd made a one-handed catch on first down. Two plays later, Bateman connected with Welsh in the back corner of the endzone for a 12-yard touchdown. Miguel’s PAT was true to tie the game 42-42 with 7:04 to play in the fourth. HSC got the ball back and converted on a third down, but on the next third down, Aaron Nice busted through the offensive line for the sack and forced a punt with under five minutes to play.

The Eagles’ running game went to work. BC marched its way into opponent territory and chewed the clock. Bridgewater faced a third down with under a minute to go, but Bateman surged forward to move the chains, and the Tigers were out of timeouts. BC snapped it one more time, and Bateman scrambled right to set up the game-winning field goal attempt. Miguel totted out and nailed the 26-yard attempt through the uprights as the clock expired to secure a 45-42 BC victory on the road.
Bateman had a day to remember for the Eagles with four total scores, 179 yards through the air, and 133 yards on the ground. Bridgewater accounted for 246 yards on the ground for just their third time crossing the century mark on the ground as a team on the season.

The BC defense gave up 42 points to an explosive HSC defense, but tallied four takeaways to match a season best. Whitely led the defense with eight total stops, while Nice tallied seven to go along with his sack.

The victory is BC’s first win over a ranked opponent under the direction of Scott Lemn in its seventh try and its fourth against a ranked conference opponent.

The Eagles conclude the 2025 season as they host Guilford next Saturday on Senior Day at 2 p.m.

— BC Athletics —