Late lead slips away as football falls 24-14 at Amherst

AMHERST, Mass. — The Bates football team opened the 2026 season Saturday at Amherst and fell 24-14 in a contest that saw the Mammoths rally from four points down late in the fourth quarter to prevail over the Bobcats. Bates (0-1 NESCAC) took a 14-10 lead when senior cornerback Payton Francis (Foxborough, Mass.) jumped a route on the far side of the field and picked off a pass from Amherst quarterback Marek Hill, returning it 36 yards for a touchdown. It’s the first interception for Francis in his collegiate career and the first interception by a Bates player to be…