The University of Maine football team held first quarter and fourth quarter leads against FBS opponent UConn Thursday night in the two teams mutual season opener. But the Huskies would prevail on a last second field goal to escape with a 24-21 thrilling win in front of 29,377 fans at Pratt &Whitney Stadium in East Hartford. The game was the first for new 30 year old Maine head coach Joe Harasymiak who took over for Jack Cosgrove who held the position for the past 23 seasons before stepping down.
Maine took their first lead with a seven play, 95 yard drive late in the opening quarter that took only 3:45. Senior quarterback Dan Collins found freshman running back Josh Mack out in the flat for a 20 yard touchdown pass to make it 7-0.
Running back Ron Johnson capped off a 16 play, 75 yard drive for UConn with a one yard touchdown run to make it 7-7 with 6:54 left in second quarter. The game would go into halftime with the score still knotted at 7-7.
The Huskies (1-0) took their first lead when Johnson found paydirt again capping a 5 play, 57 yard drive in just 1:48 with a 21 yard TD run to make it 14-7 with 3:10 remaining in the third.
Maine would bounce back with a 6 play, 75 yard drive when Collins tossed his second touchdown pass of the night. This one would go for 48 yards to receiver Jaleel Reed who made a beautiful catch stretching out in traffic over a defender and into the endzone to tie the game again at 14 with just one second to play in the third quarter.
UConn would use 9 plays to drive to the Maine 14 yard line to begin the final quarter of play. On a first and 10, UConn quarterback Bryant Shirreffs was sacked for a 10 yard loss by Maine free safety Najee Goode and fumbled the ball. Goode picked it up and ran 74 yards for a touchdown to regain the lead for the Bears at 21-14.
UConn tied it once again just 3:20 later when Arkeel Newsome finished off a 54 yard drive to make it 21-21.
Collins converted two important third down plays on the next Maine drive to set up a 47 yard field goal attempt by kicker Patrick Leonard. The kick was partially blocked allowing UConn to take back over the ball with just 1:48 remaining.
Shirreffs completed five passes on the final Huskies drive, the biggest one to Brian Lemelle for 19 yards to the Maine 19 yard line. The rest was up to Bobby Puyol who drilled a 37 yard field goal straight down the middle with just 11 second left to give UConn the 24-21 lead. Collins would complete a long pass down the middle of the field for Maine on the Bears last opportunity but time would expire and the Huskies held on.
Collins finished 19-33 for 269 yards, 2 TD and no interceptions. Reed had a career night with 8 rec and 169 yards and a score. Maine was only able to rush for 40 total yards on the night on 19 attempts. Sophomore kicker Leonard was 0-2 on field goals on the evening but 3-3 on extra points. Christophe Mulumba Tshimanga led the Maine defense with 12 tackles.
UConn rushed 50 times for 200 yards in the game led by Shirreffs who had 95 yards and also was 16-23 for 162 passing yards in the contest.
Maine (0-1) returns to action to face another non conference and FBS opponent on Saturday, September 10th when they travel to Toledo to battle the Rockets out of the Mid-American Conference for a 7 p.m. contest.
MAINE 7 0 7 7- 21
UCONN 0 7 7 10- 24
Total yardage- Maine 309 UConn 362
Time of possession- Maine 23:44 UConn 36:16
