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After facing some scrutiny for some missed kicks last season, Maine kicker Kenny Doak has now hit the two biggest field goals in his collegiate career. After hitting a game winning career long 52 yard kick to top Villanova on the final play in Orono last week, Doak did the same Saturday afternoon in Kingston, Rhode Island booting a 39 yarder as time expired to give the #21 Maine Black Bears a huge 38-36 Colonial Athletic Association victory over the host #15 Rhode Island Rams at Meade Stadium.
Maine (4-2, 3-0 CAA) had trailed 16-7 early in the second quarter and 16-14 at halftime. URI then extended that lead to 30-14 on two touchdown runs by Zoe Bryant of 6 yards and 1 yard, one after a Chris Ferguson interception on the first play of the third quarter. Ferguson was back after missing three games due to a shoulder injury. A 12 play, 70 yard drive though by Maine that took 5:03 cut into the lead, as Ferguson found freshman Devin Young for a 10 yard touchdown, and Ferguson also connected with Micah Wright on a two point conversion to make it 30-22 headed to final quarter.
The Bears made a big defensive play with 10:08 left when URI quarterback Vito Priore was intercepted when his pass went off the fingertips of his receiver and into the hands of Maines Richard Carr. After a peronal foul after the interception backed the visitors up to the URI 39, it only took four plays for them to find the end zone. The key play was a Ferguson to Jaquan Blair 28 yard pass on third down. Wright scored on a 6 yard pass, but the two point conversion pass to Drew Belcher failed and the Rams still led 30-28 with 8:33 left.
The next URI possession the Rams converted a 17 yard pass to the Maine 44, but a Sterling Sheffield sack for a seven yard loss on second down and an incomplete pass would force a punt. The Bears then would go eight plays covering 76 yards, with key plays being a 14 yard run by Daejuan Sanders, and two 30 yard catches by Wright. Ferguson scrambled and found the end zone with his feet on a 3rd and 3 at the URI 9. The nine yard score made it 35-30 Maine with just 2:28 showing on the fourth quarter clock.
The home Rams wouldn’t go quiet however, helped out by four Maine penalties that including two pass interference calls and two roughing the passer flags. Priore found Aaron Parker in the left corner of the endzone with 51 seconds to play, and with the failed two point conversion it looked as if URI had pulled it off leading 36-35. Two more Maine penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct were called after the score, making it an unprecedented six flags on the visitors in just 1:37 of game play. Ferguson though would lead the final drive of the game. Ferguson hit Wright for passes of 15 and 10 yards, and one to Blair of 16 to help set it up for Doak. Passes of 8 and 6 yards to Joe Fitzpatrick and a five yard penalty to URI for too many men on field helped the Bears get it all the way down to the Rams 22 with five seconds on the clock. Doaks kick split the uprights right down the middle as the clock ticked to zeros, as the sideline exploded onto the field in celebration much like the scene in Orono last Saturday.
Ferguson finished 30-48 passing his first game back, with two touchdowns, one interception and also a rushing touchdown. Sanders had 10 rushes for 57 yards to lead the backfield, and Fitzpatrick added a rushing touchdown. Wright had a huge game to lead the receiving core with 10 catches for 125 yards and a score, and also a key two point conversion catch. Blair had four catches for 72 yards, and Young added a touchdown reception. Deshawn Stevens had another huge defensive game with 12 total tackles and a sack. Darrius Hart and Taji Lowe added eight tackles each, with Lowe adding a sack as well. The Bears had four quarterback sacks on the day. Jeffrey Devaughn also picked up a first quarter fumble and returned it 66 yards for the first score of the day in the first quarter. Maine finished with a total of 406 offensive yards (264 in second half) after only accumulating 142 in first half. They also held URI to just 117 second half yards, as the Rams finished with 355.
Priore had 256 yards passing on 19-40 efficiency for the 4-1, 2-1 Rams. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Bryant had 59 yards on 17 carries, with the two third quarter touchdowns. Ahmere Dorsey also added a rushing touchdown. Parker finished with nine catches, 124 yards, and two touchdowns. Nas Jones led the URI defense with 12 tackles. Rashod Dickerson and Branyan Javier added 10 tackles a piece. The Rams only got to Ferguson for one sack on the day.
In a flag infested game, the Bears finished the day with 16 penalties for 197 yards, while URI only had six flags for 60 yards.
Maine continues CAA play next Saturday with another big road test at William & Mary with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 pm.
UME 7 7 8 16- 38
URI 10 6 14 6- 36
Total yards- Maine 405 URI 355
First downs- Maine 25 URI 27
Turnovers- Maine 3 URI 3
Time of possession- Maine 33:10 URI 26:50
