The University of Maine football team continued the run in the FCS playoffs on Friday night, getting a fourth quarter touchdown run by Ramon Jefferson and a late Kenny Doak field goal that iced it to upset the #2 Weber State Wildcats 23-18 at Stewart Stadium in Ogden, Utah in a national quarterfinal game. Maine (10-3) reaches the semifinals and the final four of FCS for the first time in school history.
After a scoreless first quarter, Wildcat kicker Trey Tuttle hit a 37 yard field goal to put Weber State (10-3) on the board first 3-0 just 11 seconds into the second period. With about seven minutes left in the half Maine finally got the offense going when they started at the WSU 47. The two biggest plays on the Bears possession was a Chris Ferguson 11 yard pass to Devin Young on a 3rd and 7, and then a run by Young on the very next play for 13 yards. The nine play drive culminated in a Ferguson to Jaquan Blair nine yard touchdown pass on 3rd and goal to put Maine up 7-3, which is where the score stood at the half.
Maine struck quickly in the third quarter on the third play from scrimmage when Ferguson tossed his second touchdown in as many possessions. Ferguson hit Earnest Edwards in stride on 3rd and 2 at their own 33 yard line, and Edwards shocked the over 7,700 fans at Stewart Stadium by taking it all the way to the endzone for a 67 yard score to make it 14-3. WSU came right back just over three minutes later when Tuttle hit his second field goal of the night from 45 yards to make it 14-6.
With 1:55 left in the the third quarter on a 4th and 12 at the Maine 33 yard line, Weber State quarterback Jake Constantine threw one into the endzone for receiver Devon Cooley. The replay showed a Maine defensive back wrestling the ball away from Cooley, but official review confirmed Cooley had the catch to the ground and ruled it a touchdown. Tuttle missed the extra point and the score was 14-12 after three quarters.
After some failed offensive possessions from both teams in the fourth quarter, Jeffrey Devaughn intercepted Constantine for the second time on the night at his own 25 yard line setting up a huge series of plays in the game with just 5:08 left to play. Devaughn was able to return it to the Bears 41, where after two short runs by Jefferson and a WSU penalty gave Maine another first down, Jefferson made a great move to avoid tacklers and scampered down the right sideline pulling away from the Wildcats defense for a 45 yard touchdown run. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty however on Jefferson on the touchdown pushed back the extra point attempt for Doak to 35 yards. Doaks kick sailed wide left, keeping the Wildcats within one score at 20-12.
On the very next play of the ensuing WSU possession, Kayon Whitaker tipped a Constantine pass in the air and Jaron Grayer intercepted the ball. Doak made up for the extra point miss with a 46 yard field goal to put Maine up 11 at 23-12 with just 1:34 left on the clock. Constantine hit Darryl Denby for a 12 yard score on the games final play to account for the final score. The Wildcats quarterback was intercepted three times on three straight possessions in the fourth quarter, and four times in the game.
Ferguson finished 15-30 passing, 170 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Jefferson had 15 carries for 88 yards, and the huge fourth quarter touchdown run. Edwards had three catches for 71 yards, and the one big score. Sterling Sheffield and Manny Peterson both had six total tackles for the defense, with Patterson adding an interception and Sheffield making three tackles for a loss. The BlackHole defense also sacked Constantine three times on the night. The Bears had 286 total yards, with 116 on the ground and 170 through the air.
Constantine finished 24-52, 272 yards, two touchdowns, and the four costly interceptions. Denby caught seven passes for 154 yards, and the lone score late. Cooley added four for 69 yards, and the third quarter touchdown. WSU, who averaged 158 yards per game rushing, was held to -1 yards on 25 attempts by the Maine defense. Jawian Harrison had eight total tackles to lead the Wildcat defense, while Adam Rodriguez had six. The quarterfinal loss also ends a nine game home winning streak for WSU at Stewart Stadium, and the first this season (6-1).
Maine will await their semifinal opponent and location on Saturday. The Bears will face either Eastern Washington or UC-Davis next weekend. The NCAA will announce the day and start time at the conclusion of the other quarterfinal, as it will be either Friday night at 8 pm or Saturday afternoon at 2.
UME 0 7 7 9- 23
WSU 0 3 9 6- 18
Total yards- Maine 286 Weber St 271
First downs- Maine 11 Weber St 16
Turnovers- Maine 1 Weber St 4
Third down conversions- Maine 3-15 Weber St 5-19
