Joe Fagnano tossed four touchdowns passes, and Andre Miller had a huge day with three scores as the University of Maine football team had 412 yards of offense to knock off #13 Albany 38-34 in a Colonial Athletic Association contest at Alfond Stadium in Orono in the spring home opener.
Albany (1-1) had taken a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter, as Maine started slowly after only 112 total yards in a season opening 37-0 loss at Delaware. The Black Bears got on the board with a seven yard scoring run by Fagnano, and took the lead 14-10 on a nine yard passing play from the sophomore quarterback to Jacob Hennie. The teams traded field goals, one of 33 yards by Jonny Messina, while the Great Danes answered with a late one from Dylan Burns to cut it to 17-13 at the half.
They went back and forth in the second half. UAlbany took the lead early in the third on a 19 yard TD catch by Mike Gray from Jeff Undercuffler, after a blocked field goal was returned deep into their opponents territory by Danny Damico. Miller caught his first score of the day from five yards from Fagnano to make it 24-20 Maine. Chris Potts gave the visitors back the lead again on a 21 yard scoring catch from Undercuffler early in the fourth. The Black Bears answered that four minutes later on a beautiful deep pass by Fagnano that Miller went up and caught in the endzone for a 37 yard TD to make it 31-27. It took the Great Danes 2:36 to answer that Fagnano-Miller connection, when Karl Mofor scored on a two yard run with 7:37 to play to make it 34-31 Albany. The game winner came with just 3:58 remaining when Fagnano again hit Miller for a 10 yard touchdown on a third down play. The score was set up by a Hennie 40 yard catch and run. Albany had one more chance but couldn’t get anything going deep in their own end and had to punt, and Maine was able to pick up two first downs and run out the clock.
Fagnano was 17-29 passing for 249 yards, with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also added 13 carries for 51 yards and a score. Elija Barnwell added 14 rushes for 39 yards, as the Black Bears had 163 yards on the ground on the day. Miller finished the game with eight receptions, 144 yards, and the three touchdowns. Hennie added three for 55 yards and the second quarter touchdown. Deshawn Stevens had 12 total tackles to lead the defense. Maine went 8-13 on third downs, and converted on all five redzone chances despite a very penalty filled game committing 12 of them for 111 yards. Undercuffler went 14-36 passing for 147 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the UAlbany loss. Mofor ran 30 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Gray and Tyler Oedekoven both had 46 yards receiving. Damico had 14 total tackles for the Great Danes defense, including the big run back on the blocked field goal in the third. Maine (1-1) returns to action next Saturday with a 12 p.m. kickoff at Stony Brook University.
