ORONO, Me- Towson running back Yeedee Thaenrat rushed for a career best four touchdowns, the Tigers intercepted Maine quarterback Chris Ferguson four times, and quarterback Tom Flacco accounted for 300 yards of offense Saturday night as #8 Towson rolled past #7 Maine 45-23 in the Colonial Athletic Association Conference opener for both teams before 6,256 fans at Alfond Stadium. It was the first matchup of top 10 teams to be played in Orono in the 127 year history of Maine football.
Maine (1-2, 0-1 CAA) started fast as Ferguson hit Earnest Edwards on the first play from scrimmage for a 54 yard pass to the Towson 21 yard line. However the Tigers defense stiffened and the Bears settled for a 30 yard Kenny Doak field goal to make it 3-0. After a three and out defensively the hosts extended the lead. A key 10 yard pass to Shawn Bowman, an 18 yard scramble run by Ferguson, and a 12 yard pass to Devin Young would lead to Doaks second kick of the night from 45 yards for a 6-0 advantage. The visiting Tigers though would take their first lead of the night with a key play being a 36 yard reception by Caleb Smith from Flacco to the Bears 27. Thaenrat scored from three yards out to cap off the eight play, 63 yard drive and had Towson up 7-6.
Aidan O’Neill added a 26 yard field goal early in the second to give the Tigers a four point lead. Maine would respond immediately on a nine play, 75 yard drive over the next 4:30 with the key play being a 13 yard run by Emmanuel Reed and a 29 yard reception by Young. Ferguson found Edwards in the back left corner of the endzone on a great over the shoulder catch by the receiver for a 19 yard touchdown to make it 13-10 Black Bears. Ferguson made his first mistake later in the quarter that would give Towson a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The quarterback was intercepted by Coby Tippett at the Bears 38, that would eventually set up a one yard score by Thaenrat for a 17-13 halftime lead.
Except for a few minutes at the beginning of the third quarter, the second half was all Tigers. Maine did stop Towson three and out to open up the half that would lead to the third field goal by Doak from 44 yards to make it a one point game 17-16. But it only took 2:20 for the Tigers to push the lead to eight points. Chris Clark made a 38 yard reception and Kobe Young also caught one that covered 19 yards. Thaenrat finished it off again with a two yard run for a touchdown. Late in the quarter Towson was at it again. Shane Leatherbury caught a 36 yard pass on a key third down and six from the Maine 45, and Clark caught a nine yard score from Flacco to make it 31-16.
A 16 yard pass to Young and a 13 yard reception by Andre Miller at the end of the third, and then an 11 yard run for Young to start the fourth had Maine knocking on the door again at the Towson 39 needing a score. Fergusons next pass though intended for Edwards was jumped for an interception and returned 73 yards to the Black Bear 1 yard line by linebacker Keon Paye. Thaenrat finished off his career night on the next play with a one yard score. Ferguson said after the game, “It’s on me, I got to make a better read and a better throw. Probably progressed through the play I haven’t seen it yet but that is my guess. It was definitely on me I gotta play better and put our guys in position. When you make a play like that it’s a big turning point in the game, big momentum swing and that obviously rang true tonight”. Maine again drove inside Towson territory on the ensuing possession in desperation mode at the 48, but a tipped pass was picked off by Robert Heyward for the fourth interception of the night. A 16 yard run by Adrian Feliz-Platt, a 13 yard run by Flacco and a personal foul for a late hit on the same play by Maine, led to a 10 yard touchdown run from Young to end the Tigers scoring on the night. A short one yard touchdown run by Joe Fitzpatrick got the Black Bears into the endzone for the final time on the night in a game that was already decided with just over five minutes remaining.
Towson quarterback Tom Flacco drops back looking to make a pass during CAA conference action against Maine on Saturday, September 14, 2019 in Orono. Towson won the game 45-23. Photo by Anthony DelMonaco
Ferguson finished 28-49 passing, 401 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions in the loss. Reed had eight carries for 22 yards as the Black Bears run game was shut down, going for just a total of 68 yards on 19 attempts. Edwards had six receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown. Manny Patterson, Myles Taylor, and Kayon Whitaker all had eight tackles a piece to lead the defense. Whitaker left the game in the second quarter with an upper body injury and didn’t return, and will be re-evaluated. Flacco finished 20-34 passing, 232 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. He also was the leading rusher going for 68 yards on seven carries. The brother of NFL quarterback Joe Flacco had 300 total yards between his arm and legs of the 416 yards amassed by the Tigers offense on the night. Clark had four catches for 64 yards and a touchdown, and Leatherbury had six for 63 to lead the receiving core. The senior running back Thaenrat who is a transfer from Tennessee Tech, only had five career touchdowns coming into this season and now has five three games into the 2019 season. He never had more than one touchdown in any collegiate game prior to Saturday night and finished with 9 carries, 24 yards, and four scores. All-CAA kick returner and running back Shane Simpson was also injured in the first quarter on a kick return and did not come back into the game. He will be also re-evaluated when the team arrives back home to Maryland to learn the nature of his injury. Sean Brown had nine tackles, while Tippett and Christian Dixon each had eight a piece for the Tigers defense. Towson head coach Rob Ambrose said, “Proud of our guys. Came a long ways from home and played an extremely quality opponent with great players and great coaches in a tough environment. Faced a little bit of adversity, but our guys responded. Just happy to get out of here with a win, it’s a tough place to win”. The Tigers improve to 3-0, 1-0 in CAA. This is the first 3-0 start for Towson since 2013, when they lost in the national title game to North Dakota State.
Maine wide receiver Earnest Edwards celebrates a second quarter reception for a touchdown against Towson on Saturday, September 14, 2019 in Orono. Towson won the game 45-23. Photo by Anthony DelMonaco
Maine head coach Nick Charlton said, “It is very very disappointing obviously. It was a one point game with 10:46 left in the third quarter, and for us to have that kind of second half is very disappointing. I think right now we are doing some decent things in alot of areas, but unfortunately it feels like we aren’t in rhythm or that we aren’t in sync with each other on offense, defense, and special teams. Credit to Towson number one, I should of started with that. That’s a very good football team. I got alot of respect for Coach Ambrose”. The loss also snaps the Black Bears six game home win streak. Maine will now hit the road next Saturday as they slip back into non-conference play with a visit to Colgate in Hamilton, New York for a 12 noon kickoff. The Red Raiders who were in the FCS playoffs last season have started this year at 0-3.
TOW (3-0) 7 10 14 14- 45
UME (1-2) 6 7 3 7- 23
Total yards- Towson 416 Maine 469
First downs- Towson 23 Maine 22
Turnovers- Towson 0 Maine 4
Pts off Turnovers- Towson 21 Maine 0
Time of possession- Towson 33:07 Maine 26:53
