Saturday, November 19
Orono, ME
1:00 PM
University of Maine
6-5 , 5-3
21
vs
24
New Hampshire
7-4 , 6-2
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNH | 7 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
| Maine | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
Photo by: Peter Buehner
Football clipped by New Hampshire in season finale, 24-21
11/19/2016 5:48:00 PM | Football
Maine completes season 6-5, 5-3 in CAA
Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine football team (6-5, 5-3) ended its season with a 24-21 loss at home to New Hampshire (7-4, 6-2 CAA) in Saturday evening's season finale at Alfond Stadium. The Black Bears, who carried a 14-7 lead into the half, battled back late to tie the game with 5:02 left. However, the Wildcats capitalized on their final drive with a 21-yard field goal for the win.
Dan Collins went 11-for-28 with 202-yards and two touchdowns, finishing his Maine career ranked seventh in history with 4,860-yards and 33 touchdowns. Micah Wright led the offense with five catches for 121-yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Freshman Earnest Edwards added three catches for 44-yards. Edwards also threw a touchdown pass on a trick-play and completed his rookie season with a passing touchdown, receiving touchdown, rushing touchdown and a kickoff return for a score. Josh Mack added 77-yards on the ground on 21 carries.
Black Bear Nation came through with tremendous support all season as Maine set a new single-season attendance record, hosting 41,154 fans during the season and averaging 8,231 per game.
Over 700 total yards were produced during the 105th meeting between Maine and New Hampshire with the Wildcats holding a slight 390-339 edge in offense. Defensively, Maine produced 3.0 sacks with seniors Christophe Mulumba Tshimanga (1.5) and Pat Ricard (1.5) splitting the backfield take downs. Mulumba produced his sixth double-digit tackling performance of the year, making a game-high 11 stops with 2.5 tackles for loss. Maine's senior linebacker was constantly around the ball for his four years, ending with 447 total tackles in 42 games (10.2 tpg). Ricard added 2.5 TFLs, finishing his career with an impressive 47.5 tackles for loss.
Maine jumped out to a 7-0 lead with a score in the closing minutes of the first quarter. The Black Bears took advantage of great field position at the New Hampshire 29, advancing the ball to the 13 before catching the Wildcats off-guard with some trickery. Collins snapped the ball and handed off to Edwards on what looked to be an end-around. However, Edwards stopped and floated a pass into the endzone where Jared Osumah came down with the touchdown reception.
It was New Hampshire's defense which finally got the Wildcats on the board. With 14-seconds left in the opening quarter, Pop Lacey jumped the route on a Collins pass, snatching the ball out of the air and returning it 44-yards for the score.
Early in the second quarter it was Maine's defense which made the big play. The Wildcats drove all the way down to the Maine 15 where Austin Brown came up with a huge interception on the five-yard line to keep what looked like sure points off the board. Maine quickly moved the ball down field, picking up 17-yards on a first down rush from Mack before Collins his Jaquan Blair for a 19-yard gain. Three plays later, Collins found a wide-open Wright 45-yards down field for the touchdown.
Maine would carry its 14-7 lead into the half.
New Hampshire was once again able to tie the game, this time on a 35-yard rush from Dalton Crossan with 5:31 left in the third quarter.
The Wildcats grabbed their first lead early in the fourth. A 16 play, 74-yard drive ended when Adam Riese hit Neil O'Connor for a 10-yard touchdown.
Maine wasn't done fighting. Collins and the offense regrouped two drives later as the senior found Edwards for 18-yards down to the New Hampshire 29. Three-straight plays with no-gain presented Maine with a fourth and 10. Collins lofted as pass into the front corner of the end zone where Wright was able to elevate over his defender and come down with the touch catch. With the point-after, Maine and New Hampshire once again were tied, 21-all, with 5:02 remaining.
However, the Wildcats responded with a 12 play, 64-yard drive which concluded with a 21-yard field goal from Morgan Ellman.
Maine had one last chance with a hail mary from its own 26 but the attempt fell incomplete as New Hampshire escaped with a 24-21 victory.
-UMaine-
Dan Collins went 11-for-28 with 202-yards and two touchdowns, finishing his Maine career ranked seventh in history with 4,860-yards and 33 touchdowns. Micah Wright led the offense with five catches for 121-yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Freshman Earnest Edwards added three catches for 44-yards. Edwards also threw a touchdown pass on a trick-play and completed his rookie season with a passing touchdown, receiving touchdown, rushing touchdown and a kickoff return for a score. Josh Mack added 77-yards on the ground on 21 carries.
Black Bear Nation came through with tremendous support all season as Maine set a new single-season attendance record, hosting 41,154 fans during the season and averaging 8,231 per game.
Over 700 total yards were produced during the 105th meeting between Maine and New Hampshire with the Wildcats holding a slight 390-339 edge in offense. Defensively, Maine produced 3.0 sacks with seniors Christophe Mulumba Tshimanga (1.5) and Pat Ricard (1.5) splitting the backfield take downs. Mulumba produced his sixth double-digit tackling performance of the year, making a game-high 11 stops with 2.5 tackles for loss. Maine's senior linebacker was constantly around the ball for his four years, ending with 447 total tackles in 42 games (10.2 tpg). Ricard added 2.5 TFLs, finishing his career with an impressive 47.5 tackles for loss.
Maine jumped out to a 7-0 lead with a score in the closing minutes of the first quarter. The Black Bears took advantage of great field position at the New Hampshire 29, advancing the ball to the 13 before catching the Wildcats off-guard with some trickery. Collins snapped the ball and handed off to Edwards on what looked to be an end-around. However, Edwards stopped and floated a pass into the endzone where Jared Osumah came down with the touchdown reception.
It was New Hampshire's defense which finally got the Wildcats on the board. With 14-seconds left in the opening quarter, Pop Lacey jumped the route on a Collins pass, snatching the ball out of the air and returning it 44-yards for the score.
Early in the second quarter it was Maine's defense which made the big play. The Wildcats drove all the way down to the Maine 15 where Austin Brown came up with a huge interception on the five-yard line to keep what looked like sure points off the board. Maine quickly moved the ball down field, picking up 17-yards on a first down rush from Mack before Collins his Jaquan Blair for a 19-yard gain. Three plays later, Collins found a wide-open Wright 45-yards down field for the touchdown.
Maine would carry its 14-7 lead into the half.
New Hampshire was once again able to tie the game, this time on a 35-yard rush from Dalton Crossan with 5:31 left in the third quarter.
The Wildcats grabbed their first lead early in the fourth. A 16 play, 74-yard drive ended when Adam Riese hit Neil O'Connor for a 10-yard touchdown.
Maine wasn't done fighting. Collins and the offense regrouped two drives later as the senior found Edwards for 18-yards down to the New Hampshire 29. Three-straight plays with no-gain presented Maine with a fourth and 10. Collins lofted as pass into the front corner of the end zone where Wright was able to elevate over his defender and come down with the touch catch. With the point-after, Maine and New Hampshire once again were tied, 21-all, with 5:02 remaining.
However, the Wildcats responded with a 12 play, 64-yard drive which concluded with a 21-yard field goal from Morgan Ellman.
Maine had one last chance with a hail mary from its own 26 but the attempt fell incomplete as New Hampshire escaped with a 24-21 victory.
-UMaine-
Players Mentioned
Wide Receiver
/ Football
Linebacker
/ Football
Quarterback
/ Football
Wide Receiver
/ Football
Linebacker
/ Football
Wide Receiver
/ Football
Wide Receiver
/ FootballTeam Stats
UNH
MAINE
Total Yards
390
339
Pass Yards
221
215
Rushing Yards
169
124
Penalty Yards
45
70
1st Downs
20
16
3rd Downs
7
5
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
32:24
27:36
1st Quarter
UNH 0, MAINE 7
MAINE - Osumah, Jared 13 yd pass from Edwards, Earnes (Briggs, Brandon kick) 3 plays, 29 yards, TOP 1:10
UNH 7, MAINE 7
UNH - Lacey,Pop 44 yd interception (Ellman,Morgan kick)
2nd Quarter
UNH 7, MAINE 14
MAINE - Wright, Micah 45 yd pass from Collins, Dan (Briggs, Brandon kick) 6 plays, 90 yards, TOP 2:38
3rd Quarter
UNH 14, MAINE 14
UNH - Crossan,Dalton 35 yd run (Ellman,Morgan kick), 8 plays, 95 yards, TOP 2:39
4th Quarter
UNH 21, MAINE 14
UNH - O'Connor,Neil 10 yd pass from Riese,Adam (Ellman,Morgan kick) 16 plays, 74 yards, TOP 6:45
UNH 21, MAINE 21
MAINE - Wright, Micah 29 yd pass from Collins, Dan (Briggs, Brandon kick) 5 plays, 47 yards, TOP 1:36
UNH 24, MAINE 21
UNH - Ellman,Morgan 21 yd field goal 12 plays, 64 yards, TOP 4:52
Game Leaders
CMP
11
TD
2
YDS
202
INT
2
Monday, April 27
Monday, April 27
Thursday, January 15
Saturday, November 22
