ORONO, Maine - Alhaji Kamara's interception with seven seconds remaining in the game delivered the University of Maine football team a 17-14 victory over the Colgate Raiders on Friday night in the 2024 season opener at Alfond Stadium.

In his first start for the Black Bears, Carter Peevy completed 17-of-22 passes for 186 yards and also ran for a touchdown. Jaharie Martin had a third-quarter rushing touchdown and finished with 66 yards on 15 attempts. Brian Santana-Fis rushed for 40 yards on nine attempts. Montigo Moss and Jamie Lamson finished with five catches each, with Moss going for 84 yards and Lamson 19. 

Joey Bryson converted a 34-yard field goal attempt while going 2-for-2 on extra point attempts. 

Christian Thomas led the Maine defense with eight tackles while Xavier Holmes had seven tackles and a half sack. Five Black Bears finished with five tackles, including Kamara.

Late in a scoreless first quarter, Colgate started a drive at its own six-yard line. The visiting Raiders went on to put together a 13 play, 94-yard drive over 7:23 of game time that culminated in a three-yard touchdown run by Brendan Cassamajor. Colgate's Luke Vogeler converted the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

Maine responded on the ensuing drive to make it a 7-7 game. Peevy went 5-for-5 through the air on the drive – including a 21-yard strike down the right sideline to Nick Laughlin to put the ball on the Colgate five-yard line. Martin moved it up two yards and then Peevy punched it in from three yards for the even scoreline.

On Maine's final drive of the second quarter, the Black Bears went 58 yards in 10 plays – including a Peevy 26-yard completion to Moss – to set up Bryson field goal in the final seconds of the half.

A clutch third down sack from Holmes forced Colgate to punt from its own goal line. Molayo Irefin returned the punt 34 yards to set the Black Bears up at the Colgate 21. With 10:31 to go in the fourth quarter, Martin punched the ball up the middle from seven yards out and Bryson hit the PAT for a 17-7 lead.

Colgate went 67 yards on 12 plays and quarterback Michael Brescia went 10 yards up the middle to make it a three-point game after the PAT.

A muffed snap on Maine's next drive, recovered by the Raiders, allowed Colgate to get the ball back on its own 33-yard line with 57 seconds to play. 

After Colgate gains of nine, 20 and three yards, Kamara intercepted Brescia's throw towards the left sideline to seal the game for the Black Bears.

Maine returns to action when it travels to take on Montana State on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 8 p.m.

-UMaine-