All afternoon, Bryant University kept the pressure on the University of Maine’s defense.
With the game on the line and time running out, the Bulldogs finally broke through.
A 41-yard bomb from Dalton Easton to Chad Ward set up his 14-yard scoring toss to Chad Ward with 2:04 remaining on Saturday afternoon as Bryant rallied for a 13-10 football victory over the University of Maine at Smithfield, Rhode Island.
Coach Jack Cosgrove’s 20th-ranked Black Bears (1-1) were susceptible to the pass on defense and sporadic on offense and had a key special-teams breakdown contribute to the loss.
It was an all or nothing type of day for the Black Bears. They afforded Bryant only 29 rushing yards, but surrendered 301 yards through the air.
Easton, a transfer from Akron, completed 26 of 43 passes, including one for a touchdown.
“Pass protection-wise, we didn’t really play to our potential,” said UMaine senior linebacker Randy Samuels. “There’s a lot of young guys on the field right now. We just need to grow.”
The UMaine offense again lacked productivity. Junior tailback Nigel Jones churned out 70 yards on 14 carries among 126 rushing yards, while sophomore quarterback Dan Collins was under constant pressure and completed 10 of 21 throws for 151 yards and a score.
Bryant (3-0) outgained UMaine 330-277.
“The brings us right back to square one,” Collins said. “We’ve got to figure out our mistakes on film and see BC’s (Boston College) looks this week and go out and play another game on Saturday.”
The Bulldogs needed only four plays to drive 74 yards in the late going. The game changer came when McCray took a direct snap, ran to the left, then pitched the ball back to Easton.
With defenders in his face, Easton lofted a long pass down the middle of the field to Ward, who beat safety Patrick Pascal to make the grab at the 33.
Two plays later, Ward took a short toss from Easton, made a move around a defender and dove into the end zone. Tom Alberti’s PAT made it a three-point game with 2:04 to play.
A first-down sack helped thwart UMaine’s final possession, which ended two yards shy of a first down.
The Bears’ tenuous grip on the game’s momentum may have been lost on their first possession of the second half. Sparked by a 45-yard pass from Collins to tight end Jeremy Salmon, UMaine had a first-and-goal from the 4.
The Bears couldn’t convert and when holder John Hardy couldn’t handle a high snap on what would have been a 25-yard field goal, Bryant took over on downs.
“I kind of put that on me,” Collins said of not cashing in. “I’ve got to make the throws down there on the goal line, make the right calls up front, get my guys going the right way. We just didn’t finish today down at the goal line.”
UMaine, which did not score over the last 40 minutes, would not threaten again.
Sophomore linebacker Chris Mulumba Tshimanga racked up 13 tackles to lead the defense, with Cabrinni Goncalves, Davonte Burke, Sherrod Baltimore and Samuels adding seven apiece.
Bryant got eight receptions for 123 yards from Ward and Rico McCray added seven for 77 yards. Marquise Walton made six tackles to pace the Bulldogs.
UMaine led 10-6 at intermission after a fairly even first half.
The defense refused to allow a touchdown, despite allowing the Bulldogs to reach their 10-yard line on three occasions.
Bryant opened the contest by marching 61 yards on 12 plays, but came up empty when Alberti’s 23-yard field goal try went wide right after a low snap.
UMaine responded with urgency, going 73 yards on 10 plays. However, the visitors settled for Sean Decloux’s 24-yard field goal at the 3:36 mark.
The Bulldogs answered on their next possession after a 51-yard kickoff return by McCray and a 15-yard personal foul put the ball at the UMaine 34. The hosts couldn’t keep the momentum going, but tied it on Alberti’s 27-yard field goal in the final minute.
Jones peeled off a 27-yard run to the left side to spark the Bears’ second-quarter scoring drive. Freshman tailback Nigel Beckford added an 11-yard run.
On second-and-goal from the 5, Collins rolled to his left, then lofted a pass back toward the right side of the end zone on which fullback Carlton Charles of Windham made a nifty diving TD catch at the 9:58 mark. Decloux’s PAT gave UMaine a 10-3 lead.
Bryant countered with another long drive that consumed 17 plays and 57 yards. However, a second-down tackle for a loss by Samuels helped force the hosts to opt for a field goal. Alberti’s 30-yarder made it a four-point game with 2:04 left in the half.
UMaine returns to action Saturday afternoon at Boston College, which upset No. 9 USC 37-31 Saturday night.