The University of Maine dictated play throughout, but the final result didn’t come easily.
The Black Bears stopped Elon on its last four possessions Saturday afternoon and held on for a 24-17 Colonial Athletic Association football victory at Rhodes Stadium in Elon, North Carolina.
The offense controlled the football throughout as coach Jack Cosgrove’s UMaine team (5-5, 4-3 CAA) collected its third consecutive win heading into next Saturday’s rivalry game against top-ranked New Hampshire at Alfond Stadium in Orono.
Elon, a first-year conference member, slipped to 1-10 and 0-7, respectively.
The Black Bears received another strong effort from its defense, which afforded the Phoenix only 172 total yards, including only 24 via the run.
Mike Quinn was under pressure all day and completed only 13 of 35 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted twice and Elon went 0-for-14 on third down.
Pat Ricard led the way for UMaine with six tackles while Randy Samuels (1 sack, 1 forced fumble), Trevor Bates of Westbrook and Matt Wilson made five each. Khari Al-Mateen and Austin Brown each registered an interception.
Wilson left the field in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury to his left leg.
The Black Bears finished with 387 total yards and posted two key scores in the third quarter before turning the ball over twice in the last 12:38 on interceptions.
UMaine manufactured a 20 ½-minute advantage in time of possession with an effective blend of run and pass.
Freshman quarterback Drew Belcher completed 18 of 27 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns, but threw the first two interceptions of his career. The completions, passing yards and touchdowns were single-game highs for Belcher.
Damarr Aultman made seven catches for 47 yards and a score to head the receiving corps, while freshman tailback Nigel Beckford carried 24 times for 104 yards and a TD to spearhead the ground assault.
The Phoenix grabbed a 7-0 lead 1:46 into the game when Adrian McClendon stepped in front of a Belcher pass and returned it 30 yards for a score. John Gallagher’s PAT was good.
UMaine responded with a methodical drive that covered 14 plays and 73 yards and consumed 7:36 off the clock. Beckford and Belcher did most of the work on the ground, but it was a 17-yard pass from Belcher to Jordan Dunn that set up Belcher’s 1-yard TD dive with 5:38 left in the quarter.
Sean Decloux’s PAT tied it.
The Bears finally clicked again with a quick scoring drive early in the second quarter. Belcher and Dunn hooked up for a 33-yard completion on the first play and Belcher eventually hit Aultman on a 4-yard scoring toss. Decloux’s PAT gave UMaine the lead for good, 14-7, at the 9:30 mark.
Elon trimmed the deficit to four points after Malcolm Galloway blocked a Jeff Ondish punt and the Phoenix recovered at the UMaine 18. The hosts could manage only a 23-yard field goal by Gallagher, which left it 14-10 at halftime.
The Bears then scored after forcing a punt to open the second half. Decloux booted a 42-yarder with 11:04 to play to make it 17-10.
UMaine extended its advantage by embarking on a 12-play, 70-yard march that began late in the third quarter.
Beckford and Belcher each turned in successful third-down runs early in the drive, which culminated in a 29-yard screen pass from Belcher to Beckford that put the Bears in front 24-10 with 14:04 remaining.
The UMaine came up big on Elon’s ensuing drive when Al-Mateen intercepted a Quinn pass at the Bears’ 1-yard line.
However, Julius Moore returned the favor for the Phoenix two plays later when he picked off Belcher and returned it 34 yards to the UMaine 17. On the next play, Quinn found Kierre Brown in the end zone and Gallagher’s PAT got the hosts back within 24-17 with 11:35 left.
Neither team could mount another serious threat, with UMaine’s Axel Ofori intercepting Quinn to end one possession at the Bears’ 31.