Former University of Maine teammates Zavier Scott and Joe Fagnano squared off in a National Football League preseason game on Saturday.
Quarterback Fagnano’s Baltimore Ravens beat running back Scott’s Minnesota Vikings 13-3 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Both are undrafted free agents as was former Black Bear defensive lineman Pat Ricard, who is in his 10th NFL season and his first as a New York Giant following nine seasons with the Ravens.
Ricard is a two-time All-Pro fullback who has been chosen to six Pro Bowls.
There is one preseason game left for all three teams on Friday night.
Fagnano completed 15 of 20 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. He carried the ball twice for 10 yards, and he was sacked once. He didn’t throw an interception and had a quarterback rating of 106.9.
The 27-year-old Scott was Minnesota’s leading rusher with 28 yards on seven carries. He also caught a pass for eight yards.
Scott is fighting for a spot on the Vikings roster as the third running back behind Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones. The Vikings could also keep four running backs.
Scott appeared in 16 games for them a year ago, carrying the ball 32 times for 114 yards, an average of 3.6 yards per carry. He also caught 14 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown. Seven of his 14 catches picked up a first down.
He fumbled twice and lost one.
He signed a one-year deal worth a little over $1 million in March.
Fagnano is battling for a roster spot with the Ravens and has made a strong case for himself during the preseason so far.
The 25-year-old Fagnano had completed 22 of 28 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens’ first exhibition game, a 24-7 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. He was intercepted once but wasn’t sacked. His quarterback rating was a solid 97.
He carried the ball once for a yard.
Fagnano signed a three-year deal worth a total of $3.1 million with the Ravens.
Three-time All-Pro first team selection Lamar Jackson is the Ravens’ starting quarterback and Tyler Huntley is his backup. Fagnano is vying for the third QB spot.
Fagnano is coming off a tremendous season at UConn where he completed 285 of 413 passes (69%) for 3,448 yards and 28 touchdowns with just one interception.
During his three seasons at UConn, Fagnano completed 64.7 percent of his passes (423-for-654) for 5,252 yards and 48 TDs with six interceptions. He ran the ball 93 times for 223 yards and four touchdowns.
He was at UMaine for 2019-2022 and he completed 59.7 percent of his passes (461-for-772) for 5,655 yards and 46 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. He also carried the ball 229 times for 535 yards and five TDs.
The 32-year-old Ricard joined former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh in New York.
The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Ricard is the NFL’s highest paid fullback after he signed a two-year deal with the Giants worth $7.63 million.
Ricard, known as a ferocious blocker, has caught 49 career passes for 323 yards and seven touchdowns. Sixteen of his receptions have earned first downs. He has also carried the ball 11 times for 22 yards.