The University of Maine’s football team appeared on its way to a valuable Coastal Athletic Association victory in the waning seconds of the first half of Thursday night’s season-opener at Towson University’s Johnny Unitas Stadium (MD), holding a 21-0 lead after scoring three touchdowns in a span of 7:56 late in the second period.
A 30-yard touchdown pass from Eddie Buehler to Nick Laughlin capped the spree with only 42 seconds remaining in the half.
But, following the kickoff, Andrew Indorf tossed a 56-yard pass to Cleveland Charlton on the Tigers’ first play from scrimmage and it set up a four-yard touchdown pass from Indorf to Aaron Enterline.
A penalty on UMaine on the extra point placement moved the ball to the one and a half yard line and Towson elected to go for the two-point conversion and Indorf connected with Enterline again, this time for two points.
Indorf, the CAA’s Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, fired a 59-yard touchdown pass to Charlton with 5:11 remaining in the third period to cut the lead to 21-15.
The game went into a lightning delay with 13:20 left in the fourth quarter with Towson having the ball at UMaine’s 23-yard line.
The Black Bears had opened the scoring with 8:38 remaining in the first half as Buehler tossed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Virginia Military Institute transfer Malik McNeely to finish off an eight-play 52-yard drive.
UMaine extended the lead with a seven-play, 90-yard drive. A 31-yard completion from Buehler to Evan Wallace set up a 32-yard TD run by Rashawn Marshall with 2:38 left.
Following a poor punt which gave UMaine great field position at the Towson-35 yard line, the Black Bears wasted little time finding the end zone as a five-yard pass from Buehler to Elijah Smalls was followed by the 30-yard TD strike from Buehler to Laughlin.
UMaine outgained Towson 239-125 in the first half. Buehler completed 14 of 19 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Indorf completed seven of nine for 95 yards.