University of Maine fifth-year football coach Jordan Stevens applauded his team’s resiliency in its season-opening 21-18 Coastal Athletic Association victory at Towson University in Maryland on Thursday night.
The Black Bears built a 21-0 lead with three touchdowns in the second quarter, but the Tigers climbed back to within three only to have the Black Bears make two game-changing defensive plays late in the fourth quarter to preserve the victory.
It snapped a Black Bear streak of seven consecutive losses in CAA openers.
First, UMaine redshirt sophomore cornerback Brayden Isaiah sacked quarterback Andrew Indorf for a 14-yard loss on third-and-three from the UMaine five-yard line and Towson’s Zaydaan Faridi then missed a game-tying 37-yard field goal with 3:53 left.
Isaiah had an interception earlier in the contest.
Just over two minutes later, Black Bear junior cornerback Erv Wiggins Jr. punched the ball free from Towson wide receiver Cleveland Charlton after an 18-yard gain with 1:22 remaining and redshirt sophomore free safety Jake Kucera recovered it to sew up the victory.
“Our guys handled themselves well in terms of bouncing back and we haven’t done that in the past,” Stevens said. “The momentum had shifted in [Towson’s] favor, but we didn’t let it affect us mentally or emotionally. We were able to continue to play football and show maturity at the end of the game. We needed to execute to win the game and we did.”
He said his team has been focusing on the fundamentals, technique, pursuit and swarming to the ball, and it showed up at the end capped by Wiggins’ forced fumble and Kucera’s recovery.
“We want to be known for those elements. We want that to be part of our identity,” Stevens said.
Stevens pointed out that Isaiah played a “ton for us last year” including special teams work and that his role has increased this year.
“It was awesome to see him show up in big moments with the [interception] and the sack,” said Stevens, who also called Wiggins’ forced fumble a “really heads-up play.”
UMaine’s defense registered six sacks, the most since the Black Bears registered seven in a 35-7 win over Villanova on Oct. 19, 2024. UMaine has had as many as five on three occasions during the 17 games between the Villanova and Towson contests.
Defensive end Chris Bacon had two sacks, tackles Bryce Purnelll and Derek Berlitz had 1 ½ sacks each and Isaiah had his one sack.
Co-captain Kye Pressley was the other defensive end, and Ta’Kai Chisholm got plenty of reps at end, also.
“Our defensive line really played hard. They were relentless in the pass rush and worked together in the rush. Berlitz and Purnell really did a nice job closing down lanes and allowing our defensive ends time to turn the corner and get to the quarterback,” said Stevens. “Derek and Bryce also got production on the quarterback as well.”
Berlitz finished with eight tackles and Purnell had six and were the team’s third and fourth-leading tacklers behind strong safety Jeremiah McGill and linebacker Sam Oppenheimer, who each had 10.
UMaine’s offensive line, on the other hand, allowed debuting quarterback Eddie Buehler to be sacked only once.
“The way we pass protected and rushed the quarterback were factors in the game,” Stevens said.
Redshirt sophomore Buehler, in his first start and his first ever appearance in a college game, completed 17 of his 27 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns and he also ran the ball twice for nine yards.
“He did an excellent job, especially being his first time playing college football,” Stevens said. “He handled the moment really well. He moved around in the pocket well, the offensive line did a great job protecting him, and he made some really nice throws. He also extended some plays with his legs.”
Buehler completed passes to eight different receivers.
Stevens said there are plenty of things to work on and to improve upon as the Black Bears prepare for a Saturday afternoon game in Boone, North Carolina, against Football Bowl Subdivision team Appalachian State at the Kidd Brewer Stadium.
Appalachian State went 5-8 overall a year ago, 2-6 in the Sun Belt Conference, and lost to Sun Belt rival Georgia Southern 29-10 in the Birmingham Bowl.
UMaine is in the Football Championship Subdivision, which has fewer resources than FBS teams.
UMaine graduate student punter Anthony Pecorella was named the CAA Special Teams Player of the Week after averaging 41 yards per punt and putting four of his seven punts inside the Towson 20-yard line.
“It couldn’t have happened to a better guy. I’m proud of him,” Stevens said.
Pecorella is a cancer survivor who will need a bone marrow transplant at the end of the season to cure a rare, genetic immune system disorder.