It was more of the same for the University of Maine’s football team on Saturday at Morse Field in Alfond Stadium in Orono as Sean Green made his debut as interim offensive coordinator after Mikahael Waters was let go nearly two weeks ago.
Mistakes, dropped passes and an inability to score touchdowns yielded yet another loss as Bryant University carved out its first ever win in six games in Orono, 17-14.
Bryant improved to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in the Coastal Athletic Association while UMaine suffered its sixth straight loss and fell to 1-6 overall, 1-3 in the conference.
UMaine is now 0-3 at home this season.
The losing streak is the longest since UMaine dropped nine in a row spanning the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Trailing 17-14 with 3:23 left in the game, UMaine took over the ball at its own 25-yard line and used a diving catch by Major Leak off a Caden Drezek pass to set itself up at the Bryant 42.
Redshirt junior Drezek was making his first career full-time start. He shared the role with Eddie Buehler two weeks ago.
But an illegal procedure penalty on tackle Andrew Kocan and a one-yard run by Drezek left the Black Bears in a second-and-14 yards to go predicament and three poor Drezek throws resulted in incompletions which turned the ball over to Bryant and the Bulldogs ran out the clock.
“We just weren’t able to build off that play,” said UMaine head coach Jordan Stevens, referring to Leak’s reception.
UMaine had won the last four meetings between the two in both venues.
It was another inept performance from the UMaine offense in the first half and only a goal line stand by the Black Bear defense late in the half kept them within striking distance at 14-3.
UMaine’s offense managed just 73 yards, running back/slot back Nick Laughlin coughed up two fumbles and Black Bear receivers dropped three passes.
They dropped two more in the second half for a total of five in the game.
UMaine came into the game with the worst offense in the CAA and one of the worst among 124 teams in the Football Championship Subdivision. It was last in the CAA in points (14.5) and total yards (270.2) per game. It was 121st and 115th in the country in those categories, respectively.
The first drop occurred on UMaine’s first drive of the game and proved costly as a potential touchdown pass from Drezek to Corey Rideout went through the hands of the open receiver in the end zone.
So UMaine had to settle for Sam Tremblay’s 40-yard field goal.
Bryant took the lead on the ensuing possession, covering 75 yards on six plays with quarterback Brennan Myer capping the drive with a 30-yard pass to Jose Leon in the left corner of the end zone.
The drive was extended by a 34-yard pass from Myer to a diving Leon on third-and-nine and a holding penalty on UMaine’s Jamaree Gibson on third-and-10.
UMaine put together a promising drive early in the second period after getting great field position at the 50 courtesy of a personal foul penalty on Bryant.
A 17-yard scamper by Drezek moved the chains but, on a third-and-four from the Bryant 32-yard line, Laughlin fumbled and Bryant linebacker Drake Lusk recovered it.
On Bryant’s first play, UMaine safety Jeremiah McGill dropped a potential interception and the Bulldogs made them pay, putting together an eight-play, 63-yard drive finished off by O.J. Ross’ three-yard run.
Myer completed passes of 19 yards to Maximlus Nosler and 16 yards to Shamar Fowles during the drive.
Laughlin then lost another fumble and Bryant moved down to the five-yard line.
But, on fourth-and-one, the Black Bear defense stuffed running back Deshon Jenkins shy of first down yardage. Noah Carpenter and Farradi Titkipina were credited with the tackles.
UMaine strung together its only touchdown drive of the game to start the third quarter, going 75 yards on just six plays.
Laughlin made a terrific one-handed catch along the right sideline for a 28-yard completion and Drezek hooked up with Evan Wallace on a 31-yard pass as Wallace took a short throw in the backfield on a screen and weaved his way through traffic down to the B-10 yard line.
On third-and-goal from the 11, Marshall took a short pass from Drezek in the right flats and fought his way to the goal line, extending the ball with his right hand into the end zone.
The Black Bears then used a trick play for a two-point conversion as linebacker Carpenter took a direct snap and ran up the middle with help from a push from behind by a beefy teammate.
The Black Bears forced a three-and-out by Bryant and regained the ball at its own 16-yard line.
But Drezek was sacked and fumbled the ball and Bryant’s Lucian DePino recovered at the UMaine 9 yard line.
Again, the UMaine defense bailed out the offense by holding Bryant to a 26-yard field goal by Nicholas Stoyanovich.
UMaine put together a 20-play, 78-yard drive spanning the third and fourth quarters and reached the Bryant 7-yard line.
But on third-and-four, they tried a pitch out to the right side to Rashawn Marshall and he was nailed for a sizable loss by Toby Brown Jr. so, again, UMaine had to settle for a Tremblay field goal, this time from 32 yards.
“Congrats to Bryant. I thought they played hard and played in the manner they’ve played all year,” said Jordan Stevens. “They didn’t turn the ball over, they created takeaways. We turned the ball over.
“This is on me to start in terms of not playing with more discipline in terms of ball security. Penalties on special teams. Those hurt us the most within the game,” said Stevens. “We were in position to win the game at the end but just came up short.”
UMaine outgained Bryant 352-287 in total yards but the three turnovers resulted in 10 Bryant points, and the Bulldogs didn’t turn the ball over.
UMaine was penalized eight times for 62 yards while Bryant had five penalties for 45 yards.
Myer completed 12 of 21 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown. O.J Ross carried the ball 11 times for 61 yards and Fowles caught five passes for 43 yards.
Linebacker Lusk had a team-high 12 tackles, a sack, two fumble recoveries and he forced a fumble. Linebacker Anthony Ottinot had eight tackles, two and a half for lost yardage, and he forced a fumble.
Drezek completed 18 of 34 passes for 234 yards and a TD. He added nine rushes for 35 yards. Marshall had a game-high 62 rushing yards on 19 carries. Laughlin had a game-high seven catches for 86 yards and Wallace had three for 59 yards.
Linebacker Sam Oppenheimer had a game-high 15 tackles including half a sack. Carpenter had 11. Defensive end Kye Pressley had eight tackles.
UMaine will host Campbell (NC) for Homecoming on Saturday at 1 pm while Bryant will host Stony Brook at 2 pm.