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Facing the No. 1 team in the nation, the opposing team must open up the playbook and pull out all the stops to get a victory.
For the first 46 minutes on Saturday night, the University of Maine football team had done just that against the top-ranked Dukes of James Madison University.
With 13:23 to go in the fourth quarter, the Black Bears had just scored on a long touchdown run to tie the game and recover the ensuing onside kick-the second of the game.
A late flag for kicking catch interference on the onside kick gave James Madison the ball at the UMaine 30-yard line. More importantly, the momentum was seized from the underdog Black Bears.
The Dukes rode the legs of senior quarterback Rodney Landers, and sophomore tailback Griff Yancey scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns after the onside kick attempt to prevail over UMaine 24-10 amidst pouring rain at Alfond Stadium.
With the loss, the Black Bears drop to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the Colonial Athletic Association. James Madison improves to 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in the conference.
“It was a tough loss [for] the second week in a row,” UMaine Coach Jack Cosgrove said. “They don’t get much tougher. We put a lot into it and those guys put a lot into it. We’re not here for nice tries. I’ve been here 16 years and it’s hard looking at them in the locker room to keep a level of hope in their eyes.”
Following a 35-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman half back Derek Session with 13:23 to go in the game, the Black Bears attempted to catch James Madison off guard for the second time with the onside attempt. In the first quarter, freshman kicker Jordan Waxman kicked a 10-yard bunt, and the Black Bears recovered it.
Waxman attempted another onside kick toward the UMaine sideline and freshman cornerback Norman Smith tipped it before a Black Bear player recovered it. With the ball and all the momentum, UMaine was poised to pull off the upset.
The late flag for kicking catch interference was thrown and James Madison was given the ball deep in UMaine territory.
“You can’t afford to be conservative in football games,” Cosgrove said. “You have to take shots, take chances.”
“I’m hurt that I took a chance in a 10-10 game and it didn’t work out for us,” he added. “They got the call right. I was hoping they missed it, but they made the right call.”
James Madison proceeded to drive 35 yards on three plays, capped off by a 12-yard touchdown run by Yancey to make it 17-10.
UMaine got the ball back and started its drive with good field position at their own 40. The Black Bears failed to convert a third-and-one when backup quarterback Michael Brusko was stuffed for a loss of one.
“We had a third-and-one that we didn’t get,” Cosgrove said. “We did the same thing at Richmond last week, and that’s upsetting.”
After a Kash Kiefer punt pinned the Dukes inside their 20-yard line, the No. 1 team in the nation showed why they are ranked so high.
Led by Landers, the two-time reigning CAA Offensive Player of the Week, the Dukes marched down the field. They ran the ball on every play. After 11 plays, 85 yards and 6:47, Yancey rushed for his second touchdown from 30 yards to put the game away. The score made it 24-10.
“The drive there at the end was a championship drive,” said James Madison Coach Mickey Matthews. “Eighty five yards on 11 plays. We had to run it and they knew we had to run it but couldn’t stop it.”
In the first half, UMaine held the rushing attack of James Madison at bay, without giving up the big play. They held them to 105 yards on the ground in the first half before giving up 214 in the second half.
“They’re [UMaine] a very solid ballclub,” Landers said. “The defensive front, they’re very physical, in your face the whole game, and they were getting stops.”
Despite the UMaine defense holding the Dukes at bay, both sides of the ball for the Black Bears failed to capitalize on mistakes.
UMaine dropped two interceptions and a pass in the endzone, failed to convert a fourth down deep in James Madison territory and didn’t take advantage of a fumble recovery by junior linebacker Mark Masterson at the beginning of the second half.
“You can look back at it after the game and look at that, but you just tell the guys to get back out there when it happens,” said senior safety Lamir Whetstone, who had eight tackles on the night.
“It just comes down to execution, and we didn’t execute,” sophomore quarterback Adam Farkes said.
Landers, who ran for 156 yards on 27 carries and scored the first touchdown of the game in the third quarter, led the James Madison offense. He also added 108 yards through the air on seven-for-13 passing.
“You have to figure out a way with him in terms of producing the damage he can do, and we did for a while,” Cosgrove said. “I mean, what is he, 235 [pounds]? He’s like a tailback, a big tailback, playing quarterback.”
The Dukes defense constantly put pressure on Farkes, forcing him out of the pocket on many occasions and into some errant throws. They forced three interceptions and sacked Farkes four times.
UMaine freshman halfback Jared Turcotte led the offense, stepping in for the injured Jhamal Fluellen to rush for 82 yards on 11 carries – most of the yards coming after the initial contact.
“He was able to play real physical and brought his game to another notch,” Farkes said of Turcotte. “He stepped up and made a lot of big plays. We were able to ride him a lot.”
Senior defensive end Jovan Belcher had a game-high 13 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss.
The Black Bears were not only without leading rusher, Fluellen, but top wide receiver Landis Williams and starting safety Brandon McLaughlin.
“We’ve had a real rash of unfortunate injuries, but the game brings those around,” Cosgrove said.
UMaine has a bye this coming week before resuming CAA play when they head to nationally-ranked Delaware on Oct. 11. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Related Posts:- Football: Paulus, Orange deny Bears’ upset bid (September 28, 2009)
- UMaine football ready for JMU (October 23, 2003)
- Football: UMaine focused on JMU, upbeat after UMass win (November 5, 2009)
- Wilson, Albany stuff UMaine upset bid (February 13, 2006)
- UMaine comeback falls short (December 5, 2005)
