ORONO, Maine — The University of Maine’s football team earned its first opening-game win since 2019 on Friday night.
Jaharie Martin’s 7-yard touchdown run with 10:31 left in the fourth quarter and a vital acrobatic 33-yard reception by Montigo Moss to pick up a first down while the Black Bears were clinging to a three-point lead keyed a 17-14 victory over Colgate at Alfond Stadium.
UMaine had lost its previous four season-openers.
Quarterback Mike Brescia’s 10-yard run sliced Maine’s lead to 17-14 with 4:27 left but Moss’ catch of a Carter Peevy pass on third-and-seven extended a UMaine drive and Alhaji Kamara’s interception with seven seconds left iced it.
Colgate took the lead with a 13-play, 94-yard drive spanning the first and second quarters.
Brendan Cassamajor finished off the drive with a 3-yard run with 11:16 left in the half.
Cassamajor had extended the drive by picking up a first down on a fourth-and-two run that just eked out enough yardage to move the chains.
On the next play, Brescia connected with Winston Moore on a 45-yard pass down to the three-yard line.
Moore broke a pair of tackles to pick up extra yardage.
The Black Bears responded immediately to tie it with an 11-play, 75-yard drive capped by Peevy’s eight-yard run around left end.
He evaded a tackler at the five and scampered inside the corner flag.
Peevy went five-for-five through the air on the drive, including two passes to Cape Elizabeth’s Nick Laughlin for 27 yards.
The Black Bear defense forced a three-and-out on Colgate’s next possession and the offense strung together a 10-play, 58-yard march resulting in Joey Bryson’s 34-yard field goal.
An terrific 26-yard reception by Moss and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Colgate on the next play moved the ball to the Colgate-25.
