The University of Maine football team’s performance in its 28-7 loss to Football Bowl Subdivision team Liberty University was encouraging.
The score is misleading.
It was a 7-7 game with just over 10 minutes remaining, and the Flames scored three touchdowns to pull away, two after UMaine turned the ball over in its own territory.
Quarterback Carter Peevy threw an interception at the UMaine 48-yard line that led to the second TD to make it 21-7, and the last one came after the desperate Black Bears turned the ball over on downs on their own 32.
UMaine unveiled two new running backs. University of North Carolina Pembroke transfer Sincere Baines rushed for 118 yards on 11 carries, including a 77-yard touchdown run, and Rashawn Marshall gained 76 yards on 11 carries.
Marshall was a redshirt at UMaine last year and didn’t play.
It was the first time since Sept. 2, 2023 that UMaine had one running back rush for more than 100 yards and another rush for at least 76.
In the 2023 opener at Florida International University, a 14-12 loss, Tristen Keenan ran for 108 yards and John Gay ran for 81 more.
UMaine fourth-year head coach Jordan Stevens has always wanted to have a balanced attack. The veteran offensive line and the potential of Baines and Marshall give him hope he can finally have that balance this season. Stevens was pleased with the rushing attack.
But graduate student Peevy had his worst game as a Black Bear, including a fumble with 24 seconds left in the first half to allow Liberty to tie the game 7-7.
Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell called that play “huge” and noted that it swung the momentum.
When teams like UMaine from the Football Championship Subdivision play FBS schools, which have more scholarships and financial resources, you can’t lose the turnover battle. UMaine had the only two turnovers in the afternoon. Both led to touchdowns.
Peevy completed just 13 of 31 passes for 132 yards, and he went 4-for-16 in the second half.
UMaine drove the ball effectively but couldn’t turn those drives into points. UMaine went just 2-for-11 on third down.
Two drives in the second half stalled at the Liberty-38 and another broke down at the Liberty 43. The Black Bears’ first drive of the game covered 42 yards to the Liberty 38 before stalling.
Peevy will bounce back. He was the primary reason the Black Bears won five games a year ago after posting just four victories in the previous two seasons combined.
Having a formidable running game will take pressure off his passing game and will create more space for the receivers.
Peevy, who was shaken up in the first half, is also a capable runner who can extend drives with his legs.
Teams are much harder to defend when they can both run and throw the ball because they are more unpredictable.
Liberty has played in six consecutive bowl games and is now 62-27 since the beginning of the 2018 season. So if UMaine’s running attack is able to move the ball against the Flames defense, it should be able to be productive against the other teams on the schedule.
UMaine is also without wide-receiver-turned-running-back Nick Laughlin from Cape Elizabeth, who is out with a hand injury and will miss next Saturday’s Coastal Athletic Association game-opener at William and Mary.
Baines and Marshall averaged 8.8 yards per carry. The Black Bears averaged just 3.4 yards per carry a year ago.
The UMaine defense also turned in a noteworthy performance.
Three of the four Flames touchdown drives started in UMaine territory.
In previous years, UMaine’s defense has been guilty of giving up too many big plays.
Liberty had just three plays of 20 or more yards and five of 15-to-20 yards. Six of the eight plays which gained 15 or more yards came in the second half.
Linebacker Christian Thomas had a game and career-high 15 tackles and safety Devin Vaught had nine. UMaine lost all of its starters off the defensive line but the revamped line played well.
Stevens noted that his defense missed just five tackles and said that “is unheard of” for game one of the season.
“I was really proud of the tackling,” Stevens said.
He called Vaught “one of the best tacklers I’ve ever been around. He has the ability to tackle in space. Our safeties are really solid tacklers overall. Our linebackers are committed to tackling and we have some tough cornerbacks.”
Stevens said Thomas is impactful in many ways. “He affects the passer, he’s running down balls, he’s playing with a high motor. And so many other guys were getting in on different packages. The more guys we can play, the better we will be.”
Stevens said there were a lot of question marks going into the game but he was “pleased with how we functioned as a team” especially considering they didn’t have the opportunity to play any exhibition games.
“I just wasn’t pleased with the finish. At critical moments, we have to be able to maintain a level of focus and execution,” Stevens said.
UMaine will open its Coastal Athletic Association schedule in Virginia at William and Mary on at 6 p.m. Saturday.
It will be interesting to see if UMaine can build on its performance at Liberty and begin putting together some consistent football, which has been a problem in the past.
