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Maine Edges No. 13 UMass, 21-20
Nov. 8, 2008
AMHERST, Mass. (AP) - Jared Turcotte ran for 83 yards on 13 carries, including a three-yard touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter, to help Maine beat 13th-ranked Massachusetts, 21-20, on Saturday at McGuirk Stadium in Amherst. It marked the fifth-straight win for the Black Bears, which is their longest since opening the 2002 season with six-straight victories. The Black Bears (7-3, 4-2 CAA) snapped a six-game losing skid to the Minutemen, and have defeated two ranked opponents on the road this season. Coupled with New Hampshire's loss at Villanova on Saturday afternoon, the Black Bears moved into a tie with the Wildcats for first place in the CAA North Division. Maine is also off to its best start through 10 games since the 2002 season when the Black Bears began 8-2. That season, the Black Bears won the Atlantic 10 championship and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA FCS playoffs. Maine scored a pair of second quarter touchdowns on time-eating drives to take a 14-0 lead. Derek Session ran two yards to open the scoring. Jhamal Fluellen had a 36-yard burst up the middle to put the Black Bears in charge. Maine rushed 296 yards in the contest, including getting over 50 yards each from Turcotte (83 yards), Session (76 yards), Fluellen (74 yards) and Pushaun Brown (52 yards, on only six carries). UMass (6-4, 3-3 CAA) was blanked and completely dominated in the first half before rallying in the second half to pull even at 14-14. The Minutemen got their first touchdown as Liam Coen passed five yards in the end zone to Ian Jorgensen. The team tied the game on a 3-yard touchdown run by Chris Zardas. UMass almost tied the game again after Coen's 58-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Horne, but the conversion kick by Armando Cuko sailed wide. Previously this season, Cuko was 38-for-38 with extra point kicks. Quarterback Mike Brusko completed 5-of-7 passes for 45 yards, with one interception. Massachusetts' Coen completed 15-of-33 passes for 200 yards, with four interceptions. During Maine's recent five-game winning streak, the Black Bears are averaging 272.2 yards rushing, while limiting the opposition to just 83.8 yards on the ground. Maine has also forced 18 turnovers while committing just five giveaways during that time.
Maine returns to action next Saturday when the Black Bears travel to face Rhode Island at 12 p.m., in Meade Stadium.
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