Just like last year, the University of Maine hung tough with Syracuse University for a half Saturday night. And like last year, the Orange pulled way from the Black Bears in the second half.
Led by a record-setting performance from junior quarterback Ryan Nassib, Syracuse outscored Maine, 21-0 in the second half to emerge with a 38-14 victory in its home-opener.
Nassib tossed a Syracuse-record five touchdown passes, three in the second half, while completing 19 of 26 passes for 260 yards. Jared Turcotte led Maine with 55 yards on 13 carries and 42 yards on five receptions. Quarterback Warren Smith was 21-for-27 for 136 yards and a touchdown and ran for a score, but he also fumbled twice before leaving the game late in the fourth quarter with an injury.
Maine (1-2) led last year’s contest, 17-13, before Syracuse took control in the second half for a 41-24 win. The Black Bears got off to a good start again Saturday, putting together an impressive 14-play, 84-yard scoring drive that burned nearly eight minutes off the clock in the first quarter. Smith ran a quarterback draw 10 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
The Black Bears held the Orange without a first down in the first quarter, but Syracuse answered on its first drive of the second quarter. Mike Holmes reversed field on a punt return and ran 62 yards before being chased down by Lisbon’s Levi Ervin at Maine’s 27. Three plays later, Nassib connected with Alec Lemon on a three-yard touchdown pass to tie the game.
Maine needed just five plays to take the lead again on its ensuing possession. Turcotte starred on the drive, catching a 13-yard pass from Smith to start it on a play punctuated by a 15-yard personal foul on the Orange.
Runs of seven and one yard by Turcotte and a 17-yard reception by the Lewiston native set up Smith’s six-yard TD pass to a wide open Justin Perillo in the end zone. Perillo’s first reception of his career and Maine’s first TD pass of the season put the Bears up, 14-7, with 10:15 left in the half.
A 32-yard field goal by Ross Krautman pulled Syracuse (2-1) to within 14-10 with 4:19 to go in the half and started a string of 31 unanswered points.
Smith fumbled on a sack to give the Orange the ball at Black Bears’ 24. Syracuse drove to the 4-yard line where, on fourth down, Nassib eluded Maine’s pass rush long enough to find Jose Cruz at the right front pylon and put Syracuse in front, 17-14, with 27 seconds to go until halftime.
Nassib and Lemon hooked up again on Syracuse’s first drive of the second half, this time with a 21-yard touchdown. Nassib then threw a 20-yard scoring pass to Nick Provo late in the third quarter to make it 31-14.
Syracuse outgained Maine, 170-10, in the third quarter and continued to pour it on on its first play of the fourth when Nassib threw a 21-yard TD pass to Ryan Chew to make it 38-14 and establish the new school record.
After giving up zero sacks in their first two games, the Black Bears surrendered five to the Orange. Syracuse held a 339-199 advantage in total yardage.
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