ORONO — The University of Maine football team continued its record-setting season in impressive fashion Saturday afternoon.
The sixth-ranked Black Bears secured the program’s first outright conference championship since 1965 with a resounding 41-0 victory over New England rival Rhode Island on Morse Field at Alfond Stadium.
Coach Jack Cosgrove’s team improved to 10-1 for the first time in school history and pushed its league record to 8-0, another program first. UMaine has earned the CAA’s automatic bid for the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
UMaine closes its regular season Nov. 23 at New Hampshire and has a chance to earn a top-8 national seed, which would result in a first-round bye and a home playoff game on Dec. 7.
Saturday’s performance was indicative of the urgency and focus UMaine has demonstrated throughout the season. That dynamic was magnified because it was “Senior Day” for the Bears’ 18 seniors.
Senior quarterback Marcus Wasilewski continued his sharp play, completing 22 of 26 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns. He was not intercepted for the sixth consecutive game.
Senior John Ebeling led the receivers with seven receptions for 85 yards and a score. Senior Rickey Stevens spearheaded the ground game, rushing for 125 yards on 14 carries, including a school-record 90-yard touchdown romp.
Cabrinni Goncalves led the defense with eight tackles, including a sack, while Axel Ofori made seven tackles and had an interception.
Rhode Island (3-9, 2-6 CAA) mustered only 224 yards of total yardage, including just 51 rushing yards.
Josh Moody and James Timmins posted eight tackles each for the Rams.
After the quick scores of the first half, UMaine ground out a 75-yard scoring drive in the second half that consumed more than eight minutes. Stevens’ 1-yard run helped the hosts make it a 38-0 lead with 2:44 left in the period.
Decloux added a 36-yard field goal with 4:17 to play, pushing the lead to 41-0.
The Black Bears scored twice in the game’s first six minutes while building a 31-0 halftime advantage.
UMaine limited URI to 125 yards of offense and only five first downs while churning out 364 yards of its own.
The Bears scored on their second play of the contest. After Art Williams took a Wasilewski pass 36 yards on the first snap, the two hooked up again on a 21-yard scoring pass.
The defense forced a punt and UMaine needed only four plays to get back in the end zone. This time, Damarr Aultman got behind the secondary and was wide open for a 52-yard TD pass from Wasilewski.
Decloux’s PAT kick made it 14-0 with 9:08 left in the quarter.
UMaine extended the lead early in the second quarter when Rickey Stevens established a school record with a 90-yard touchdown run. He took a handoff on counter action, burst through the middle, then followed the determined downfield blocking of wide receiver Derrick Johnson down the left sideline and into the end zone.
Special teams set up the ensuing score. URI attempted a fake punt on a toss from the holder (Peavey) to place-kicker Dylan Smith, whose shovel pass was tipped and intercepted by Bears defensive end Mike Cole.
On the next play, wideout John Ebeling got free down the right sideline and Wasilewski found him for a 49-yard TD hookup that made it 28-0.
UMaine added a 38-yard Decloux field goal with 23 seconds left in the half.
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