CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – At the end of one quarter Saturday afternoon, the University of Maine found itself leading a bigger, faster, more powerful opponent and kindling memories of Starksville and the 2004 upset of Mississippi State.
Size and talent eventually won out, however, as Boston College rolled to a 34-3 victory in the nonconference football opener for the Black Bears before a crowd of 30,685 at Alumni Field.
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The Black Bears held Boston College (1-1) scoreless on five straight possessions to open the game, forcing three punts and two fumbles – one into an end zone pylon resulting in a touchback instead of a BC touchdown.
Maine cornerback Darlos James returned the other fumble 8 yards to BC’s 10 and set up a 19-yard field goal by senior Brian Harvey to give the Black Bears a 3-0 advantage.
The lead stood for nearly five minutes into the second quarter, when BC quarterback Chase Rettig connected on the first of two quick touchdown passes. The first covered 3 yards to Spiffy Evans and the second – after Maine punter Jeffrey Ondish dropped a snap and fell on the ball – covered 9 yards to Johnathan Coleman.
Suddenly, within a 3-minute span, visions of an upset evaporated into the hard reality of a potential rout by a bowl-eligible team playing at home.
The Eagles added a field goal to lead 17-3 at the half and doubled their point total in the second half. Evans returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown and Rettig passed for another score of 32 yards to capitalize on the second interception thrown by Maine quarterback Marcus Wasilewski, in his first collegiate start.
Maine had two scoring chances in the second half, but Harvey’s 43-yard attempt on the opening drive of the third quarter sailed wide right and, against Boston College’s second-string defense in the fourth quarter, David Hood lost a fumble at the 20.
The Black Bears play next Saturday against Bryant College in Smithfield, R.I.
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