Nov. 10, 2007
Box Score
ORONO, Maine - The University of Rhode Island football team suffered a 35-0 loss to the University of Maine on Senior Day in CAA Football action Saturday afternoon in front of 4,280 fans at Alfond Stadium. The loss drops the Rams to 2-8 (1-6 CAA) on the season while the Black Bears improved to 4-6 (3-4 CAA).
Maine opened the scoring with a 20-play, 94-yard drive that quarterback Michael Brusko polished off with a one-yard plunge into the endzone at 6:13 to give the Black Bears a 7-0 lead. Bursko was 4-of-7 for 40 yards on the drive and picked up 11 yards on the ground. The drive ate up 8:47 of the first quarter, which ended with the Black Bears outgaining the Rams 84-4.
The Rams went three-and-out on their next drive, but senior Steve Marrella (Fitchburg, Mass.) forced a fumble on Maine's next drive that was recovered by freshman Matt Hansen (Providence, R.I.), giving URI possession at the Maine 31. However, the Rams were unable to capitalize on the Maine miscue and were forced to punt three plays later.
Maine took a 14-0 lead with 5:15 remaining in the first half on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Brusko to tight end Matthew Mulligan. Brusko made the key play of the drive, connecting with Kenneth Fresner for 13 yards on fourth-and-10 pass from the URI 33 that put the Black Bears at the Rams' 20-yard line. The touchdown pass was the first of Brusko's career.
Junior Derek Cassidy (Winter Haven, Fla.) - who missed last week's game against UMass with an ankle injury - replaced sophomore D.J. Stefkovich (Westport, Conn.) behind center on the Rams next possession and completed a pair of passes to sophomore wide receiver Shawn Leonard (Stoughton, Mass.) that out them deep in Maine territory. The URI drive stalled in Maine territory when Cassidy was sacked on a fourth-and-10, giving the ball back to the Black Bears.
Maine capitalized on the defensive stand and put together a four-play drive that was Brusko capped off with a six-yard touchdown run that stretched its lead to 21-0. The Black Bears moved the ball 65 yards in just 54 seconds, a drive highlighted by a 32-yard pass from Brusko to Jhamal Fluellen that gave Maine first-and-goal from the six-yard line.
The Black Bears held a 212-47 edge in total offensive yards in the first half, outgaining the Rams 94-25 on the ground and 118-22 through the air. Each team lost a fumble during the first 30 minutes of play with Maine holding the ball for 18:43.
The two schools each fumbled away their opening possessions of the second half before Maine took control of the game once again. Following URI's turnover, Fluellen opened the drive with a 37-yard burst that out him over the 1,000 yard rushing mark for the season and the Black Bears into Rhode Island territory. Later, Brusko hooked up with Tyrell Jones for an 18-yard passing play that put Maine at the Rhode Island seven-yard line. Two plays later, Brusko scored his third rushing touchdown from three-yards out to give the Black Bears a 28-0 lead.
Rhode Island's fourth fumble of the afternoon (third lost) on the first play of the ensuring drive gave Maine possession at the Rhody 37-yard line with 6:30 remaining in the third. Less than three minutes later, Brusko hooked up with Landis Williams for a 16-yard scoring pass that stretched the lead to 35-0 and capped the scoring.
Brusko finished the afternoon 11-for-20 for 164 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 146 yards and three touchdowns. Cassidy, meanwhile, finished the afternoon 5-for-14 for 48 yards while Stefkovich was 2-of-6. Leonard led the Rams with 23 receiving yards while Williams hauled in four passes for 45 yards and a score for Maine. Junior Jimmy Hughes (Westport, Conn.) rushed for a team-high 46 yards.
The last time the Rams were shutout was 2002, when it suffered a 26-0 loss at Richmond on October 26.
The Rams close out the 2007 season with a home contest against Northeastern next Saturday, Nov. 17 at noon.
