Towson at Maine, Mr. C's Game Thread

[Mr. C]

ORONO, ME. — A week ago, Maine traveled to Villanova to play in what is now being affectionately called "The Snow Bowl."

Meanwhile, Towson had to clean snow off its field before taking on Delaware.

So this Saturday morning, it is crisp and cold with bright sunshine at Alfond Stadium as the Black Bears host the Tigers in this showdown for first place in the Colonial Athletic Association.

[UNHFan]

So is that how it works here? Multiple game threads? How do I delete mine?

[Mr. C]

So is that how it works here? Multiple game threads? How do I delete mine?
I'm sure someone can combine threads. For the national games of the week, I blog from the press box wherever I happen to be covering the game in a particular week. People can also see coverage of this game at www.college-sports-journal.com. Feel free to add your comments and ask questions as this game progresses.

[Mr. C]

Maine has won the coin toss and will defer to the second half. It is only the second time all year that Towson has lost a coin toss. The Tigers also lost the toss at Old Dominion.

[Mr. C]

The kickoff got caught in the wind and sailed through the end zone. Towson takes the ball at the 20.

[Mr. C]

Tremayne Dameron runs for 14 on first down.

[Mr. C]

This is Mr. C's first trip to Orono. I flew up with Towson's team on Friday and have been getting an inside look at the Tiger program. Third and 5 upcoming for Towson at the Maine 39.

[Mr. C]

Jerron McMillian shows some speed to sack Grant Enders for a 5-yard loss to kill the drive. Maine gets a fair catch at its own 27 with 12:40 left in the first period.

[UNHFan]

Maine's D looking great! Towson forced to Punt

[Mr. C]

One-back, QB under center formation for Maine. Play fake by Warren Smith is almost intercepted as it goes off Carlton Charles' hands. Good pressure for Towson. False start on 2nd down for Maine.

[Mr. C]

5-yard completion to Arthur Williams on 2nd down. Third and 10 upcoming. Corey Ford on the tackle.

[Mr. C]

LB Danzel White broke up a 3rd down pass and had a great defensive series for the Tigers.

[Mr. C]

Towson takes over after the punt at the Tiger 34 with 11:57 left in the first period.

[dwtime]

Maine's D looking great! Towson forced to Punt

Is the game being streamed?

[Mr. C]

Not as much attendance today as you might expect for a first-place showdown. Maybe the Black Bear fans are out taking advantage of the start of Moose hunting season.

[Mr. C]

Is the game being streamed?

Not sure. Does anyone else know? It is being televised by a local station here in Maine and is also being shown in the Baltimore area.

[Mr. C]

Gain of six on Terrance West's first carry and he goes for a first down to the TU 48.

[Mr. C]

A fumble on the next play for Towson was ruled as down by contact. West goes for another first down at the 41. Good offensive line surge and hard running by the best freshman in the country.

[Mr. C]

Nice play-action fake and pass from Enders to James Oboh for 14. First down at the Maine 27.

[Mr. C]

Some extra curricular activity between Maine safety Trevor Coston and one of the Towson linemen. Enders runs for another first down, but missed an open receiver in the end zone. First down at the 17.

[Mr. C]

Pass completion to Tom Ryan at the 8. Second and one.

[Mr. C]

On play action, Enders throws the ball away. Good coverage by the Bears. Third and one.

[Mr. C]

West bounces off tackle for a first down and then an eight-yard touchdown, his ninth rushing score of the year. Towson 7, Maine 0, 7:24 left in the first period.

[Mr. C]

Towson was pretty impressive on that drive, going 66 yards for the TD. 10 plays and 4:33 on the march.

[Mr. C]

D.J. Soven pouched the kickoff over the front line of Maine and created a lot of confusion, but Maine managed to recover at the 30. I saw Penn execute the same kick for a recovery a couple of weeks ago.

[Mr. C]

David Hood makes some nice moves to earn a first down for Maine at the 45.

[Mr. C]

Great contain by Towson and a sack by Frank Beltre on Smith. Third an 11 at the 34, but Towson jumps offsides. Now third and 6.

[Mr. C]

First down pass on a skinny post Smith to Maurice McDonald at the TU 29.

[Mr. C]

Another completion to McDonald for a first down at the TU 18.

[Mr. C]

Third and 7 from the 15 for Maine.

[Mr. C]

Smith is flushed out of the pocket and cuts through the defense for a 15-yard TD run. Brian Harvey's kick makes it Maine 7, Towson 7 with 2:08 left in the first period. 9 plays, 70 yards, 5:16 off the clock.

[UNHFan]

Chris Treister is an ANIMAL!!!

[Mr. C]

Big hole for Derrick Joseph on the kickoff for 38 yards to the TU 39.

[Mr. C]

Towson is very quickly back into Maine territory at the 42 with a first down.

[UNHFan]

oops! Meant Warren Smith :)

[Mr. C]

Chris Treister is an ANIMAL!!!

Are you referring to the touchdown, or the extra point?

[Mr. C]

A couple of drops by receivers on nice Enders throws and it is fourth down for Towson. The punt by R.J. Peppers bounces around to the Maine 5. 43 seconds left in the first period.

[Mr. C]

Key play for both teams as Maine has a third and 9 from the 6.

[Mr. C]

Fumble by David Hood at the 10 is recovered by the very active Danzel White of Towson as the first quarter ends. First huge momentum-turning play. If anyone wondered if Towson would be nervous for this key road game, you have your answer.

[Mr. C]

Maine's defense needs a big stop here.

[Mr. C]

Dameron bangs down to the one.

[Mr. C]

Great play fake by Enders and a throw to Kirby results in a drop, but West punches it in on third down for a one-yard TD. Towson 14, Maine 7 with 14:15 left.

[Mr. C]

Towson 98 yards, Maine 80 in the first period. West with 5 carries for 36 yards and Smith with 52 yards of total offense.

[Mr. C]

Another pouch kickoff for Towson. First down for Maine at its own 39.

[Mr. C]

First down for Maine at the TU 48, Danzel White with another tackle.

[R3TRO]

Is there a video feed for this game?

[Mr. C]

Easy pitch and catch for Maine, Smith to Arthur Williams at the 33.

[Mr. C]

Is there a video feed for this game?
Don't know. It is on TV in Maine and in Baltimore.

[Mr. C]

David Hood's run down to the 18 is called back for holding. Second and 14 at the TU 37.

[Mr. C]

Marcus Valentine sacks Smith at the 44.

[UNIFanSince1983]

Is there a video feed for this game?

You can pay 8 bucks and watch it through Maine's website.

[Mr. C]

Smith is under duress again, but finds a receiver, who bobbles the ball for an interception by Alexander Di Sanzo. Smith was over the line of scrimmage on the pass and Towson gets the ball at its own 36.

[Mr. C]

The interception was just the fifth this year for Smith, but was not his fault. Dameron picks up a third-down conversion to the Maine 44.

[Mr. C]

Time out for Towson with 9:18 left in the first half. Towson 14, Maine 7.

[Mr. C]

Kendall James picks off an Enders pass at the Maine 32 when Tom Ryan falls down.

[Mr. C]

Smith makes something out of nothing for 7 yards to the Maine 49 after great coverage by Towson.

[Mr. C]

Smith is pressured and tries to get rid of the ball. After a officials' discussion, it is ruled an incomplete pass, not intentional grounding.

[Mr. C]

Delay of game on Maine, third and eight at the Maine 44.

[Mr. C]

Frank Beltre puts a massive hit on Smith as he tries to pass. Fourth down and punting time. The ball is downed at the Towson 33 after a short punt. 7:08 left.

[Mr. C]

West races from the 33 for 48 yards to the Maine 19. West made a great move on a LB to break the play.

[Mr. C]

Dameron scores off what looked like a great trap block for 19 yards. Towson 20, Maine 7, 6:27 left in the half, with an injured Maine player on the field and the PAT up coming.

[Mr. C]

Maine blocked the PAT and took it to the house for a two-point defensive conversion to make it 20-9.

[Mr. C]

Conversation in the bathroom with Towson quarterback coach (and Rob Ambrose's brother) Jared Ambrose: "We are having some fun running the football."

[Mr. C]

Trevor Coston got credit for the PAT return and two points. The Towson scoring drive was 3 plays, 67 yards and took just 41 seconds.

[Mr. C]

Maine seems revitalized after the block of the PAT and has marched down to the Towson 23 for a first down with 3:49 left in the half.

[Mr. C]

Third and 8 after some good coverage on a pass from Smith to McDonald by Tye Smith. Hood is stopped on third down and Harvey is on for a 32-yard field goal attempt.

[Mr. C]

Marcus Valentine blocked the kick for Towson after the Maine holder Chris Triester made a good effort to get the snap in place. The timing was messed up and Harvey's kick was low with 2:57 left in the half. A field goal would have pulled Maine within eight points after the Black Bears have been pretty much out-played all half.

[Mr. C]

A nice combination of routes leaves Tom Ryan open for a first-down catch at the TU 41 on another third-down conversion.

[Mr. C]

Towson dodges a huge bullet when Enders fumbles as he was moving up in the pocket. Left tackle Eric Pike makes the recovery and the first half ends with Towson winning 20-9.

[SeattleGriz]

Is there a video feed for this game?

I have been watching this game in Seattle on Dish Network channel 449. Don't know if that helps you, but it was the only option I could find.

[Wildcat80]

Towson bouncing back from Udel loss. does Maine have any 2nd half heroics?

[Wildcat80]

Actually a Maine loss helps UNH. We then control our own destiny.

[Bearwitness]

Towson running the ball at will, Maine tackling very poorly in the first half. Towson doing a great job of keeping Maine's receivers from getting open and getting a good pass rush on Smith. On the field goal block, Valentine clearly climbed the back of a lineman to get height and that was what Cosgrove was protesting about.

Right now Maine is beating themselves, something they haven't been doing this season. The costly fumble at their own ten and the offensive penalties really hurting them. The game is still winnable, but they need to take control in the second half. Not sure they can do this against a very good Towson team.

[Mr. C]

Maine's Roosevelt Boone takes another pouch kickoff to the Towson 43 to start the second half.

[Mr. C]

Towson running the ball at will, Maine tackling very poorly in the first half. Towson doing a great job of keeping Maine's receivers from getting open and getting a good pass rush on Smith. On the field goal block, Valentine clearly climbed the back of a lineman to get height and that was what Cosgrove was protesting about.

Right now Maine is beating themselves, something they haven't been doing this season. The costly fumble at their own ten and the offensive penalties really hurting them. The game is still winnable, but they need to take control in the second half. Not sure they can do this against a very good Towson team.

For me, the biggest things were the confidence that Towson played with in the first half and the fact that the Tigers were able to run pretty much at will.

[Mr. C]

Towson bouncing back from Udel loss. does Maine have any 2nd half heroics?

The problem with trying to make a late comeback here is that Towson has more firepower than some of those other teams Maine has come back on.

[Mr. C]

Third and 5 from the TU 23 for Mainer.

[Mr. C]

Smith to Altman for a first down at the TU 15.

[Mr. C]

David Hood slashes for 5 yards to the 10. Second and 5.

[Mr. C]

Hood to the six, third and one.

[Mr. C]

Hood is stopped for little gain. Fourth and one.

[Mr. C]

Tough stand on the defensive line for Towson. A very favorable spot for Maine give the Black Bears the first down by inches at the five.

[Mr. C]

A play-action pop pass to the tight end is flagged for pass interference. First ahnd goal at the two.

[Mr. C]

Hood is stood up at the one on first down.

[Mr. C]

Hood leaps in for the touchdown with 9:51 left in the third period. Towson 20, Maine 16. 11 plays, 43 yards, 5:09 on the drive.

[owascoag]

Momentum swing?

[Mr. C]

Grant Enders goes on a designed run up to the TU 47 for a first down.

[Mr. C]

Momentum swing?

Not yet. Maine took advantage of a short field and Towson is coming right back hard on offense.

[Bearwitness]

Maine has lost their top receiver, Maurice McDonald. Gone for x-rays and the game.

[Mr. C]

Towson has a third and two at the Maine 45 after a pass completion.

[Mr. C]

Second effort for Terrance West gets a first down at the Maine 42.

[Mr. C]

Change of direction by West for nearly 10 yards. Measurement upcoming.

[Mr. C]

Second and inches.

[Mr. C]

On second and inches, Enders makes a bootleg fake and throws back across the field to Dameron on a wheel route for a TD. Towson 26, Maine 16 after the missed PAT with 7:23 left. Six plays, 72 yards and 2:28 on the Towson response.

[Mr. C]

Maine has lost their top receiver, Maurice McDonald. Gone for x-rays and the game.

No announcement on anything up here in the press box.

[owascoag]

Wow, quick response..... Great job with the blog.

[Mr. C]

I called a play-action pass up here in the box, but I didn't expect that kind of pass.

[Bearwitness]

No announcement on anything up here in the press box.
Television showed him being driven away on the cart for x-rays.

[Mr. C]

Maine starts from its own 41 after the kickoff.

[Mr. C]

Aultman reception at the TU 49.

[Mr. C]

Tye Smith comes up to make an ankle tackle on Warren Smith where the Maine QB had a lot of room if it was missed.

[Mr. C]

Third and 10 for Maine at the TU 49.

[Bearwitness]

Everybody but Maine's OC saw that blitz coming...

[Mr. C]

Warren Smith was mauled for a big sack back to the Maine 40. Tye Smith recovers a punt muffed by Leon Kinnard at the Towson 9 to avoid disaster for the Tigers.

[Mr. C]

Everybody but Maine's OC saw that blitz coming...

More on the offensive line on that one. Warren Smith has been harrassed all day.

[Mr. C]

Grant Enders goes up the gut on a QB draw to the 23 for a key first down to give Towson some operating space.

[Mr. C]

Third and 7 for Towson at the TU 27. Enders throws incomplete and Towson is also flagged for holding. Punt upcoming with 2:11 left in the third period.

[Mr. C]

Maine will take over at its own 28.

[Mr. C]

Maine is spinning its wheels on offense at the end of the third period. Third and 10 upcoming at the Maine 41 is picked off by Kenton Powell. Warren Smith made a poor decision.

[Mr. C]

The fourth quarter will open with Towson at the Maine 26 with a first down and a 26-16 lead.

Down the road, New Hampshire beat James Madison in resounding fashion at lovely Cowell Stadium, 28-10. UNH would be playing Towson for first place down Baltimore way next week if Towson holds on here.

[Bearwitness]

This is where Warren Smith really misses McDonald. This could turn into a blowout, now.

[Mr. C]

Personal fouls offset on a run by West. Second and 8 from the 24 for Towson.

[Mr. C]

Terrance West slices and dices down to the one on some terrific cuts.

[Mr. C]

West stopped for a yard loss to the two by Sam Shipley. Second and goal with 13:50 left.

[Mr. C]

Grant Enders bootleg fake to the right, doesn't pass and makes an easy run into the end zone. Towson 33, Maine 16 with 13:28 remaining. With a three-score advantage, Towson is close to the finish line in this one.

[owascoag]

Maine radio saying they're in about the same hole they were in at Richmond.......tall order though.

[Mr. C]

Maine gets great field position again on a kickoff to the Bear 47.

[Mr. C]

One play and Aultman breaks tackles to go 53 yards on a short pass from Warren Smith. Towson 33, Maine 23 with 13:09 left.

[Mr. C]

Maine's kickoff goes out of bounds and Towson will start at the Tiger 40.

[Mr. C]

Towson is setting up for some power running, but West is stopped for a one-yard gain.

[Mr. C]

Wrap-around sweep to Kinnard is successful, but an unnecessary block in the back wipes it our. 2nd and 16 at the 34 and Enders is sacked by Michael Cole and Erwin Roach recovers and returns to the Towson 27. Enders' first lost fumble this year.

[Mr. C]

Maine gets a pass completion to the 25, but doesn't get a face mask call. On second down, Arthur Williams drops a low pass. Third and 8 with 11:15 left.

[Mr. C]

Warren Smith's pass to his tight end sails high to set up a 42-yard field goal by Brian Harvey.

[Mr. C]

Towson looks for a possible fake on the field goal and Harvey's kick is a couple of yards short and wide to the right. Towson 33, Maine 23 with 11 minutes left.

[Mr. C]

Free safety Travis Coston is down for Maine with what looks like a leg injury. Not good for the Black Bears.

[Mr. C]

Towson has a second down and 7 upcoming on its own 28 with 10:52 left. Coston is coming off under his own power.

[Mr. C]

Another trap block and another big West run to the Maine 37.

[Bearwitness]

That was their chance to get back in the game. Towson just needs to control the clock, now.

[Mr. C]

More solid blocking, particularly from FB Tyler Wharton and it is 8 yards for West to the 24 and then a Dameron run for a first down to the 21 with nine minutes left.

[Mr. C]

That was their chance to get back in the game. Towson just needs to control the clock, now.

A big stop by Towson and a couple of shaky throws from Warren Smith on that drive.

[Mr. C]

Third and 7 from the 23 after an Enders run.

[Mr. C]

I formation, lead block from Wharton and West goes for five. Fourth and two and Towson will go for it after running down the clock below seven minutes.

[Mr. C]

Time out Towson (its first) with 6:53 remaining.

[Mr. C]

Enders sweeps around the left side for a first down at the Maine six.

[Mr. C]

West behind power blocking to the four on first down.

[owascoag]

Impressive game by Towson

[Mr. C]

Enders loses his footing and falls down on a second-down pitch to West, but gets the ball to his man and West scoots into the end zone. Towson 40, Maine 23 with 5:42 left.

[Mr. C]

Maine has taken it back the TU 36, but Hood dropped a pass with 4:46 left.

[Pards Rule]

Enders loses his footing and falls down on a second-down pitch to West, but gets the ball to his man and West scoots into the end zone. Towson 40, Maine 23 with 5:42 left.

Wow - thats it.. Game over.

[Mr. C]

Maine has a hird and 3 at the 17 after a dropped pass and near interception.

[Mr. C]

Di Sanzo knocks down a pass. Fourth and 3.

[Mr. C]

First down conversion for Maine on a pass to the four.

[Mr. C]

Fade route from Warren Smith to Arthur Williams for the TD with 3:01 remaining. Harvey PAT's makes it Towson 40, Maine 30 after the kick was nearly blocked by inside pressure. Towson was offsides on the play.

[Mr. C]

You have to look for a Maine onside kick on this one.

[Mr. C]

Nicely executed onside kick by Harvey, but Ryan makes the snare of the high-bouncing effort for Towson and goes down at the Maine 44.

[Mr. C]

Costen is back in the lineup and had a tackle on first down for Maine.

[Mr. C]

Dameron powers ahead for Towson. Third and 2 upcoming.

[Mr. C]

First down for West at the Maine 32. With 1:30 left, Maine will have to use its time outs to stop the clock.

[Mr. C]

Maine isn't using its time outs, so this is victory formation time.

[Mr. C]

Illegal procedure Towson with 23 seconds left.

[Mr. C]

Final play.

Towson 40
Maine 30

[Bearwitness]

Hats off to Towson, one very good football team. If their was any doubt, they removed it today. They are a top ten team and the best team in the CAA.

[UIWWildthing]

Hats off to Towson, one very good football team. If their was any doubt, they removed it today. They are a top ten team and the best team in the CAA.

Thanks, it was a great game from Maine too. Still wrapping my head around Towson and very good football team, but I'm just excited over the fact that the Tigers should be in the playoffs for the 1st time EVER

[Tribe4SF]

I guess Towson showed what I saw from them in Williamsburg. They let their immaturity get the best of them against Delaware last week.

[JMUNJ08]

A warm congratulations to Towson

they beat a team that many people thought would go all the way to the Championship Game (which still might happen)

Big tip of the cap to Towson after UD didn't think you were all that...

I think the big story here is that Maine isn't invincible in Orono...

[Wildcat80]

Big tip of the cap to Towson after UD didn't think you were all that...

I think the big story here is that Maine isn't invincible in Orono...

Impressed....hope Towson is beatable at home.

[UIWWildthing]

Impressed....hope Towson is beatable at home.
We are, just ask UD. If the Tigers play disciplined next week UNH may have a tough fight ahead of them. It's easily the biggest game at Towson in years, possibly ever.

[Bearwitness]

Towson showed today that the way to beat Maine is to run, run, run the ball. Maine's defense is very effective against teams that pass the ball, which is why I think they'll rebound against UMass and UNH, but they don't match up well against big OL's and option QB's.

Not that it would have changed today's outcome, but Maine needs to get Pushaun Brown back at RB and hope that WR Maurice McDonald's injury isn't season ending. If McDonald, who was on crutches with his ankle wrapped in the second half, is gone for the season, Maine will have lost their top 3 receivers (Buttles, Johnson out for season) and Smith will become a very average QB. Could be a disappointing end to what could have been a memorable season.

[bluehenbillk]

Hey Towson can run the ball about as well as anyone in FCS. West is going to be a force in the CAA for 3 more years.

[mainejeff]

Hey Towson can run the ball about as well as anyone in FCS. West is going to be a force in the CAA for 3 more years.

That's for sure!

[owascoag]

A warm congratulations to Towson

they beat a team that many people thought would go all the way to the Championship Game (which still might happen)

Nice to hear that. It will be interesting to see how the Black Bears bounce back with UMass next week. Cosgrove is a good coach, he can do it.

[ngineer]

What another amazing turnaround story. Several this year, with Georgetown in the PL. Remembering Towson when they were in the PL, it's hard to imagine what they're doing right now. A great story.

[andy7171]

A let down was inevitable. It happened last week against Delaware. This team refocused and a beat down was the result. Maine looked really flat from the start. 7-2. JFC coming out of last years nightmare, this is truely unbelievable.