BOZEMAN, Mt. — The University of Maine football team defeated No. 3 Montana State 17-3 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback. The Black Bears went on to lose 41-24.

Carter is a tough one finished the night 18 of 31 for 224 yards while Montigo moss And Declan McKevitt for touchdowns. Moss finished the game with five receptions for 47 yards, while McKevitt added career highs in receptions (3) and receiving yards (43). Nick Lachlin contributed three catches for 34 yards.

Tavion benches led Maine’s offense, averaging 9.3 yards per attempt, including eight rushes for 74 yards. Trevin Ewing added a 19-yard rushing score.

The defense of Maine’s ‘Black Hole’ was led by Kesean Dyson who totaled seven tackles, with a sack and a forced fumble. John Costanza recorded six stops, while four other Black Bears recorded five tackles.

Montana State jumped out to an early 14-0 lead on rushing scores of 79 yards and 40 yards from Scottre Humphrey and Adam Jones, respectively. The scores came on the Bobcats’ first two possessions of the game.

After a blocked punt put the Bobcats at Maine’s 31-yard line, Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott hit Ryan Lonergan for a 4-yard touchdown reception two plays later, extending the lead to 21-0 in the first half.

Humphrey scored his second rushing score of the half when he completed a six-play, 62-yard drive with a six-yard score up the middle just four seconds into the second quarter.

Jones scored his second goal of the half when he sprinted from 19 yards out to extend the deficit to 35-0 midway through the second quarter.

Maine found the scoreboard when Peevy worked the ball through the air with a 31-yard completion down the sideline to Moss before he Mason Gilbert up the middle for a 25-yard gain to the Montana State 17. Seven plays later, Peevy threw a pass to the front corner of the end zone where Moss leaped over his defender and made the touchdown reception with 3:15 left in the half.

Montana State scored a 24-yard field goal from Myles Sansted to take a 38-7 lead into halftime.

Maine’s defense opened the second half with a bang as Dyson’s strip sack ended with a Izaiah Henderson fumble recovery, putting Maine at the Montana State 38-yard line. Three plays later, a nine-yard strike from Peevy to Laughlin brought Maine to the Bobcat 23. After a four-yard rush brought the ball to the 19, Ewing would take the end-around to the house for the touchdown.

The Bobcats added another field goal from Sansted, this time from 31 yards out, making it 41-14 with 3:12 left in the third period.

Maine continued to battle as the Black Bears’ offense put together an eight-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Peevy’s second touchdown of the night. A defensive pass interference call started the drive before Banks weaved his way through the defense for a gain of 21. Peevy’s 21-yard completion to Laughlin put Maine at the MSU 17-yard line. A penalty returned Maine to the MSU 22 as the game entered the fourth quarter. Facing a 2nd and 25, McKevitt crept out of the backfield and hooked along the sideline where Peevy found him on a completion to the three. McKevitt made the catch and ran through his defender into the end zone for the score, cutting the deficit to 41-21 with 13:36 left in regulation.

The Black Bears return to action on Saturday, September 14, when they host Monmouth at 3:30 p.m. in the CAA opener for both teams.

-UMaine-