UNH Outlasts Maine in Thrilling 33-27 Showdown Behind Vezza's 303 Yards
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In a nail-biting encounter at Durham, New Hampshire, the Wildcats edged out the Black Bears 33-27. Quarterback Matt Vezza spearheaded the UNH offense, compiling 303 yards and two touchdowns. His 16-of-28 passing performance included an 8-yard touchdown to Chase Wilson, while he also added a crucial 10-yard keeper with 1:56 left to seal the win. The Wildcats' field goal specialist, Nick Reed, contributed four successful kicks in the first half, including a 55-yard effort, to help build a 27-7 halftime lead. Myles Thomason's 73 rushing yards and a 64-yard punt return also set up Reed's longest kick. Maine, however, refused to give up, with quarterback Carter Peevy leading the charge. He threw for 180 yards and rushed for 114 more, including a 2-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Peevy's 12-yard strike to Trevin Ewing in the third quarter kept the Black Bears in contention. Despite Maine's valiant efforts, including a 62-yard touchdown with 39 seconds left, the blocked PAT kept the margin at six. The Black Bears recovered their onside kick but were flagged for illegal touching, allowing UNH to kneel out the final seconds. The turning point came in the second quarter, when the Wildcats exploded for 24 points, setting the tone for the rest of the game. Maine's two interceptions and a Wildcats' strong second quarter ultimately proved to be the deciding factors in the UNH victory.
