Minutemen Claim Fenway Gridiron Series Win Over Maine, 44-31

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Maine	7	9	8	7	31
Massachusetts	21	3	13	7	44

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Maine

Massachusetts

BOSTON – Three touchdown receptions from junior wide receiver Andy Isabella and an interception returned for a touchdown by Lee Moses propelled Massachusetts football to a 44-31 victory over Maine during the Fenway Gridiron Series, hosted at Fenway Park, on Saturday. The win was head coach Mark Whipple's 60th as the program leader – the most by a head coach in UMass football history.

Andrew Ford returned from a one-game absence due to injury and finished 21-of-39 with 355 yards passing and four touchdowns. Isabella had three of those over eight receptions covering 152 yards. Jessie Britt had the fourth among four catches for 52 yards.

On the ground, Marquis Young rushed for 123 yards over 19 carries (6.5 per attempt) and provided the game-sealing touchdown on a 33-yard fourth quarter scamper down the sideline. Young finished with 208 all-purpose yards as he added 61 kick return yards and added a 24-yard reception.

A pair of interceptions – one each by Moses and Jesse Monteiro – plus 12 pass breakups added up to a disruptive day from the secondary as the Minutemen limited Chris Ferguson to 16-of-41 passing (39.0 percent) with 232 yards and no touchdowns.

On the defensive front, Da'Sean Downey totaled 2.0 TFLs for 12 yards lost and increased his season total to 18.0 over nine appearances – tied for the second most in one season in program history.

Massachusetts began the scoring onslaught in the game's opening drive. The Minutemen were methodical in their movement down the field, capped off by Ford's 33-yard strike to Britt, who juked a defender before he jogged into the endzone.

Maine immediately responded with a 95-yard kickoff return as Earnes Edwards cut through the middle of the UMass special teams and evened the game at 7-all.

Isabella caught back-to-back touchdown balls, including a career-high-tying 69-yard grab, as Massachusetts struck to a 21-7 lead before the end of the first quarter. Laurent bumped the lead to 24-7 with his 41-yard field goal at the 10-minute, 20-second mark of the second quarter.

The Black Bears fought back with three consecutive scores, eventually evening the game at 24-all exactly five minutes into the third quarter. A Ferguson nine-yard run started the streak, which also featured a safety on Ford by Connor Walsh. Josh Mack plunged in from one yard away for the game-tying touchdown.

However, Ford and Isabella connected again on a 14-yard, left-corner, toe-drag tally with 2:42 to play in the third. Ford rolled left and bought time for Isabella, who created enough separation from the Maine defense with his speed to nab the reception before he ran through the back of the endzone and into the Fenway Park padding and home plate netting.

Moses distanced the Minutemen only 94 seconds later when he picked off Ferguson at the UMass 30 and rolled with an escort of blockers down the bench sideline for the pick-six.

With Massachusetts in front, 37-24 entering the fourth quarter, Mack attempted to spark another Maine rally with his 37-yard touchdown run, which brought the Black Bears back within 37-31 at the 6:46 mark. However, the Minutemen answered and sealed the outcome with Young's 33-yard TD in the final two minutes.

Massachusetts continues its season on the road at BYU with a Sat., Nov. 18 game. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. (ET) on ESPN3 and BYUtv.

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