ORONO, Maine — University of Maine football coach Jordan Stevens said one of the primary keys to his team’s chances of upsetting Colonial Athletic Association preseason favorite Villanova was limiting Villanova’s big plays.
He was right but, unfortunately for him, his defense simply couldn’t do so.
The Wildcats scored on their first five possessions and had nine plays in which they gained at least 14 yards in the first half alone en route to an impressive 45-20 victory at Alfond Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Villanova is now 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association, while UMaine fell to 0-4 and 0-1.
It was Villanova’s ninth straight road win against Football Championship Subdivision opponents.
Villanova junior quarterback Connor Watkins completed 13 of 16 on the afternoon for 255 yards and four touchdowns, all to senior wide receiver Jaaron Hayek, who caught five passes for 159 yards. His four TD catches in a game ties for second in Villanova history.
UMaine quarterback Joe Fagnano was 24-for-38 for 192 yards. Shawn Bowman caught seven passes for 55 yards.
Watkins, in his first year as a starter after backing two-time All-CAA quarterback Daniel Smith for two seasons, completed his first 13 passes for 255 yards as the Wildcat offense moved the ball down the field at will against UMaine’s overmatched defense.
Villanova, ranked 14th in one national poll and 15th in another, built a 31-14 halftime lead and scored on its first possession of the second half to all but sew up the win.
Villanova took the opening kickoff and marched 49 yards on eight plays with Matthew Mercurio’s 39-yard field goal that supplied the Wildcats a lead they would never relinquish.
The next four drives produced touchdowns.
A holding penalty stymied UMaine’s first drive and, following a punt and 13-yard return by Rayjuon Pringle, the Wildcats had a short field and drove 41 yards on six plays to make it 10-0 on Jalen Jackson’s 5-yard run around left end.
The Black Bears had a glimmer of hope when junior wide receiver Montigo Moss made a highlight-reel one-handed 9-yard TD reception from Joe Fagnano.
The Wildcats answered with a 65-yard drive that was capped by Watkins’ 5-yard pass to Hayek with 7:58 left in the half after Watkins had scrambled for a first down on a third-and-12 play to extend the drive.
Watkins tossed an 83-yard pass to Hayek, who got behind UMaine cornerback’s Benito Speight, to make it 24-7 with 4:40 left in the half.
It was tied for the fourth-longest completion and TD pass in Villanova history.
The Black Bears responded 2:30 later, taking advantage of some good fortune when Fagnano’s pass bounced off the hands of safety Jalen Goodman into the arms of Zavier Scott for a 30-yard TD.
But Villanova again used the big play to extend the lead to 31-14 as completions of 20 yards to Jaylen Sanchez set up an 18-yard TD pass from Watkins to Hayek.
Watkins and Hayek made it 38-14 with a 42-yard TD hookup early in the third period.
It was the 41st time this season Watkins has completed a pass of at least 40 yards.
UMaine scored on the first play of the fourth quarter courtesy of a little trickery as running back Elijah Barnwell tossed a 9-yard TD pass to Shawn Bowman.
That made it 38-20.
But Goodman cut in front of a UMaine receiver to notch his first career interception and he tiptoed down the sideline for a 23-yard TD.
Pivotal play: With UMaine trailing just 10-7 in the second quarter after Moss’ TD reception, the Wildcats were facing a third-and-12 at their 33-yard line. Watkins dropped back to pass and the Black Bears appeared to have him wrapped up for a sack. He wiggled his way out the tackle and then cleverly faked out another UMaine defender in a one-on-one to pick up 15 yards and the first down.
Villanova eventually scored and that was a huge momentum-changer.
If UMaine had wrapped him up, the Black Bears would have regained possession and they could have taken the lead.
Big takeaway: Villanova is a very good football team and UMaine has to go back to the drawing board. The defense was torn apart by the Wildcat offense and has to get better in a hurry.
Up next: UMaine visits first-year CAA member Hampton (Virginia) on Saturday at 2 p.m. Villanova has next weekend off and will travel to Richmond for a 3:30 p.m. game on Oct. 15.