ORONO – Hampton University took advantage of the second University of Maine fourth-quarter fumble, cashing in on an eight-yard touchdown run by junior running back Elijah Burris with 1:48 remaining to cap a rally from a 14-point deficit and earn a wild 42-35 victory at Morse Field in Alfond Stadium.
Hampton improved to 5-4 overall and 3-3 in the Coastal Athletic Association while UMaine fell to 2-8 and 1-6.
UMaine led 35-21 midway through the third period but the Pirates rallied to tie it.
UMaine had the ball on its own 31-yard line with six minutes left but UMaine running back Tristen Kenan fumbled and it was recovered by Hampton’s Tre Everett at the UMaine 38 yard line.
Eight plays later, Burris busted into the end zone from the eight.
UMaine got the ball at its 25-yard line with 1:48 left but four incompletions ended it as the Hampton defense rose to the occasion.
Burris finished with 173 rushing yards on 14 carries. Darran Butts ran for 77 on just five carries before sustaining an injury. Quarterback Chris Zellous ran for 67 yards on 10 carries and completed seven of 16 passes for 86 yards.
UMaine’s Derek Roberton threw five touchdown passes including three to tight end Rohan Jones and one apiece to Jamie Lamson and Cooper Heisey. He completed 28 of 46 passes for 349 yards. He was intercepted once.
Robertson threw four touchdown passes in the first half as the Black Bears took a 28-14 lead into the intermission.
He found Jones in the corner of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown strike to open the scoring with 5:33 left in the first period.
The Pirates responded immediately as a 68-yard run by Butts set them up at the UMaine-seven yard line and Burris dashed around left end on fourth-and-goal from the one yard line to tie it.
The Black Bears regained the lead on their next possession as UMaine marched 72 yards in nine plays.
Jones caught a Robertson pass at the five yard line and leaped into the end zone by the right corner flag. The play covered 10 yards.
Again the Pirates answered with a 60-yard scamper by Burris setting the stage for Zellous’ four-yard TD run.
Maine regained the lead just 2:40 later as Robertson tossed a 49-yard TD pass to an open Lamson.
The Black Bear defense stiffened on the next possession and forced a punt.
Jones broke through to block the punt and UMaine wound up with good field position at the H-45 yard line.
It took the Black Bears eight plays to reach the end zone as Robertson threw a one-yard pass to an open Heisey.
UMaine’s defense again held and the Black Bears moved the ball to the H-25 but freshman cornerback Darren Burton II broke up a pass and alertly dove to snare the ball after it popped into the air and was dropping to the ground.
It took the Pirates only 19 seconds to shave into the lead in the second half as Burris sprinted 80 yards untouched into the end zone on the second play of the half.
UMaine came right back to restore its two-touchdown lead with a seven-play 71-yard drive leading to a nine-yard pass from Robertson to Jones.
Copeland outduelled UMaine’s Abdul Stewart to haul in a 40-yard TD pass with 51 seconds left in the third period and Burris tied it with a seven-yard run at the 8:51 mark of the fourth quarter.
