ORONO – The University of Maine football team “found a way to win” Saturday night.

Brian Harvey’s 37-yard field goal in overtime gave Maine a 16-13 victory against rival New Hampshire, breathing life back into the season just in the nick of time.

It was not before some big plays got Maine into position for the winning kick — and after four turnovers and season-high 13 penalties nearly derailed it all.

“A lot was at stake for the guys and I think they asserted themselves and found a way to win,” said Maine Coach Jack Cosgrove.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, a lot of work to do. We got stopped twice on fourth-and-1 and turned the ball over four times. We’re in a big-boy league.

“We got a nice win tonight, but if we don’t fix those things we’ll be talking more like we did after (a loss to) William & Mary.”

With 2.3 seconds left in regulation, Maine defensive lineman Brent Rice blocked a field-goal attempt to force overtime.

Then on New Hampshire’s possession from the 25 to begin OT, safety Jerron McMillan picked off a pass by quarterback R.J. Toman to turn the ball over to Maine.

The Black Bears played it safe and ran the ball to get within range for Harvey’s winning kick. He had missed a 47-yarder and a point-after try earlier in the game.

“I was just very excited to have my teammates get me in the position for a third chance,” said Harvey. “That was probably the only third chance I’ll get in my life.”

The win improved Maine’s overall record to 2-3, 1-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association. New Hampshire dropped to 2-3, 0-2.

Maine trailed 13-6 and was running out on chances when quarterback Warren Smith, who was 19 of 28 for 253 yards and two interceptions, led a dramatic two-minute drill to tie it. Maine went 57 yards, scoring on Smith’s 5-yard pass to Derek Buttles in the corner of the end zone, an exceptional catch over double coverage.

Harvey’s extra point made the score 13-13.

But with 1:06 to play, New Hampshire nearly played spoiler, driving from their 34 to attempt a 34-yard field goal before Rice got his forearm on the ball.

“The whole defense got together and said ‘We’ve all got to go all out. There’s no option to lose, no option to not go block this,’” said Rice. “Me and Ryan Nani talked. We said, ‘We got to get it.’ One of us was going to come free. It hit my forearm.”

The win earned Maine the rivalry’s Brice-Cowell Musket for the first time since 2002.

Shawn Bodtmann forced a fumble late in the third quarter and Maine recovered on its 18, stalling a key drive by New Hampshire.

Maine drove inside the 5 and was on the doorstep until a fumble by Smith on second-and-goal rolled through the end zone for a touchback, turning the ball over to New Hampshire. The ball appeared to have been kicked by someone on offense.

The drive included a fourth-and-1 conversion on a fake punt deep in Maine’s zone. Connor Keating took the snap and converted.

“We’ll take it,” said Smith. “It was kind of shaky at times, but we overcame adversity, came through with the win.

“Emotionally it’s huge. I feel like it could be a turning point in our season. I’m hoping it will be.”

Maine drove 75 yards to score on an 11-yard completion from Smith to Jeff Falvey at 13:25 of the second quarter.

Smith threw two first-half interceptions, the second leading to a 32-yard field goal by New Hampshire.

NOTES: The late Ron Rogerson, a coach at Maine in the early 1980s, was honored at halftime.

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:

jmenendez@pressherald.com