UNH sophomore QB Max Brosmer threw a pair of touchdown passes to junior Sean Coyne on Friday night but the Wildcats fell, 24-20, to UAlbany (Courtesy photo by China Wong/UNH Athletics)

DURHAM, N.H. – Sophomore quarterback Max Brosmer and junior wide receiver Sean Coyne teamed up for a pair of passing touchdowns and the defense fueled a late comeback bid, but it was not enough and the University of New Hampshire football team fell to the University of Albany, 24-20, Friday night at Wildcat Stadium.

It was a chilly, windy opener – the temperature was below 30 when the game started – of a six-game regular season for both teams. All games will be Colonial Athletic Association contests.

It was UNH’s first game since Nov. 23, 2019 and it marked the first game for head coach Sean McDonnell since Nov. 17, 2018. McDonnell was sideline for medical reasons for the 2019 season and Ricky Santos filled in as interim head coach.

UNH plays its next game Saturday, March 20 against Delaware in Wildcat Stadium.

The Wildcats came into the game ranked No. 14 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll and Albany was No. 13.

The UNH defense held the Great Danes to 224 yards of offense and sacked Albany quarterback Jeff Undercuffler four times. The Wildcats had 186 yards of offense.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Zedane Williams and sophomore defensive back Randall Harris led the Wildcats with nine tackles each. Williams also blocked a punt that sophomore running back J.J. Jerome recovered in the end zone for a TD that helped give the Wilcats a 14-7 lead at halftime.

Brosmer completed 20 of 35 passes for 128 yards and the two scores.

Jeff Undercuffler was 23 for 36 passing for 192 yards and three touchdowns. He led FCS with 41 touchdown passes as a redshirt freshman in 2019.

Brosmer hit Coyne with a 4-yard pass for the season’s first score with 7:59 left in the quarter. Sophomore Jordan Conn (Woodbridge, Conn.) kicked the conversion.

Undercuffler passed to Mike Gray for a 23-yard score to tie the game. In the third quarter, he connected with Tyler Oedekoven (18 yards) and Mofor (9 yards) to open a 21-14 Albany lead.

Niko Kvietkus sacked Undercuffler and forced a fumble that was recovered and returned 13 yards by Oleh Manzyk (Feasterville, Pa.) to the UAlbany 25-yard line midway through the fourth quarter to set up a touchdown. Brosmer hit Coyne with another TD pass from 18 yards out with 6:48 left. However, the PAT kick was blocked the ‘Cats trailed 24-20.

The proved big as UNH twice had chances inside the Albany 20 in the final minutes. The Wildcats advanced inside the Albany 20-yard line but were stopped with less than three minutes to go.

They had a final chance inside the 10-yard line after the Great Danes mishandled a punt, but the UAlbany defense held again for the win.

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