UNH football players celebrate their win over Maine in Orono on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of UNH Athletics)

ORONO, Me. – Senior Caleb Mead ran for 113 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown, to propel the No. 24 University of New Hampshire football team to Saturday afternoon’s 27-9 victory against the University of Maine at Alfond Stadium.

With the win, the Wildcats retain the Brice-Cowell Musket – which is presented annually to the winner of the Buffalo Wild Wings Border Battle – and end the regular season on a four-game winning streak to improve to 8-4 overall and 6-2 in the CAA.

New Hampshire’s playoff fate will be announced Nov. 24 (12:30 p.m.), when the NCAA FCS tournament bracket is revealed on ESPN.

Mead, in just his second game taking snaps on offense, finished with game highs of 19 rushes and 113 yards. His 57-yard scamper gave UNH its first lead of the game, 14-9, on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter.

Senior quarterback Seth Morgan completed 22 of 34 passes for 164 yards and ran for a 7-yard touchdown.

UNH’s defense limited Maine to 92 yards of offense through three quarters. The Black Bears finished with 198 yards and eight first downs.

Grad student linebacker Ryan Toscano of Bedford made a team-high 11 tackles, including one tackle-for-loss. Flex Ruiz finished with four tackles, including three stops behind the line of scrimmage, one of which was a sack.

Maine finishes the 2024 season at 5-7, 3-5.

Mead took the handoff on the first play of the second half and raced down the left side for a 57-yard touchdown to give the Wildcats their first lead of the game, 14-9, at 14:44.

Mazzie’s 21-yard field goal capped a 15-play, 52-yard drive to extend UNH’s advantage to 17-9 at 2:02.

In the fourth quarter, on 4th-and-9 from the Maine 32, Zachary Kim made a leaping catch for a 20-yard gain to extend the drive. Four plays later, Mazzie connected on a 22-yard field goal to give the ‘Cats a 20-9 lead at 11:45.

Bryson’s 29-yard field goal attempt hit the left post to keep Maine’s deficit at 11 points with 9:11 on the clock.

Maine got the ball back, 1st-and-10 at the M 15, with 3:25 remaining. On 4th-and-10, Ruiz and Brandon Perkins combined to drop Peevy for an eight-yard loss to give possession to UNH.

On 1st-and-goal from the Maine 7, Morgan ran the ball into the end zone and Mazzie’s PAT gave the Wildcats a 27-9 lead at 2:03.