Sunday recap: A closer look at Bryant's loss to Maine

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University football team was defeated by the University of Maine, 35-31, Saturday afternoon in Orono, Maine. BryantBulldogs.com takes a closer look at some notes and notables from Saturday's game.

With the loss, the Bulldogs fell to 2-3 on the season and 1-4 all-time against Maine. Bryant is now 0-3 at Alfond Stadium.

Bryant is now 10-18 in games decided by one touchdown or less since the start of the 2013 season. The Bulldogs are 3-8 in road games during the stretch.

The Black and Gold led 21-0 and lost for the second time this season on Saturday. Bryant led 21-0 with 42 seconds left in the second half but was outscored 35-10 over the final 30:42. The Bulldogs also led 21-0 after one quarter of play against Brown in week 3.

Saturday was just the third loss for Bryant since the start of 2013 when leading at the half. It is also only the second loss since the start of the 2013 season when the Bulldogs have lost after taking a lead to the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs forced a season-high three turnovers on Saturday, intercepting Maine QB Dan Collins three times.

Bryant was held to under 100 yards rushing for the third time in five games this season. On the other hand, the Bulldogs allowed 225 rushing yards. It is the most the Bulldogs have given up since Sacred Heart posted 230 on Nov. 14, 2015.

Senior Dalton Easton (Miami, Fla.) finished the game 27-of-53 for 318 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. He was also sacked four times. Easton has now thrown for 300+ yards six times in his career and has thrown 4+ TD passes in a game five times.

The 27 completions and 53 attempts are both career-highs, while the attempts are also a single-game program record. Charlie Granatell had held the record since 2005, attempting 49 passes in an overtime loss to Merrimack.

Easton also surpassed the 6,000 career passing yard plateau on Saturday, becoming just the second QB in school history to do so. With 6,064 passing yards, Easton joins Granatell (6,984) has the only two QBs in program history to accomplish the feat.

Easton's four TD passes give him 56 in his career, tying him with Granatell for the program record. Granatell threw 56 TD passes from 2004-2007.

Junior WR Matt Sewall (Portsmouth, R.I.) had seven catches for 89 yards and three touchdowns to lead all receivers. He also led the Bulldogs with three carries for 19 yards. It is the first time the same player has led the Bulldogs in rushing and receiving in the same game since Ricardo McCray did it in back-to-back games in 2014 against Central Connecticut and Duquesne. He is the first wide receiver in program history to accomplish the feat.  

Saturday was Sewall's first-career multi-TD game and his three reception TDs tie a single-game program record. He is only the fourth player in school history to catch three touchdowns in a single game.

Senior Keenan Thompson (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) caught his third touchdown pass of the season on Saturday. He has TD receptions in each of the last two weeks and has now tied his career-high set in 2014.

Charles Wingate (Englewood, N.J.), Charles Keenan (Tyngsborough, Mass.) and Danny Hughes (Shoreham, N.Y.) all posted interceptions on Saturday. Wingate's interception was the first of his season and the sixth of his career.

Hughes' second interception of the season set up Bryant's third touchdown. He picked off a pass at the Bryant 19 and returned it 49 yards to the Maine 32 with 1:16 left in the first half.

Freshman LB Jesse Nemerowicz (Hudson, Mass.) led the defense with a season-high 14 tackles. He made three solo stops and assisted on 11 others. The 14 tackles are the most by a Bulldog since Max Machado made 14 at Saint Francis on Sept. 8, 2012. Nemerowicz also set a freshman program record for tackles in a game.

In addition to his first-career interception, Keenan finished with 10 tackles and a pass breakup. It is the second time in his career he has posted 10+ tackles (11 last year at Monmouth).

Senior LB Marquise Watson (Hillside, N.J.) posted five tackles and now has 224 in his career. He is now tied with Paul Polomski for fifth all-time.

Senior Ricky Perez (Miami, Fla.) hit a 35-yard field goal on Saturday and is now 3-for-4 this season.