ORONO – One play can change the complexion of a game, or an entire season.

The University of Richmond’s football hopes took a sudden turn for the better on one play Saturday night.

Tailback Josh Vaughan took a short screen pass from quarterback Stacy Tutt, eluded a handful of UMaine defenders and bolted 79 yards for a touchdown, igniting a 16-point barrage in the final 4:09 of the first half that helped the Spiders weave a 26-21 Atlantic 10 victory at rainy Alfond Stadium.

Richmond (1-2, 1-1 A-10) struggled much of the night but parlayed five Black Bear turnovers and a handful of key plays into a win in front of 4,762 fans.

“I think today they probably outplayed us, but because of the turnovers, we were able to get some opportunities and find a way to win the game,” said Richmond coach Dave Clawson.

The Bears (1-2) dropped their league opener with an inconsistent, mistake-filled effort.

“It was a disappointing, tough loss, there’s no question about that,” said UMaine coach Jack Cosgrove.

“[We] came unglued, did some things to help them, and they gained some life off of all those things,” he added.

Richmond scored 19 of its 26 points as a direct result of UMaine turnovers. Junior quarterback Ron Whitcomb (19-for-35, 200 yards) was intercepted three times while the Bears fumbled once and muffed a kickoff.

“When you stop yourself and you give the ball over to the other team, you’re not going to win in this league – no way,” Whitcomb said.

Despite being placed in tough situations, UMaine’s defense didn’t buckle. The Bears gave up 274 yards, including only 106 on the ground. Tutt completed only six of 22 passes for 168 yards – 79 on the one play.

UMaine built momentum while scoring 21 unanswered points during a span of 9:44 in the second quarter.

Tailback Montell Owens (20 carries, 101 yards) got the hosts rolling with a 16-yard scoring run at the 14:56 mark. Bobby Donnelly’s PAT tied it at 7.

The Bears took advantage of field position, going 31 yards in six plays later in the half. Owens’ 1-yard plunge put UMaine ahead 14-7.

Two plays later, cornerback Daren Stone picked off a Tutt pass and returned it 18 yards to the UR 31-yard line. Whitcomb then hit Kevin McMahan (7 catches, 117 yards) on a 9-yard post route for another TD at the 5:12 mark.

A minute later, Vaughan helped the Spiders regain the emotional edge with his elusive catch and run.

“At that point Maine was up 21-7; we were not generating any offense,” Clawson said. “It was a third-and-long, they had stopped us over and over, then we finally had a guy catch a ball, make a guy miss, and make a play outside the design of the play.”

Backed up on its own 18 with 1:20 left in the half, UMaine QB Chris Legree fumbled after a short gain. Joe Mallory returned it 20 yards, setting up Tutt’s 6-yard keeper that pulled Richmond within a point (the PAT kick was missed).

When the Bears failed to handle the ensuing squib kick, the Spiders recovered. Joseph Fore’s 21-yard field goal as time expired made it 23-21 and put Richmond ahead to stay.

“Any time you lose a lead going into the half as dramatically as we did, you don’t feel too good about what you’re doing,” Whitcomb said. “But at the same time we felt that we were rolling on offense; the defense was obviously playing great; so we really felt at that point we were ready to go win that second half and win the game.”

Early in the third, UMaine marched 71 yards on six plays highlighted by a diving 45-yard reception by McMahan at the UR 7. Two plays later, Whitcomb was hit while throwing to the end zone, where linebacker Lance Gray tipped, then intercepted, the ball.

After Richmond botched the snap on a 32-yard field-goal try, the Spiders defense went back to work. Ryan Beers intercepted a Whitcomb pass after it was tipped by Johnny Campbell.

That led to Fore’s 19-yard field goal that made it 26-21 with 13:00 left.

The Bears had the ball four more times but didn’t threaten until their final possession.

On fourth-and-three from the UR-30, Whitcomb’s pass to McMahan in the end zone was tipped away at the last instant by Damien McCallum as time ran out.

Richmond took a 7-0 lead when Gray stepped in front of a Whitcomb pass and raced 40 yards untouched for a score with 3:42 left in the first quarter.

Jarrod Gomes and Jermaine Walker led the UMaine defense with 10 tackles each. Joan Quezada made nine, while Stone had two interceptions, bringing his season total to five.

SPIDERS 26, BLACK BEARS 21

Richmond (1-2) 7 16 0 3 – 26

Maine (1-2) 0 21 0 0 – 21

R – Gray 40 interception return (Fore kick)

M – Owens 16 run (Donnelly kick)

M – Owens 1 run (Donnelly kick)

R – Vaughan 79 pass from Tutt (Fore kick)

R – Tutt 6 run (kick failed)

R – Fore 21 field goal

R – Fore 19 field goal

Richmond Maine

First downs 8 17

Rushing att.-yards 41-106 39-148

Passing comp.-att. 6-22 20-38

Passing yards 168 202

Total yards 274 350

Punts-avg. 8-39.2 8-33.9

Fumbles-lost 0-0 4-2

Intercepted by 3 2

Penalties-yards 5-25 4-45

Rushing

Richmond: Tutt 21-50, Freeman 6-35, Vaughan 13-26, Hale 1-(minus 5); Maine: Owens 20-101, Legree 12-36, Allen 1-23, Whitcomb 6-(minus 12)

Passing

Richmond: Tutt 6-22-2-168; Maine: Whitcomb 19-35-3-200, Legree 1-2-0-2, Team 0-1-0-0

Receiving

Richmond: Hale 2-55, Vaughan 1-79, Crone 1-25, Hightower 1-6, Freeman 1-3; Maine: McMahan 7-117, Gordon 6-32, Owens 4-29, Radulski 2-19, Ababio 1-5

A-4,762