YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – It was a season-opening performance befitting a revamped University of Maine football team Saturday afternoon at Stambaugh Stadium.

Coach Jack Cosgrove’s Black Bears struggled through early penalties, poor execution and a general lack of consistency while dropping a 34-14 decision to seventh-ranked Youngstown State.

The Penguins (2-0) mounted consecutive eight-play, 71-yard scoring drives in the third quarter and limited UMaine to 34 second-half yards to erase a one-point halftime deficit and claim the victory.

“The bottom line is our guys came out and rallied up against a good football team,” said Youngstown coach Jon Heacock.

Senior Arel Gordon sparked UMaine while rushing for a career-best 139 yards, including a 75-yard, first-quarter scoring burst, and catching four passes for 63 yards.

“I think he gives you the kind of instant lightning, that instant scoring threat,” Cosgrove said. “It’s exciting to see him do those things and we’re probably going to lean more and more on him as we go through the season.”

Quarterback Ron Whitcomb completed 11 of 17 passes for 114 yards and a score, but was sacked four times, intercepted once, and carried the ball 18 times for minus-10 yards. The Bears managed only four first downs after intermission.

“I don’t think it was so much the adjustments they made, I think it was more our lack of execution,” Whitcomb said of UMaine’s second-half woes.

YSU bottled up the Bears in the second half and made a critical stop at its own 29-yard line after an interception by UMaine safety Daren Stone on the first play of the third quarter.

The Penguins snatched the momentum just after QB Tom Zetts threw a near-interception right at cornerback Manauris Arias. Zetts followed with a 28-yard completion to T.J. Peterson, igniting a drive that culminated in Zetts’ 16-yard TD toss to a wide-open Peterson.

That gave the Penguins the lead for good (20-14) with 8:35 left in the third quarter.

“We had a golden opportunity and they came out and stopped us,” Cosgrove said. “Then we had the other chance to get the interception and they went and scored. That changed the game right there.”

YSU established a nice rhythm behind the elusive Zetts, who started the game 3-for-10 but completed nine of his last 11 throws with two TDs.

On their next possession, the Penguins again covered 71 yards in eight plays. Three passes to Rory Berry helped set up a 7-yard scoring throw from Zetts to Louis Irizarry. YSU scored 14 points in four minutes, 44 seconds and pushed its lead to 27-14 at the 3:51 mark.

“We wanted to stop the run and we were committed to doing that,” said UMaine defensive coordinator Robb Smith. “In essence, they took advantage of that and made some nice throws and it enabled them to move the sticks.”

Marcus Mason led the YSU ground game with 107 yards on 29 carries.

Sophomore safety Jonathan Calderon paced UMaine with 11 tackles, while linebacker Jovan Belcher made nine and end Matt King eight. Lionel Nixon Jr. also had an interception to snuff out a YSU threat.

Linebacker Jeremiah Wright was in on 12 tackles for the Penguins, who took away the inside run and pressured Whitcomb better in the second half.

“I just feel like much too many mistakes and penalties and turnovers to win a game against the [eighth]-ranked team in the country,” said Bears offensive coordinator Bobby Wilder.

The Bears overcame early struggles to have a productive first half.

YSU took a 6-0 lead after a high snap by Daniel Sherr was covered by punter Kash Kiefer at the UM 13-yard line. Mason scampered 13 yards around right end on the next play.

The Penguins’ PAT kick was negated by a penalty, then tackle Bruno Dorismond deflected the second try wide of the upright.

UMaine responded after a 17-yard kickoff return by Arias. On first down, Gordon slashed off right tackle and burst untouched down the right sideline for a 75-yard touchdown run.

It was Gordon’s first career rushing TD and was the longest scoring run from scrimmage by a Bear since Carl Smith’s school-record 89-yard jaunt against Rutgers in 1989.

Freshman Devin McNeill kicked his first collegiate PAT to give UMaine a 7-6 lead with 2:22 left in the first quarter.

YSU went on top six minutes later when Peterson took a short toss from Zetts and outraced the secondary for a 42-yard touchdown. The PAT made it 13-7 with 10:27 to play in the half.

The Bears’ go-ahead drive (9 plays, 85 yards) began when Gordon raced 33 yards on a screen pass and ended when Manzi Pierre made a spectacular diving catch of Whitcomb’s 31-yard strike to the end zone with 25 seconds left in the half.

McNeill’s PAT sent the Bears into the locker room with a 14-13 lead and plenty of enthusiasm.

PENGUINS 34, BLACK BEARS 14

Maine (0-1) 7 7 0 0 – 14

Youngstown St. (2-0) 6 7 14 7 – 34

Y – Mason 13 run (kick blocked)

M – Gordon 75 run (McNeill kick)

Y – Peterson 42 pass from Zetts (Palmer kick)

M – Pierre 31 pass from Whitcomb (McNeill kick)

Y – Peterson 16 pass from Zetts (Palmer kick)

Y – Irizarry 7 pass from Zetts (Palmer kick)

Y – Gibson 1 run (Palmer kick)

Maine Youngstown

First downs 12 21

Rushing att.-yards 39-124 42-141

Passing comp.-att. 11-17 12-21

Passing yards 114 178

Total yards 238 319

Punts-avg. 6-38.7 4-36

Fumbles-lost 2-1 1-0

Intercepted by 2 1

Penalties-yards 10-81 7-75

Rushing

Maine: Gordon 15-139, Randall 2-22, Allen 3-(minus 4), Whitcomb 18-(minus 10), team 1-(minus 23); Youngstown: Mason 29-107, Gibson 6-23, Zetts 4-13, Ison 1-1, Nicholson 1-(minus 1), team 2-(minus 2)

Passing

Maine: Whitcomb 11-17-1-114; Youngstown: Zetts 12-21-2-178

Receiving

Maine: Gordon 4-63, Mulligan 2-17, Randall 2-4, Pierre 1-31, Cotrone 1-0, Pearson 1-(minus 1); Youngstown: Peterson 5-110, Berry 3-35, King 1-11, Cayson 1-10, Irizarry 1-7, Gibson 1-5

A- 15,867