Battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket
New Hampshire Wildcats
| |
Sport | Football |
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First meeting | September 26, 1903 Maine, 10–0 |
Latest meeting | November 20, 2021 Maine, 33–20 |
Next meeting | TBD |
Trophy | Brice-Cowell Musket |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 111 |
All-time series | New Hampshire leads, 57–46–8 |
Trophy series | New Hampshire leads, 41–28–4 (since 1948) |
Largest victory | New Hampshire, 63–13 (1993) |
Longest win streak | Maine, 8 (1903–1911) |
Longest unbeaten streak | Maine, 9 (1903–1916) |
Current win streak | Maine, 1 (2021–present) |
The Battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket is the name of the rivalry between the Maine Black Bears and the New Hampshire Wildcats.[1] Both schools are members of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).[2] Through the 2021 season, the two teams have met 111 times on the football field, with New Hampshire currently holding a 57–46–8 edge in the all-time series.
History[]
The winner of each year's game gets possession of an "antique fowling" musket, named after former head coaches of the two programs;[3] Fred Brice who coached at Maine (1921–1940) and Butch Cowell who coached at New Hampshire (1915–1936). The musket was "donated by Portland alumni of the two institutions", and was first awarded to the winner of the 1948 game (New Hampshire).[4] It is a flintlock with a 43-inch (110 cm) barrel in .65 caliber, made by Ebenezer Nutting of Falmouth, Maine, in the 1722–1745 era.[5]
The teams have met annually since 1922 except for two seasons during World War II,[6] and the 2020 season when New Hampshire ended their season after playing just one game due to impact from the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[7]
Notable games[]
The Maine and New Hampshire football programs first met in 1903, when two games were played, both won by Maine.
The 1919 contest ended in controversy, with confusion over whether a New Hampshire trick play in the final minute of the game was a touchdown or a touchback.[8] Days later, a board of officials ruled the play a touchback, giving Maine a 7–3 win.[9][10]
In 1944, the teams met twice, with each team winning the game played on its home field. The 1944 Wildcats played a limited four-game schedule, with a roster consisting of 17-year-olds and returning veterans.[11] The results of these two games are listed in Maine's media guide[12] and College Football Data Warehouse,[6] but have been absent from New Hampshire's media guide.[13]
The 1993 game had the largest margin of victory, 50 points, as New Hampshire won, 63–13.[14]
News reports around the 2012 game referred to it as the 100th meeting between the two programs.[15][16][17] If the aforementioned 1944 games are included the all-time series, as is reflected in the below table, the 2012 game was actually the 102nd meeting between the teams.
The only season to feature two games between the teams—other than 1903 and 1944 as mentioned above—was 2013, with New Hampshire first winning the regular season contest, and then a rematch as part of the 2013 FCS playoff.
The Maine–New Hampshire contest scheduled for November 21, 2020, was not played, as New Hampshire announced the postponement of fall sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic on July 17, 2020.[18] On October 27, 2020, the CAA announced a tentative football schedule for spring 2021, with New Hampshire and Maine scheduled to play in Orono on April 17, 2021.[19] However, on April 6, following the cancelation of three games due to COVID issues, New Hampshire opted out of the remainder of the season.[7] Following the resumption of the rivalry in 2021, Maine defeated New Hampshire on November 20, 33–20.
Game results[]
Maine victories | New Hampshire victories | Tie games |
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Note: The score of the first game between the teams, held on September 26, 1903, is listed as 18–0 in the New Hampshire football media guide,[22] and in contemporary news reports of 1903;[23][24] College Football Data Warehouse and the Maine football media guide list it as 10–0.[6][25]
See also[]
- List of NCAA college football rivalry games
- List of most-played college football series in NCAA Division I
References[]
- ^ "Football: UMaine seeks to take back Brice-Cowell Musket from UNH". mainecampus.com. November 20, 2008. Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
- ^ "CAAZone Game of the Week Preview: Playoffs and Pride on the line for Maine, UNH". caazone.com. November 15, 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
- ^ "Wildcats Rest on Laurels Gained During Season". The Portsmouth Herald. Portsmouth, New Hampshire. November 22, 1950. p. 8. Retrieved November 23, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Maine Bears to Assist UNH With Homecoming". The Portsmouth Herald. Portsmouth, New Hampshire. October 7, 1949. p. 6. Retrieved November 23, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "GAME DAY: Football Battle for Brice-Cowell Musket set for Senior Day on CSN-NE". unhwildcats.com. November 16, 2011. Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
- ^ a b c d "New Hampshire vs Maine". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2020 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b Brown, Brandon (April 8, 2021). "UNH football coach says opting out of remaining schedule was 'right decision'". The Portsmouth Herald. Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via fosters.com.
- ^ "Maine, by 7 to 3; N H State, 9 to 7". The Boston Globe. November 16, 1919. p. 19. Retrieved February 18, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Football Game is Awarded to Maine". The Boston Globe. November 19, 1919. p. 3. Retrieved February 18, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Maine Wins State College Title from New Hampshire". The New Hampshire. Vol. 9, no. 8. November 19, 1919. pp. 1, 6. Retrieved February 20, 2020 – via library.unh.edu.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "High School Coach Will Lead Wildcats". The Portsmouth Herald. Portsmouth, New Hampshire. September 15, 1944. p. 6. Retrieved November 24, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Maine Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Maine Athletics. 2019. p. 86. Retrieved November 28, 2019 – via goblackbears.com.
- ^ "2017 New Hampshire Media Guide". University of New Hampshire. 2017. p. 66. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ "UNH hammers Maine". The Boston Globe. AP. September 26, 1993. p. 93. Retrieved February 19, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Brice-Cowell Musket up for grabs again as UMaine, New Hampshire play football for 100th time". bangordailynews.com. October 19, 2012. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
- ^ "Football Hosts New Hampshire in 100th Meeting for Brice-Cowell Musket". goblackbears.com. October 18, 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-02-07. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
- ^ "UNH football awaits 100th clash against rival Maine". seacoastonline.com. October 19, 2012. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
- ^ Downey, KC (July 17, 2020). "UNH announces postponement of fall sports season because of coronavirus crisis". WMUR-TV. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
- ^ "CAA Football Announces Tentative Spring 2021 Schedule". University of New Hampshire Athletics. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- ^ "Maine Bears Tip Wildcats by Touchdown". The Boston Globe. October 22, 1944. p. 26. Retrieved November 23, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "New Hampshire Rally Edges Maine by 19-14". Hartford Courant. November 12, 1944. p. 46. Retrieved November 23, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "2017 New Hampshire Media Guide". University of New Hampshire. 2017. pp. 66–70. Retrieved April 24, 2020 – via issuu.com.
- ^ "Univ of ME 18, N H State 0". The Boston Globe. September 27, 1903. p. 5. Retrieved April 30, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "University of Maine, 18; New Hampshire, 0". The New Hampshire College Monthly. Vol. 11, no. 2. November 1903. p. 26. Retrieved April 30, 2020 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Maine Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Maine Athletics. 2019. p. 86. Retrieved April 30, 2020 – via goblackbears.com.
- College football rivalries in the United States
- Maine Black Bears football
- New Hampshire Wildcats football
- 1903 establishments in Maine
- 1903 establishments in New Hampshire