Battle for the Brice–Cowell Musket

The Battle for the Brice–Cowell Musket is the rivalry between the Maine Black Bears and the New Hampshire Wildcats.^[1] Both schools are members of CAA Football, the legally separate football league operated by the multi-sports Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).^[2] Through the 2022 season, the two teams have met 113 times on the football field, with New Hampshire currently holding a 59–46–8 edge in the all-time series.

Battle for the Brice–Cowell Musket

Maine Black Bears New Hampshire Wildcats
Sport	Football
First meeting	September 26, 1903 Maine, 10–0
Latest meeting	November 18, 2023 New Hampshire, 44–25
Next meeting	November 23, 2024
Trophy	Brice–Cowell Musket
Statistics
Meetings total	113
All-time series	New Hampshire leads, 59–46–8
Trophy series	New Hampshire leads, 43–28–4 (since 1948)
Largest victory	New Hampshire, 63–13 (1993)
Longest win streak	Maine, 8 (1903–1911) New Hampshire, 8 (2011–2017)
Longest unbeaten streak	Maine, 9 (1903–1916)
Current win streak	New Hampshire, 2 (2022–present)

100km
62miles

New Hampshire

Maine

  

Locations of Maine and New Hampshire

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.^[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]

Further information: 1919 New Hampshire football team § Maine game

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

No. Date Location Winner Score 1 September 26, 1903 Orono, ME Maine 18–0 2 October 24, 1903 Dover, NH Maine 27–0 3 October 15, 1904 Orono, ME Maine 6–0 4 October 28, 1905 Orono, ME Maine 12–0 5 September 22, 1906 Orono, ME Maine 7–0 6 October 17, 1908 Orono, ME Maine 6–4 7 October 9, 1909 Orono, ME Maine 16–0 8 October 7, 1911 Orono, ME Maine 12–0 9 September 30, 1916 Orono, ME Tie 0–0 10 November 10, 1917 Dover, NH New Hampshire 27–0 11 November 15, 1919 Durham, NH Maine 7–3 12 November 13, 1920 Orono, ME New Hampshire 47–7 13 November 11, 1922 Manchester, NH Maine 14–7 14 November 10, 1923 Portland, ME Maine 13–0 15 November 8, 1924 Durham, NH New Hampshire 33–0 16 November 14, 1925 Orono, ME Tie 0–0 17 November 13, 1926 Durham, NH New Hampshire 14–7 18 November 12, 1927 Orono, ME Maine 13–6 19 October 20, 1928 Durham, NH Maine 7–0 20 October 19, 1929 Orono, ME New Hampshire 21–7 21 October 18, 1930 Durham, NH New Hampshire 14–6 22 October 17, 1931 Orono, ME New Hampshire 12–7 23 October 15, 1932 Durham, NH Tie 7–7 24 October 21, 1933 Orono, ME New Hampshire 6–0 25 October 20, 1934 Durham, NH New Hampshire 24–7 26 October 12, 1935 Orono, ME Maine 13–2 27 October 10, 1936 Durham, NH Maine 27–6 28 October 9, 1937 Orono, ME New Hampshire 13–0 29 October 8, 1938 Durham, NH Maine 21–0 30 October 14, 1939 Orono, ME Maine 6–0 31 October 12, 1940 Durham, NH New Hampshire 20–14 32 October 11, 1941 Orono, ME Tie 7–7 33 October 10, 1942 Durham, NH New Hampshire 20–7 34 October 21, 1944[20] Orono, ME Maine 13–6 35 November 11, 1944[21] Durham, NH New Hampshire 19–14 36 October 12, 1946 Orono, ME New Hampshire 27–0 37 October 11, 1947 Durham, NH New Hampshire 28–7 38 October 9, 1948 Orono, ME New Hampshire 27–6 39 October 8, 1949 Durham, NH Maine 26–13 40 October 14, 1950 Orono, ME New Hampshire 19–0 41 October 13, 1951 Durham, NH Tie 0–0 42 October 11, 1952 Orono, ME Maine 24–7 43 October 10, 1953 Durham, NH New Hampshire 21–6 44 October 9, 1954 Orono, ME New Hampshire 21–10 45 October 8, 1955 Durham, NH Tie 6–6 46 October 13, 1956 Orono, ME Maine 29–7 47 October 12, 1957 Durham, NH Maine 7–0 48 October 11, 1958 Orono, ME Maine 14–0 49 October 10, 1959 Durham, NH Tie 7–7 50 October 8, 1960 Orono, ME Maine 13–7 51 October 14, 1961 Durham, NH Maine 7–6 52 October 13, 1962 Orono, ME New Hampshire 21–6 53 October 12, 1963 Durham, NH Maine 28–8 54 October 10, 1964 Orono, ME Maine 33–18 55 October 9, 1965 Durham, NH Maine 48–13 56 October 8, 1966 Durham, NH New Hampshire 10–7 57 October 14, 1967 Orono, ME New Hampshire 17–0 58 October 12, 1968 Durham, NH New Hampshire 42–17 No. Date Location Winner Score 59 October 11, 1969 Orono, ME Maine 20–18 60 October 10, 1970 Durham, NH New Hampshire 13–9 61 October 9, 1971 Orono, ME New Hampshire 24–14 62 October 14, 1972 Durham, NH New Hampshire 17–14 63 October 13, 1973 Orono, ME New Hampshire 13–0 64 October 12, 1974 Durham, NH Maine 23–9 65 October 11, 1975 Orono, ME New Hampshire 24–15 66 October 9, 1976 Durham, NH Maine 10–0 67 October 8, 1977 Orono, ME New Hampshire 54–7 68 October 14, 1978 Orono, ME Tie 7–7 69 October 13, 1979 Orono, ME New Hampshire 23–0 70 October 11, 1980 Durham, NH New Hampshire 19–13 71 October 10, 1981 Orono, ME Maine 26–16 72 November 6, 1982 Durham, NH Maine 31–14 73 November 5, 1983 Orono, ME New Hampshire 20–7 74 September 8, 1984 Durham, NH New Hampshire 21–13 75 November 9, 1985 Orono, ME Maine 45–40 76 November 8, 1986 Durham, NH Maine 14–13 77 November 7, 1987 Orono, ME Maine 28–14 78 September 24, 1988 Orono, ME New Hampshire 44–23 79 September 9, 1989 Durham, NH Maine 24–7 80 September 22, 1990 Orono, ME New Hampshire 28–20 81 September 28, 1991 Durham, NH New Hampshire 38–20 82 September 5, 1992 Orono, ME Maine 27–24 83 September 25, 1993 Durham, NH New Hampshire 63–13 84 October 22, 1994 Orono, ME New Hampshire 24–7 85 October 21, 1995 Durham, NH New Hampshire 21–0 86 October 19, 1996 Orono, ME Maine 34–20 87 October 25, 1997 Durham, NH New Hampshire 24–7 88 September 12, 1998 Orono, ME Maine 52–28 89 November 20, 1999 Durham, NH New Hampshire 31–20 90 November 18, 2000 Orono, ME Maine 55–10 91 November 17, 2001 Durham, NH Maine 57–24 92 November 23, 2002 Orono, ME Maine 31–14 93 November 22, 2003 Durham, NH New Hampshire 47–27 94 November 20, 2004 Orono, ME New Hampshire 50–36 95 November 19, 2005 Durham, NH New Hampshire 59–47 96 November 18, 2006 Orono, ME New Hampshire 19–13 97 November 17, 2007 Durham, NH New Hampshire 39–14 98 November 22, 2008 Orono, ME New Hampshire 28–24 99 November 21, 2009 Durham, NH New Hampshire 27–24 100 October 2, 2010 Orono, ME Maine 16–13 101 November 19, 2011 Durham, NH New Hampshire 30–27 102 October 20, 2012 Orono, ME New Hampshire 28–21 103 November 23, 2013 Durham, NH New Hampshire 24–3 104 December 7, 2013A Orono, ME New Hampshire 41–27 105 November 22, 2014 Orono, ME New Hampshire 20–12 106 November 21, 2015 Durham, NH New Hampshire 22–6 107 November 19, 2016 Orono, ME New Hampshire 24–21 108 August 31, 2017 Durham, NH New Hampshire 24–23 109 August 30, 2018 Orono, ME Maine 35–7 110 November 23, 2019 Durham, NH New Hampshire 28–10 111 November 20, 2021 Durham, NH Maine 33–20 112 November 19, 2022 Orono, ME New Hampshire 42–41OT 113 November 18, 2023 Durham, NH New Hampshire 44–25 Series: New Hampshire leads 59–46–8[6][22] A 2013 FCS 2nd Round Playoff Game, Brice–Cowell Musket not on the line Trophy series: New Hampshire leads 43–28–4

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

1. "Football: UMaine seeks to take back Brice–Cowell Musket from UNH". mainecampus.com. November 20, 2008. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
2. "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 September 7, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
3. "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.
4. "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.
5. "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 December 2, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
6. "New Hampshire vs Maine". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2020 – via Wayback Machine.
7. 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.
8. "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.
9. "Football Game is Awarded to Maine". The Boston Globe. November 19, 1919. p. 3. Retrieved February 18, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
10. "Maine Wins State College Title from New Hampshire". The New Hampshire. Vol. 9, no. 8. November 19, 1919. pp. 1, 6. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2020 – via library.unh.edu.
11. "High School Coach Will Lead Wildcats". The Portsmouth Herald. Portsmouth, New Hampshire. September 15, 1944. p. 6. Retrieved November 24, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
12. "Maine Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Maine Athletics. 2019. p. 86. Retrieved November 28, 2019 – via goblackbears.com.
13. "2017 New Hampshire Media Guide". University of New Hampshire. 2017. p. 66. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
14. "UNH hammers Maine". The Boston Globe. AP. September 26, 1993. p. 93. Retrieved February 19, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
15. "Brice–Cowell Musket up for grabs again as UMaine, New Hampshire play football for 100th time". bangordailynews.com. October 19, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
16. "Football Hosts New Hampshire in 100th Meeting for Brice–Cowell Musket". goblackbears.com. October 18, 2012. Archived from the original on February 7, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
17. "UNH football awaits 100th clash against rival Maine". seacoastonline.com. October 19, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
18. Downey, KC (July 17, 2020). "UNH announces postponement of fall sports season because of coronavirus crisis". WMUR-TV. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
19. "CAA Football Announces Tentative Spring 2021 Schedule". University of New Hampshire Athletics. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
20. "Maine Bears Tip Wildcats by Touchdown". The Boston Globe. October 22, 1944. p. 26. Retrieved November 23, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
21. "New Hampshire Rally Edges Maine by 19-14". Hartford Courant. November 12, 1944. p. 46. Retrieved November 23, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
22. "2017 New Hampshire Media Guide". University of New Hampshire. 2017. pp. 66–70. Retrieved April 24, 2020 – via issuu.com.
23. "Univ of ME 18, N H State 0". The Boston Globe. September 27, 1903. p. 5. Retrieved April 30, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
24. "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.
25. "Maine Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Maine Athletics. 2019. p. 86. Retrieved April 30, 2020 – via goblackbears.com.