Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine football team is set to host Rhode Island on Homecoming Weekend at Alfond Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting GoBlackBears.com/FBTickets or by phone at 207.581.BEAR! Saturday's game is proudly presented by Maine Savings.
 

UMaine vs. Rhode Island - Oct. 14 - 3:30 p.m. - Alfond Stadium

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Tailgate Information

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Game Notes

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Follow The Black Bears:

• Tickets - Tickets for Saturday's contest can be purchased at GoBlackBears.com or by phone at 207.581.BEAR. The ticket office will open at 9 a.m. on game day.
• Watch - Saturday's game will be televised live on WVII/WFVX Bangor, WPME Portland and Fox College Sports. The game will also be streamed at GoBlackBears.com. Wondering how to find Fox College Sports in your area? Click here for a full channel listing!
• Listen - The game will be carried by the Black Bears Sports Network radio affiliates through the state of Maine. Fans can tune in at 103.9 FM, 101.3 FM, 1450 AM, 1310 AM and streamed live at GoBlackBears.com.
• Live Stats - Fans can follow along to live, up to the second stat updates throughout the game, provided by StatBroadcast at GoBlackBears.com.
• Social Media - Follow @BlackBearsFB on Twitter for all in-game social media photos and updates!

Football Homecoming Tailgate Parking:
Due to the expected high demand for tailgate spots on homecoming weekend, an additional lot has been added for tailgate parking overflow. All fans looking to bring a vehicle into a tailgate lot should line up on College Avenue to enter via Gate B. Once through the gate, fans will be directed to the proper lot. Access to all tailgate lots is free, however access to the Leadbetter's Lot requires a special Season Membership pass. Season Memberships are on sale now! Buy now to reserve your spot in the Leadbetter's Lot! Tailgate spots are provided on a first come, first serve basis. For a complete map of the tailgating areas, please click here.

Best Tailgate Wins Four Tickets To Fenway Gridiron Series Game:
Fans! Show us that you have the best tailgate on Saturday and you could win four tickets to cheer on the Black Bears when they take on UMass at Fenway Park. Special guest judges will be on hand to rate the tailgate displays!

Shuttle Bus Service:
A shuttle bus service will run from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14 to assist with transporting fans around campus. The Bus will be stationed at the Collins Center for the Arts lot and will run a loop from there to the New Balance Field House, Buchanan Alumni House and the Steam Plant Lot. For a complete map of the shuttle service, please click here.

For a full slate of homecoming weekend events, and answers to all of your homecoming questions, please click HERE.

Ring Of Honor: Mike Flynn
During Saturday's game, former Black Bear and Super Bowl Champion Mike Flynn will be enshrined in the prestigious UMaine Football 'Ring of Honor'. Flynn, who will be come the fifth Black Bear to receive the honor, played offensive guard and tackle for UMaine from 1992-96. Following his stint at UMaine, Flynn enjoyed an 11-year National Football League (NFL) career, highlighted by a Super Bowl championship in 2001 with the Baltimore Ravens. Flynn, a 1997 UMaine graduate, will join former receiver Thurlow Cooper, linebackers Chris Keating and John Huard and head coach Harold Westerman as members of the Ring of Honor. The Ring of Honor was established in 2005 to recognize and honor the most outstanding members of the football program.

Game Storylines:

• The Black Bears host Rhode Island on homecoming weekend in Maine's second longest rivalry, dating back to the first meeting between the two squads in 1911.
• Rhode Island is Maine's second longest tenued rival with Saturday's contest marking the 96th meeting between the two teams. The Black Bears hold a 58-34-3 advantage in the all-time series and have won each of the last 10 matchups and 15 of the last 16. Maine also holds an eight-game home win streak against Rhode Island. Last season, Maine defeated URI 28-21 after notching five interceptions against the Rams.
• Maine has outscored Rhode Island 339-126 over its 10-game win streak in the series. However, two of the last three meetings have been decided by seven points or fewer.
• A week after facing the CAA's leading rush defense (Villanova), Josh Mack, who leads the CAA in rush yards per game (131.0), will look to get back on track against a Rams' rush defense which allows the league's ninth most yards per game on the ground (156.8).
• Maine's defense, which ranks third in the CAA in total takeaways (13), will look to take advantage of a Rhode Island team which has turned it over 15 times and ranks last in the CAA with a -4 turnover margin.
• Maine's pass defense (207.5 yards per game) will be tested by Rhode Island's pass offense which ranks third in the CAA (273.8). Quarterback Tyler Harris' favorite target has been Aaron Parker who ranks fourth in the CAA in receiving yards (103.0), fifth in receptions (5.8) and has caught a touchdown in each of his last six outings.
• Rhode Island (1-4, 0-2 CAA) is coming off a bye after dropping a 24-21 decision at Brown in its last outing on Sept. 30. The Rams are still searching for their first CAA win of the year. Their lone win this season came in a 17-10 victory against Harvard.

A UMaine Win Would...
...Be Maine's 59th against Rhode Island, its most against any single school.
...Be Maine's 11th-straight win over Rhode Island.
...Be Maine's 8th-straight home win in the series.
...Move Maine to 2-0 at home
...Be Maine's first CAA win of the season.
...Be Maine's 16th win over Rhode Island in its last 17 chances.
...Be Maine's 37th home win over Rhode Island. (37-18-3 at home)
...Be Maine's first CAA home opening win since it defeating Rhode Island in its 2015 CAA home opener (27-17).
...Be Maine's second-straight homecoming win (W, UAlbany, 20-16).

Series Notes:
Maine and Rhode Island will meet for the 96th time in history ... Maine holds the all-time advantage 57-34-3 ... Rhode Island is Maine's second-longest rival (UNH) ... Maine has won 10-straight in the series, and 15 of the last 16 ... The Black Bears have also won eight in a row at home against the Rams ... Maine's last loss in the series came back in 2006, a 3-0 loss ... The Black Bears haven't lost at home to URI since 1998, an 18-17 defeat ... Maine and URI first met back in 1911, a game won 3-0 by Rhode Island ... Over its 10-game win streak against URI, Maine has outscored the Rams 339-126 ... Maine is 37-18-3 all-time at home agaisnt URI.

Bear Tracks:

• Redshirt freshman linebacker Jaron Grayer has burst onto the scene for Maine. After leading the Black Bears with 10 tackles in his first career game, Grayer followed up with 3.0 TFLs, including a sack, and a forced fumble against Bryant before adding a career-high 11 tackles at Villanova. Grayer current ranks third in the CAA with 9.0 tackles per game.
• Sacks: The Black Bears' offensive line have provided incredible production thus far. Maine has allowed just six sacks all season, tops in the CAA. On the flip-side, the Black Hole defense ranks second in the CAA and fifth nationally with 3.75 sacks per game, led by Sterling Sheffield (3.5), Alejandro Oregon (3.0), Kayon Whitaker (2.5) and Charles Mitchell (2.5).
• Sophomore running back Josh Mack currently ranks second in the country and first in the CAA in rush yards per game (131.0). Mack, averaging a league best 6.4 yards per carry, had a historic performance against Bryant earlier this season. In that game, Mack rushed for 255-yards becoming just the second Black Bear ever to rush for more than 250+ in a game, and the first to go over 200 since Marcus Williams (246 yds) in 2003. His 524 total rush yards is 17th most in the country and second in the league, despite only playing in four games. Mack has now rushed for 100+ six times in his career and in three of Maine's first four games of 2017.
• Third Down Defense: The Black Hole defense has held its ground on third down as it ranks 7th in the country and first in the CAA, allowing a slim 27.5% conversion rate to opponents facing third down. Last week at Villanova, Maine held the Wildcats to just 1-for-9 on third down.
• Kickoff Return: The return game, which was a highlight for Maine in 2016, has picked up right where it left off. The Black Bears returned all four of their kickoff return weapons (DeVaughn, Edwards, Scott, Mack) to a unit which currently ranks first in the CAA at 24.5 yards per return. Individually, Edwards is the CAA's top returner and ranks 12th nationally at 27.4 yards per return.
• Redshirt freshman QB Chris Ferguson made his career debut in Maine's opener at UNH. Ferguson tossed three touchdown passes in the 24-23 loss, becoming the first player since Ron Whitcomb (2003) to throw for 3+ touchdowns as a freshman. Ferguson matched the feat with three more TDs in his second career game, against Bryant.
• Take Aways: The Black Bears currently rank 39th in the nation out of 123 teams in turnover margin at +2. Highlighting the stat was Maine's eight take away performance (five interceptions, three fumble recoveries) against Bryant.
• Sterling Sheffield enters the game against with a tackle for loss in each of his last seven games, dating back to 2016. In his last seven outings, Sheffield has totaled 11.5 TFLs.
• Electric Earnest: During his true freshman campaign, Earnest Edwards rushed for a score, caught a score, threw for a score and returned a kickoff for a score. Edwards was the only Division-I player to score a touchdown four different ways (rush, reception, pass, kick return) during the 2016 season. His 97-yards kickoff return for a score was Maine's longest kickoff return touchdown since 2004. Edwards set a career-high with two TD receptions in 2017 against Bryant.
• Sophomore RB Josh Mack is 264 rush yards from 1,500 in his career.
• Freshman Earnest Edwards enters action 75 receiving yards from 500 in his career.
• Senior WR Jared Osumah, who pulled down his 50th career reception at UNH, is 309 receiving yards from 1,000. Osumah stands 37 receptions from 100.
• Senior WR Jaleel Reed is 387 receiving yard away from 1,000 for his career.
• Preseason all-conference corner Najee Goode recorded his 100th career tackle in Maine's opener at UNH. Goode is now 39 tackles away from 150.
• Redshirt junior safety Darrius Hart stands 26 tackles from 100 in his time at Maine. Hart has a pick in two of Maine's first four games.
• Senior safety Jason Matovu is Maine's active leader in tackles (128).
• All-Conference selection Sterling Sheffield is the veteran at linebacker for Maine. A three-year starter, he has appeared in 25 games over his first three seasons and recently record the 100th tackle of his career (at JMU). Sheffield will lead a team of two first-year starters at linebacker in Taji Lowe and Jaron Grayer.

-UMaine-