GameDay Central: Football Hosts Stony Brook in Regular Season Finale

Black Bears to honor 24 seniors prior to Saturday's game

Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine football team (4-5, 3-4 Colonial Athletic Association) closes out the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 18 at noon when it hosts No. 12 Stony Brook (8-2, 6-1) at Alfond Stadium. Tickets for the season finale are available at GoBlackBears.com, by visiting the Black Bear ticket office in Alfond Arena or by phone at 207.581.BEAR! The Black Bears will also honor all First Responders at Saturday's game as part of First Responder's Appreciation Day, presented by the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety.

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GAME STORYLINES

Maine and Stony Brook meet today for just the seventh time. The Black Bears currently hold a 4-2 advantage in the all-time series and have won two in a row, including a 27-21 victory a year ago at Stony Brook. Maine is a perfect 3-0 in Orono against the Seawolves, defeating Stony Brook 23-10 in the last meeting between the two at UMaine. Maine and Stony Brook have met every year since the Seawolves joined the CAA in 2013. The Black Bears lost the first-ever meeting, 30-23 in double overtime, back in 2007.
Stony Brook enters play on a four-game winning streak and has an opportunity to nab at least a share of the CAA title with a victory and a James Madison loss. The Seawolves' lone CAA loss came against Delaware (24-20) back on Oct. 7. Stony Brook's defense ranks 15th in the nation, allowing just 310-yards per game.
A key for today's game will be the battle on the ground. Maine's Josh Mack enters as the FCS leader in rush yards per game (140.2) and stands just seven yards behind Campbell's Daniel Smith (1,269) for the nation's lead in rush yards. However, Smith has played two more games than Mack. Against five of the CAA's top-6 rush defenses, Mack is averaging 109.2 yards with two touchdowns. Mack will face a Stony Brook rush defense which ranks 13th in the nation, allwoing 96.9 yards per game. Mack continues to climb the single-season rushing ranks at Maine. He enters play just 22-yards out of fourth all-time (1,284) and 144 back from the third highest rush season (1,406). Both marks were previously set by Marcus Williams.
The Black Bears are looking to snap a two-game losing skid after setbacks to Delaware and a most recent loss to FBS member UMass, 44-31, at Fenway Park. In that game, Earnest Edwards returned a kickoff 95-yards to help him earn the CAA Special Teams Player of the Week honor.
A win over No. 12 Stony Brook would be the highest ranked team the Black Bears have defeated since a 33-20 win over No. 8 Richmind back in 2014.
Maine's pass defense, which enters allowing 200.1 yards per game, will look to limit Stony Brook receiver Ray Bolden who ranks sixth in the nation with seven receiving TDs.

A UMAINE WIN WOULD...

...Be Maine's 5th win over Stony Brook.
...Be Maine's third-straight win over Stony Brook.
...Move Maine to a perfect 4-0 at home against Stony Brook.
...Give Maine a .500 final record (5-5) and in CAA play (4-4).
...Be Maine's highest ranking win since defeating No. 8 Richmond in 2014.
...Be Maine's first win in the season finale since 2012 (Rhode Island).

SERIES NOTES
Maine and Stony Brook will be meeting for the seventh time ... The Black Bears hold a 4-2 advantage in the all-time series ... Maine has won each of the last two meetings, including a 27-21 victory a year ago at Stony Brook ... The Black Bears are 3-0 all-time at home against Stony Brook ... Maine has held Stony Brook under 20 points in four of the last five meetings ... Stony Brook is averaging 12.3 points per game in Orono ... In last season's meeting, Maine jumped out to a 27-0 lead and was able to hang on for the win. Stony Brook, with the ball and trailing by six with 1:36 left, was picked off by Najee Goode to seal the UMaine win. Mack rushed for 147-yards on a career-high 39 attempts, scoring a rush and reception touchdown. Maine held Stony Brook to just 222-yards, 67 in the air.

BEAR TRACKS

Sophomore running back Josh Mack, who has rushed for 100+ yards in seven of Maine's nine games, currently leads the country in rush yards per game (140.2), all-purpose yards (163.4) and sits second nationally with 1,262 total rush yards. Daniel Smith from Campbell University leads the country at 1,269-yards but has played two more games than Mack and is on a bye this week ... Mack's total makes him just the fourth Black Bear since 2003 to rush for 1,000+ yards in a season. His 1,262 mark is the second-highest total since Marcus Williams rushed for 1,284 in 2003. Mack has been named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List, presented to the top offensive player in FCS football. Mack, averaging a CAA best 5.92 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. Mack again eclipsed the 200+ yard mark with 248 rush yards against URI - becoming just the second Black Bear since 1989 (Carl Smith) to rush for 200+ twice in a single season. Mack has now rushed for 100+ nine times in his career.
Single-Season Rushing Charts: Mack's rushing total currently ranks fifth on Maine's single-season all-time list. He is just 12-yards behind Marcus Williams for fourth all-time (1,284) and 144-yards behind Williams' '02 total (1,406) for third all-time.
Kayon Whitaker has made himself at home in the opposition's backfield this year. Whitaker is tied for the CAA lead with 8.5 sacks and ranks fourth in the conference with 12.0 TFLs. Whitaker has notched 8.5 sacks over his last six games, including a 2.0 sacks in three of Maine's last six games.
Redshirt freshman linebacker Jaron Grayer, who leads all CAA freshmen in tackles (73) and was recently named to the Jerry Rice Award watch list, has burst onto the scene for Maine. Grayer has notched 10+ tackles in four of nine games this year. 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 Bryan, added 11 tackles at Villanova and a career-high 12 stops against William & Mary before tallying 11 more tackles against Delaware. Grayer currently ranks 11th in the CAA with 8.1 tackles per game.
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 before tossing five touchdowns against Rhode Island. Ferguson is just the third UMaine QB since the start of the 1999 season to throw for 5+ TDs in a game. With a career-high 263-yards against UAlbany, Ferguson surpassed 1,000-yards throwing for the season.
Third Down Defense: Maine's third down defense currently ranks first in the CAA and sixth in the nation, allowing a slim 29.2 conversion percentage to opponents. Last weekend against UMass, the Black Bears held the FBS program to a 3-for-14 mark on third down.
'Black Hole' - Maine's defense is one of eight CAA teams which ranks in the top 50 in the country. The Black Bears are surrendering 23.7 points per game and rank 37th nationally after allowing 340.2 yards per game.
Sacks: The Black Bears' offensive line have provided incredible production thus far. Maine has allowed just 14 sacks all season, tops in the CAA. On the flip-side, the Black Hole defense ranks third in the CAA and ninth nationally with 3.22 sacks per game.
Special Teams: The return game, which was a highlight for Maine in 2016, has picked up right where it left off. The Black Bears returned all five of their return weapons (DeVaughn, Edwards, Scott, Mack, Wright) to a unit which currently ranks third in the CAA in kickoff return at 22.2 yards per return. On the punt side, Maine is third in the CAA, averaging 10.8 yards per return. Defensively, the Black Bears rank second in the nation and lead the CAA in punt return defense, allowing just 2.50 yards per return.
Take Aways: On Sept. 9, the Black Bears forced an impressive eight turnovers (five interceptions, three fumble recoveries) in a win over Bryant.
Sterling Sheffield enters the game against with a tackle for loss in each of his last 12 games, dating back to 2016. In his last 12 outings, Sheffield has totaled 18.5 TFLs.
Sophomore RB Josh Mack is 26 rush yards from 2,000 in his career. Mack recently became the first Black Bear since Pushaun Brown (2011) to rush for 1,000+ yards in a season.
Freshman Earnest Edwards enters action 335 receiving yards from 1,000 in his career.
Senior WR Jared Osumah, who pulled down his 50th career reception at UNH, is 181 receiving yards from 1,000. Osumah stands 28 receptions from 100.
Senior WR Jaleel Reed is 180 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 37 tackles away from 150.
Redshirt junior safety Darrius Hart recorded his 100th career tackle against UMass on Nov. 11, 2017.
Senior safety Jason Matovu is Maine's active leader in tackles (134).
Manny Patterson, who notched a career-best five pass breakups at UAlbany, currently ranks second in the CAA and 19th in the nation with 1.3 pass breakups per game.
Senior right guard Isaiah Brooks is Maine's active leader in games played at 41, starting all 41 he's appeared in.
Jamil Demby ranks second on the active games played list for Maine (38).