Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine football team will travel to No. 1/1 James Madison where it will take on the defending Football Championship Subdivision National Champion Dukes on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 1:30 p.m. live on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN).
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Follow The Black Bears:
- Watch - Saturday's game will be televised live on MASN. For complete TV listings on how to find the game on your provider, please click HERE. The game will also be streamed live by clicking HERE.
- 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!
Game Storylines:
- Maine (1-1, 0-1 CAA) looks to snap the nation's longest FCS win streak when it travels to meet No. 1/1 James Madison (3-0, 0-0 CAA). It will be Maine's first trip to Harrisonburg since a 2011, 25-24 overtime victory. Maine last played the No. 1 ranked team in FCS when it took on New Hampshire in 2012, losing to the Wildcats 20-12 in Orono.
- Maine travels to JMU following a bye and two weeks removed from a 60-12 drubbing at home over Bryant. In the victory, Josh Mack rushed for 255-yards. Mack became only the second Black Bear to rush for 255+ yards in a game and the first since Marcus Williams (246) in 2003. Maine racked up 536 total yards of offense in the win, its most since 2013, and scored 43 first half points, its most in a half since 2003.
- Saturday's showdown at JMU will be the 18th meeting between the two teams. JMU has won two-straight, including a 31-20 victory a year ago in Orono. However, the Black Bears carried a 20-17 lead into the fourth quarter, the only team to lead the eventual National Champion Dukes through three quarters. Overall, JMU is 12-5 in the series and has won seven of the last eight. Maine is 2-5 on the road in the series.
- The meeting will match up the top two scoring offenses in the CAA. The Dukes check in at the top of the league, averaging 53.7 points while Maine ranks second (41.5). JMU and Maine are also 1-2 in rush offense (334.7, 247.0).
- James Madison enters action 3-0 and winners of its last 15 outings, a streak which began last year in Orono. The Dukes lead the CAA in several categories including scoring offense (53.7 ppg); rushing (334.7 ypg); scoring defense (12.7 ppg) and total offense (589.3 ypg). James Madison is one week removed from a 75-14 victory at home over Norfolk State. In the win, the Dukes racked up 728 total yards of offense.
- In Maine's last win in the series, the Black Bears went for two in overtime as quarterback Chris Treister's infamous "helicopter play" broke the plane. The play, which ended up Top-10 on SportsCenter, propelled Maine to the 25-24 victory.
A UMaine Win Would:
...Be Maine's sixth against JMU.
...Snap a two-game losing skid to JMU.
...Be Maine's highest ever ranked opponent win (No. 1).
...Be the first-time Maine has defeated a National Champion the year after the team won it all (0-5).
...Be Maine's second-straight road win at JMU (2011).
...Be Maine's first win in the series since 2011.
...Be Maine's first CAA win of the season.
...Be Maine's fifth CAA road win in its last six chances.
...Be Maine's second-straight in the State of Virginia (35-28 at William & Mary in 2016).
Series Notes:
Maine and Bryant will be meeting for the 18th time in history and the seventh time in Harrisonburg ... The Black Bears are 5-12 all-time against JMU and 2-5 all-time on the road ... Maine's last win in the series came in 2011 on the road, a 25-24 overtime win thanks to a two-point conversion by quarterback Chris Treister ... JMU has won seven of the last eight meetings ... Maine won three-straight in the series from 2001-03 ... In last year's meeting, Maine led JMU 20-17 entering the fourth quarter. The Black Bears were the only team to lead the eventual National Champs after three quarters. Nine of the 17 meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less.
Bear Tracks:
- 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.
- Sophomore running back Josh Mack currently leads the country in rush yards per game (179.0) and is coming off a historic performance against Bryant. 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 is the conference leader in all purpose yards (199.5), ranking third nationally in that category. His 358 total rush yards is fourth in the country and first in the league, despite only playing in two games. Mack has now rushed for 100+ five times in his career and in each of Maine's first two games of 2017.
- Third Down Defense: The Black Hole defense has held its ground on third down as it ranks 18th in the country and first in the CAA, allowing a slim 27.6% conversion rate to opponents facing 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 23.6 yards per return. Individually, Edwards is the CAA's top returner and ranks eighth nationally at 29.5 yards per return.
- 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 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.
- Take Aways: The Black Bears currently lead the nation in turnover margin at +8. 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 five games, dating back to 2016. In his last five outings, Sheffield has totaled 8.5 TFLs.
- 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. Grayer currently ranks ninth in the nation with 7.0 solo tackles per game.
- Sophomore RB Josh Mack is 430 rush yards from 1,500 in his career.
- Senior RB Nigel Beckford stands 408 rush yards from 1,500 for his career.
- Freshman Earnest Edwards enters action 100 receiving yards from 500 in his career.
- Senior WR Jared Osumah, who pulled down his 50th career reception at UNH, is 340 receiving yards from 1,000. Osumah stands 42 receptions from 100.
- Senior WR Jaleel Reed is 1 receiving yard away from 500 for his career.
- Preseason all-conference corner Najee Goode recorded his 100th career tackle in Maine's opener at UNH. Goode is now 44 tackles away from 150.
- Redshirt junior safety Darrius Hart stands 30 tackles from 100 in his time at Maine. Hart has a pick in each of Maine's first two games.
- Senior safety Jason Matovu is Maine's active leader in tackles (118).
- All-Conference selection Sterling Sheffield is the veteran at linebacker for Maine. A three-year starter, he has appeared in 23 games over his first three seasons and is three tackles from 100. Sheffield will lead a team of two first-year starters at linebacker in Taji Lowe and Jaron Grayer.
- Senior right guard Isaiah Brooks is Maine's active leader in games played at 34, starting all 34 he's appeared in. Jamil Demby and Najee Goode, rank second on the active games played list for Maine (32).
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