ORONO, Maine -- The No. 21/22 University of Maine football team (3-2, 2-0 CAA) visits No. 16/15 Rhode Island (4-1, 2-0 CAA) on Saturday, Oct. 13 in a showdown between two CAA unbeatens and nationally ranked squads. The game can be seen on
CAA.tv and heard worldwide on the
Black Bear Sports Network and the
Tunein application. The Black Bears are looking for their 12th consecutive win over the Rams.
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GAME STORYLINES:
- Maine (3-2, 2-0 CAA) and Rhode Island (4-1, 2-0) each put undefeated CAA records on the line in a battle between two nationally ranked teams at Meade Stadium.
- Maine and Rhode Island square off for the 97th time in history. The Black Bears hold a 59-34-3 all-time mark in the series and have won each of the last 11 meetings, and five-straight on the road, dating back to 2006. Maine is 21-15-1 in 37 trips to Rhode Island and have won 7 of its last 8 road trips against the Rams. A year ago, Maine handed URI a 51-27 victory in Orono while racking up 533-yard of total offense, including 319 on the ground. Chris Ferguson tossed five touchdown passes and Micah Wright added a 77-yard punt return for a score in the victory.
- Rhode Island is Maine's second most common opponent all-time (UNH-107). The two teams, long-time Yankee Conference rivals, first met in 1911, a 3-0 victory by URI in Orono.
- Last weekend, Kenny Doak matched a school-record with a 52-yard field goal as time expired as the Black Bears defeated No. 19 Villanova, 13-10. Maine's CAA leading rush defense held Villanova to just 88-yards on the ground, marking the seventh consecutive game in which the Black Bears held their opponent to 100 or fewer rush yards. For his efforts, Doak received CAA Co-Special Teams Player of the Week accolades while linebacker Deshawn Stevens was award with the CAA Defensive Player of the Week honor.
- Rhode Island enters undefeated against FCS opponents with its lone loss coming at UConn (56-49). The Rams have posted 40+ points in three games and are coming off two-straight wins over Ivy League opponents. Most recently, the Rams shutout Brown, 48-0. Rhode Island is 2-0 at home, outscoring opponents 93-26 at Meade Stadium this season.
A MAINE WIN WOULD...
...Be Maine's 60th all-time against Rhode Island.
...Be Maine's 12th-straight victory over Rhode Island.
...Be Maine's 17th win over URI in the last 18 meetings.
...Be Maine's sixth-straight road victory in the series.
...Give Maine a 3-0 start in CAA play for the first time since 2013.
...Be Maine's first road conference win of the season.
...Be Maine's third win of the season over a ranked opponent.
...Be the first time since 2013 that Maine has defeated three or more ranked opponents in a season.
...Be the first time Maine has defeated a ranked opponent in back-to-back weeks since 2013.
...Be Coach Harasymiak's fourth win over a ranked opponent (#17 UAlbany - 2016, #7 UNH - 2018, #19 Villanova).
SERIES NOTES:
This will mark the 97th meeting between Maine and Rhode Island; the second-longest tenured rivalry in Maine Football history ... Maine and URI have met in each of the last 14 seasons ... Maine is owns a 59-34-3 mark in the all-time series and has won each of the last 11 meetings, and 16 of the last 17 ... The Black Bears have won in five consecutive trips to URI ... Maine is 21-15-1 on the road against the Rams and have won in seven of its last trip to Meade Stadium ... The two teams first met in 1911, a 3-0 victory by URI in Orono ... Maine's last loss in the series came in 2006, a 3-0 decision on the road ... In last season's meeting, URI jumped out to a 7-0 lead but the Black Bears outscored the Rams 28-0 in the third quarter before taking a 51-27 decision.
Chris Ferguson threw for a career-high five touchdowns and
Micah Wright added a 77-yard punt return for a score to end the first half. The Black Bears produced 533 yard of total offense, 319 of which coming on the ground, in the win.
SEASON NOTES:
The rush stops here
• Maine's defensive goals begin with stopping the run, and the Black Bears have surely done that in their first five outings. Maine leads the CAA, and ranks first in the FCS, in rush defense (60.0 ypg).
• The Black Bears have allowed just 300-yards of rushing on 178 attempts. Maine's opponents are averaging just 1.7 yards per attempt on the ground, first in the CAA and tops in FCS.
• Maine has held each of its last seven opponents to 100-yards rushing or fewer. Three of those opponents have been FBS member schools.
• In total defense, Maine checks in first in the CAA and fifth nationally, allowing just 250.2 yards per game.
Sheffield in the Backfield
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Sterling Sheffield currently leads the CAA in total sacks (6.5), sacks per game (1.30), total TFLs (9.0) and TFLs per game (1.30). He is 11th in the league in tackles per game (7.6).
• Sheffield has at least one sack in seven of his last nine outings.
• Sheffield is 13th in all of FCS in TFLs per game and third in sacks per game.
• Almost 1/4 (24%) of Sheffield's tackles thus far have been TFLs (9.0/38).
• Twice this season, Sheffield has matched a career-high with 3.0 TFLs (vs. UNH, at CMU).
Belcher Offensive Versatility
• Senior tight end
Drew Belcher is closing in on 500-yards receiving (308 yards).
• If he reaches the mark, Belcher will have 500+ yards of rushing (637), passing (1,517) and receiving for his career. Belcher currently has racked up 2,175 total yards of offense.
Behind Enemy Lines
• Through five games, Maine has recorded 22 sacks. Maine leads the CAA in total sacks, five more than second place Rhode Island.
• Maine checks in second in all of FCS with 4.40 sacks per game. The Black Bears are tied for second in the nation with 22.0 total sacks. However the team tied with Maine (McNeese) and the team ahead of Maine (ETSU) have each played one more game than the Black Bears.
• The Black Bears tallied 12.0 TFLs, including 6.0 sacks, in their opener against UNH. Maine's 6.0 sacks were its most since also tallying 6.0 against Rhode Island on Sept. 26, 2015.
• Maine has four players ranked in the top-10 in the CAA in sacks per game.
• Seven Black Bears recorded at least a half TFL in the win over UNH, with four notching 2.0+.
• Maine's 6.0 sacks against UNH were its most since also notching 6.0 against Rhode Island on Sept. 25, 2016. The 12.0 TFLs were Maine's most since a 12.0 performance on Aug. 30, 2014 against Norfolk St.
• Maine added 6.0 sacks, and 7.0 TFLs, in its win at Western Kentucky.
• The Black Bears currently rank fifth in FCS and first in the CAA with 8.8 TFLs per game.
Red Zone Defense
• In the few times the opposition has been able to make it into Maine's red zone, the Black Bears have defended their turf well. Maine ranks second in the CAA in red zone defense (72.7%).
• Through five contests, Maine's opponents have only had 11 trips to the red zone.
• The Black Bears check in 21st in all of FCS in red zone defense.
Win Back the Musket
• The Black Bears opened the season with a convincing 35-7 victory over rival #7 New Hampshire. The win snapped an eight-game losing skid against UNH, returning the coveted Brice-Cowell musket back to Orono.
• In week one, Maine posted the most total yards of any CAA school (454.0) while also posting the lowest defensive yards effort (108), including holding UNH to an impressive -15.0 rush yards.
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Chris Ferguson was highly efficient in the season opener, going 21-for-31 (68%). The completion percentage was the highest of Ferguson's career and marked his fifth game of completing 60%+ of his passes.
Doak's Walk-Off Record Breaker
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Kenny Doak's 52-yard, record-tying field goal as time expired lifted the Black Bears over No. 19 Villanova, 13-10.
• The 52-yard kick matched Maine's all-time long field goal. The previous record kick was set by Jack Leggett against Delaware in 1975.
• For his efforts, Doak was awarded the CAA Co-Special Teams Player of the Week.
High-ranking victories
• Maine opened 2018 by knocking off #7 New Hampshire, snapping an eight-game losing skid against the Wildcats.
• The win was Maine's first over a ranked opponent since knocking off #17 UAlbany, 20-14, on Oct. 15, 2017.
• The victory also came against the highest ranking team since Maine beat #7 James Madison and #6 Delaware in back-to-back weeks back in 2011.
• In game two, Maine fell behind 21-0 in the first 5:03 of game action at Western Kentucky. The Black Bears rattled off 31-unanswered points and blocked a game-tying field goal try with 47-seconds left to secure their third-ever win over an FBS opponent.
• The win over WKU was Maine's third-ever win over an FBS opponent and its first since defeating UMass in 2013.
• The Black Bears added their second win over a ranked opponent when they defeated No. 19 Villanova.
• Maine's two wins over ranked opponents this season match its highest win total over ranked opponents since 2013.
Micah Wright climbing the charts
• Fifth-year wide receiver
Micah Wright looks to continue to climb up Maine's all-time receiver rankings.
• Wright ranks 12th all-time in receiving yards at UMaine (1,887), just 61-yard behind Ryan Waller for 11th all-time.
• With four catches against Villanova (10/6/18), Wright surpassed Gene Benner for 11th on Maine's all-time receptions list. With 137 catches, Wright is just five behind Landis Williams (142) for 10th all-time.
• In 2015, Wright caught 61 passes for 818 yards. His 61 receptions rank tied for 9th on Maine's single-season all-time list while the 818-yards are tied for 10th all-time.
-UMaine-
