ORONO, Maine -- The CAA Game of the Week pits No. 23 Maine (5-3, 4-1) and No. 15 Towson (6-2, 4-1), two teams tied at the top of the CAA standings, against each other in what will mark the 14th meeting between the two teams. The game can be seen
at CollegeSportsLive.com and heard worldwide on the Black Bear Sports Network.
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GAME STORYLINES:
- This contest will match-up the CAA's top offense (Towson - 481.9 yards/gm) against the CAA's top defense (Maine - 248.4 yards/gm).
- Maine and Towson square off for the first time since 2015. The Black Bears are 7-6 all-time against Towson. Maine is 4-2 at Towson, taking a 27-24 victory in its last trip to Towson (2014). The Tigers came away with a 10-7 victory in 2015, a contest played at Alfond Stadium in Orono. Towson has won three of the last four meetings. The two teams first met in 1979, a 13-7 Towson victory in Orono.
- Last weekend, the Black Bears limited UAlbany to just 113 total yards as Maine picked up its fourth conference victory, defeating the Great Danes 28-9. The defense, which held its 10th consecutive team to 100 rush yards or fewer (51), limited UAlbany to just seven total yards in the first half. Offensively, Earnest Edwards went over 100-yards receiving for the second-straight week (114) while Ramon Jefferson ran for 93-yards and a score.
- Towson suffered its first conference loss in its last outing, a 40-36 loss at Delaware. The loss snapped Towson's five-game win streak.
Tale of the Tape
| Maine (CAA Rank) |
Category |
Towson (CAA Rank) |
| 23.0 (8) |
Points |
39.8 (1) |
| 341.0 (9) |
Total Offense |
481.9 (1) |
| 120.4 (7) |
Rushing Yards |
200.6 (3) |
| 220.6 (6) |
Passing Yards |
281.2 (2) |
| 8/12 |
Rushing TDs/Passing TDs |
16/20 |
| 32:17 (1) |
Offensive Time of Possession |
31:56 (3) |
| 21.1 (4) |
Points Allowed |
29.0 (9) |
| 248.4 (1) |
Total Defense |
378.2 (9) |
| 60.4 (1) |
Rushing Yards Allowed |
148.4 (8) |
| 188.0 (3) |
Passing Yards Allowed |
229.9 (10) |
| 7/13 |
Rushing/Passing TDs Allowed |
229.9 (10) |
| 27:43 |
Defensive Time of Possession |
28:04 |
| +2 (T-6) |
Turnover Margin |
+3 (5) |
A MAINE WIN WOULD...
...Be Maine's 8th all-time against Towson.
...Be Maine's second-straight road win at Towson (2014).
...Move Maine to 8-6 all-time against Towson.
...Move Maine to 5-2 on the road against Towson.
...Give Maine its best start in CAA play since 2013 (7-0).
...Move Maine to 2-1 on the road in league play.
SERIES NOTES:
Maine and Towson are meeting for the 14th time ... The Black Bears hold a 7-6 advantage in the all-time series ... This will be the first meeting between the two teams since 2015 ... Towson took the most recent meeting, 10-7, in 2015 in Orono ... Maine's last win in the series came in 2014 (27-24) ... Maine is 4-2 on the road against Towson ... Towson has won three of the last four meetings ... Maine won five-straight meetings from 1988 to 2007 ... Towson won the first-ever meeting between the two teams (13-7) in Orono in 1979 ... The road team has won each of the last two meetings ... In the most recent meeting, Towson shutout Maine through three quarters before
Drew Belcher found Jordan Dunn for a 3-yard touchdown pass. However, that would be the only points Maine could muster, falling 10-7 to the Tigers.
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 seven outings. Maine leads all of FCS in rush defense (60.4 ypg).
• The Black Bears have allowed just 483-yards of rushing on 270 attempts. Maine's opponents are averaging just 1.8 yards per attempt on the ground, first in the CAA and tops in FCS.
• Maine has held each of its last 10 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 second nationally, allowing just 248.4 yards per game.
Defense in the Backfield
•
Sterling Sheffield currently leads the CAA in total sacks (8.5), sacks per game (1.06) and is tied for second in total TFLs (11.0) and TFLs per game (1.38). He is tied for 19th in the league in tackles per game (6.6).
•
Deshawn Stevens has been equally as impressive in the offensive backfield. Stevens ranks second in the CAA in sacks per game (0.88) and is first in the CAA and 22nd in FCS in TFLs per game (1.44). His 11.5 TFLs lead the CAA. Stevens is fourth in the CAA in total tackles (70) and second in total sacks (7.0)
• Joining the duo in the backfield is
Kayon Whitaker who currently ranks eighth in the league with 5.0 sacks after notching a career-best 3.0 sacks against UAlbany (10/27).
• Sheffield has at least one sack in nine of his last 12 outings.
• Twice this season, Sheffield has matched a career-high with 3.0 TFLs (vs. UNH, at CMU).
• Twice this season Stevens has matched a career-high with 2.5 TFLs.
Rushing for 100+ is positive
 • The Black Bears are 5-0 this season when rushing for 100+ yards and 0-3 when they're held under 100 rush yards.
 • Maine's highest rushing output of the season came in its opener when it rushed for 203-yards against New Hampshire (8/30).
Belcher Offensive Versatility
• Senior tight end
Drew Belcher is closing in on 500-yards receiving (307 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 2,223 total yards of offense.
Behind Enemy Lines
• Through seven games, Maine has recorded 33 sacks. Maine leads the CAA in total sacks, nine more than second place Stony Brook.
• Maine checks in second in all of FCS with 4.13 sacks per game. The Black Bears are second in the nation with 33.0 total sacks. However. the team ahead of Maine (Alcorn) has 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 three players ranked in the top-10 in the CAA in sacks per game. (Sheffield, D. Stevens, Whitaker)
• 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 seventh in FCS and first in the CAA with 8.4 TFLs per game.
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.
Ferguson Efficient
 •
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.
 • Ferguson finished Maine's win at Rhode Island with 30 completions. The completion total was Maine's highest since 2012 when Marcus Wasilewski completed 31 against Villanova.
• Ferguson matched his career-high in passing yards (278) in back-to-back games at Rhode Island (10/13) and at William & Mary (10/20).
• Ferguson currently ranks second in the CAA in completions per game (18.7).
Doak's Walk-Off Record Breaker (x2)
•
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.
• A week after hitting the 52-yarder, Doak knocked through a 39-yarder as time expired to beat No. 16 Rhode Island, 38-36.
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 and tacked on a third with a victory over No. 16 Rhode Island.
• Maine's three wins over ranked opponents this season match its highest win total over ranked opponents since 2013.
Manny's PBU
•
Manny Patterson leads the CAA in total pass breakups (13) and pass breakups per game (1.6).
 • Patterson, who notched his first career interception earlier this season against Villanova, has recorded at least one PBU in six of Maine's seven games including each of the last four.
Electric Ernie
•
Earnest Edwards set a new Maine mark with 326 all-purpose yards (196 receiving, 126 kick return, 4 rush) at William & Mary (10/20).
• Edwards currently ranks fourth in the CAA with 117.5 all-purpose yards per game.
• Edwards notched 100+ receiving performances in back-to-back games (196 at W&M, 114 vs. UAlbany), the first to do so since
Micah Wright accomplished the feat in 2015.
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 8th all-time in receiving yards at UMaine (2,039), just 22-yards behind Damarr Aultman (2,061) for 7th and 62 behind Christian Pereira for 6th.
• With four catches at William & Mary, Wright tied Steve Roth (151 receptions) for ninth on Maine's all-time list. Wright is now just five behind Christian Pereira for 8th all time (156) and seven behind Arel Gordon for 7th (158).
• 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-
