ORONO, Maine -- The No. 13/16 University of Maine football team (2-0, 1-0 CAA) looks for its second consecutive Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) victory when it travels to take on Central Michigan (0-3, 0-1 MAC) on Saturday at 3 p.m. The contest can be seen on
ESPN+ and heard on the
Black Bears Sports Network as well as the
Tunein application.
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GAME STORYLINES:
- Maine and Central Michigan meet for the first-time in history. The Black Bears enter action 2-0 after erasing a 21-point deficit on the road before defeating Western Kentucky, 31-28. Maine starts the year 2-0 for the first time since 2013.
- Central Michigan is off to an 0-3 start after dropping its MAC opener, 24-16, at Northern Illinois. The Chippewas trailed 21-3 when backup QB Tommy Lazzaro entered the game. Lazzaro led CMU on two touchdown drives, cutting the deficit to 21-16, but CMU was unable to get over the hump.
- The Black Bears enter play 3-4 all-time against the Mid-American Conference. The Black Bears last met a MAC team in 2016, suffering a 45-3 loss at Toledo. Maine's last win against a current MAC school came in 1998, a 30-13 win over Buffalo in Portland, Maine.
- The Black Bears are looking for their fourth-ever victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent. Maine's thrilling 31-28 win over Western Kentucky gave Maine it's first win over an FBS program since 2013. Previously, Maine defeated Mississippi St., 9-7, in 2004 before scoring a 24-14 victory at UMass in 2013. The Black Bears are 3-16 all-time against FBS opponents.
- Maine is looking to become just the ninth FCS team since 1978 to defeat two FBS opponents in the same season. The last to do so was Portland State in 2015 (Washington St., North Texas). The Black Bears would also become the first team to defeat FBS opponents in back-to-back weeks since UConn did so in 2001. However, the 2001 campaign was UConn's final season transitioning to Division I-A.
A UMAINE WIN WOULD...
...Be Maine's first against Central Michigan.
...Be Maine's fourth over an FBS opponent (Miss. St '04, UMass '13, Western Kentucky '18).
...Make Maine just the 10th FCS program since 1978 to defeat two FBS opponents in one season.
...Make Maine the first FCS team to defeat two FBS opponents since Portland State (2015).
...Be Maine's fourth win over a MAC member school (Buffalo x3).
...Give Maine its first 2-0 road start since 2013.
...Give Maine its first 3-0 start since 2013.
...Be Maine's first-ever win in the state of Michigan.
...Be Maine's second win over an FBS opponent under Coach Harasymiak.
SERIES NOTES:
Maine and Central Michigan will meet for the first time in history ... CMU head coach John Bonamego was an assistant coach at Maine from 1988-91 ... The Black Bears will be looking for their fourth-ever win over an FBS program and look to become just the 10th FCS team since 1978 to defeat two FBS opponents in one season ... The Black Bears are 3-16 all-time against FBS programs ... The Black Bears are looking for their first victory in Michigan and will be playing their first ever game in The Great Lakes State ... Maine is 3-4 all-time against MAC member schools (Buffalo 3-3, Toledo 0-1). Maine last defeated a current MAC member school back in 1998, a 30-13 win over Buffalo in Portland, Maine.
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 two outings. Maine leads the CAA, and all of FCS, in rush defense (13.5 ypg).
• The Black Bears have allowed just 27-yard of rushing on 63 attempts. Maine's opponents are averaging just 0.4 yards per attempt on the ground.
• Maine has not allowed a rushing touchdown over its last 153:08 minutes of game action. The last team to score on the ground against Maine was Stony Brook in the second quarter of a game held on Nov. 18, 2017.
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.
Behind Enemy Lines
• Through two games, Maine has recorded 12.0 sacks. Despite playing just a pair of games, Maine leads the CAA in total sacks, two more than second place Richmond (10) who has played three games.
• Maine checks in second in the nation with 6.0 sacks per game. The Black Bears are tied for third in the nation with 12 total sacks. However, the two teams in front of Maine have played three games to Maine's two.
• The Black Bears tallied 12.0 TFLs, including 6.0 sacks, in their opener against UNH.
•
Sterling Sheffield leds the CAA and ranks fourth in the nation at 1.75 sacks per game. Sheffield also ranks first in the CAA, 10th nationally, at 2.3 tackles for loss per game.
• Maine has four players ranked in the top-5 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 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.
Efficient Week One
• 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.
•
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.
Perfect in the Red Zone
• Through two games, the Black Bears have been perfect on both sides of the ball in the red zone.
• On offense, Maine is 6-for-6 on scoring when entering the red zone. Five of those six trips resulted in touchdowns.
• Defensively, Maine has not allowed an opponent to reach the redzone yet through 120:00 of game action.
Rushing offense
• As a unit, the Black Bears have won the rushing battle in each of their last eight games.
• Maine's two-headed rushing attack of
Joe Fitzpatrick and
Ramon Jefferson rank fourth and seventh, respectively, in the CAA in rush yards per game.
• Each carry has proven to be efficient for the Black Bears this season. Fitzpatrick (4th) and Jefferson (7th) each rank in the top-10 of the CAA in yards per carry at 5.6 and 4.3-yards, respectively.
Defense Returns Strong
• The Black Bears return eight starters on the defensive side of the ball and a total of 11 with starting experience on defense.
• The Black Bears welcome back their top seven tacklers from 2017, led by Jerry Rice Award finalist
Jaron Grayer who ended the year with a team-high 79 tackles. Grayer finished the season ranked 11th in the CAA at 7.9 tackles per game.
• Maine returns six of its front seven starters. Preseson All-CAA selection
Kayon Whitaker leads the way on the defensive line. Whitaker led the CAA with 0.85 sacks per game (17th nationally). Whitaker also finished tied for third in the CAA in TFLs (14.0).
•
Manny Patterson, who led the CAA in pass breakups per game a year ago, returns at corner in his third season.
Preseason All-Conference Tabs
• At CAA Media Day, held on July 24 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, it was announced that three members of the Black Bears were represented on the All-CAA Preseason Team; junior defensive lineman
Kayon Whitaker, junior kick returner
Earnest Edwards and senior specialist
Mozai Nelson.
• The Black Bears also received preseason accolades from Phil Steele. Junior defensive back
Manny Patterson was named to the Steele' Preseason All-American fourth team as well as to Steele's All-CAA second team. Whitaker and Edwards (KR) each earned spots on Steele's All-CAA first team while senior linebacker
Sterling Sheffield was named to the All-CAA second team. Sophomore center
Chris Mulvey and junior defensive lineman
Charles Mitchell each earned Steele All-CAA third team spots.
Offensive Line Gaps
• A key position that the Black Bears will be looking to fill in the 2018-19 season is on the offensive line. The Black Bears lost three, four-year starters in
John Reddington (29 starts),
Isaiah Brooks (39 starts) and
Jamil Demby (43), who was drafted in the sixth round to the LA Rams. Between the three the Black Bears lost 111 starts of experience.
• Last year, the OL unit finished third in the CAA in sacks allowed (1.9 per game) and produced the league's third highest rushing attack (174.2 ypg), behind All-American
Josh Mack, who transferred to Liberty.
Need to Finishing Strong
• One of Coach Harasymiak's focuses has been on coaching the team to finish in the fourth quarter.
•In the 2017 season, Maine was leading or tied after three quarters in six of its 10 games.
•Looking at the stat even closer, Maine was within four points, tied or leading after three quarters in eight of its 10 games.
•The Black Bears lost their season opener and season finale each by just one point (at UNH, vs. Stony Brook).
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 (1,741) while his 123 receptions are just seven behind Kevin McMahan for 12th all-time (130).
• 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-
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