Orono, Maine -- Maine takes on its first of two Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponents when it travels to meet Northern Illinois on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 2:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. CT. The Black Bears enter the contest fresh off their first win of the season after defeating Merrimack, 31-26. Saturday's game will be broadcast live on
ESPN3 and can be heard nationwide across the
Black Bear Sports Network.
This game will mark the first-ever meeting between Maine and Northern Illinois in Maine's first trip to the state of Illinois since a 35-21 loss at Northwestern in 2013. Maine will be looking for its fourth win against a FBS opponent in school history. This will be Maine's 26th time in which it has matched up against an FBS program. The Black Bears have three wins against FBS opponents; a 31-28 win against Western Kentucky in 2018, a 24-14 win over UMass in 2013, and a 9-7 triumph at Mississippi State in 2004. Maine is 3-22 all-time against FBS level programs.
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- Maine and Northern Illinois will match-up for the first time in history. Maine enters the contest 3-5 all-time against current MAC member programs. The Black Bears are 3-3 against Buffalo, 0-1 against Central Michigan, and 0-1 against Toledo. Maine's last contest against a MAC member team came in 2018 when it fell 17-5 at Central Michigan. Current Black Bear Devin Young tallied five catches for 38 yards in that game while current captain Jamehl Wiley tallied seven tackles, including 2.0 for loss, with a half sack. Maine's last win against the MAC came in 1998, a 30-13 victory over Buffalo in Portland, Maine.
- Maine will be looking for its fourth win against a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent in school history. This will be Maine's 26th time in which it has matched up against an FBS program. The Black Bears have three wins against FBS opponents; a 31-28 win against Western Kentucky in 2018, a 24-14 win over UMass in 2013, and a 9-7 triumph at Mississippi State in 2004. Maine is 3-22 all-time against FBS level programs.
- The Black Bears registered four takeaways in the win over Merrimack, its most takeaways since tallying four interceptions in the NCAA FCS Quarterfinal Round at Weber State in 2018. Maine also blocked a pair of PATs in the win, taking both back for scores. It marked just the third time in FCS history in which a team had two defensive extra points in a game.
- After starting the season with a 22-21 victory at Georgia Tech, Northern Illinois has dropped two-straight including a 63-10 setback a week ago at No. 25 Michigan. The Huskies enter the weekend ranked third in the MAC in rushing at 190.3 yards per game behind the MAC's leading rusher, Harrison Waylee (119.0). Defensively, Northern Illinois ranks last in the MAC in both scoring defense (44.7) and total defense as it enters surrendering 476.7 yards per game to the opposition.
Tale of the Tape
| Maine |
Category |
Northern Illinois |
| 20.7 (7) |
Points |
25.0 (8) |
| 270.7 (9) |
Total Offense |
328.7 (9) |
| 82.3 (11) |
Rushing Yards |
190.3 (3) |
| 188.3 (9) |
Passing Yards |
138.3 (12) |
| 2/4 |
Rushing TDs/Passing TDs |
6/4 |
| 28:37 (11) |
Offensive Time of Possession |
29:12 (6) |
| 38.3 (12) |
Points Allowed |
44.7 (12) |
| 425.7 (11) |
Total Defense |
476.7 (12) |
| 118.0 (7) |
Rushing Yards Allowed |
278.3 (12) |
| 307.7 (12) |
Passing Yards Allowed |
198.3 (5) |
| 5/8 |
Rushing/Passing TDs Allowed |
14/4 |
| 32:23 |
Defensive Time of Possession |
31:48 |
| +1 (9) |
Turnover Margin |
-3 |
A Maine Win Would...
...Be Maine's first win over Northern Illinois.
...Be Maine's fourth win over an FBS opponent.
...Be Maine's first win over an FBS opponent since 2018 (31-28 at Western Kentucky).
-UMaine-
