ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine football team begins its 132nd year of competition when it welcomes Colgate to Alfond Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. Tickets for Friday's game are still available and can be purchased at GoBlackBears.com/tickets, by phone at 207-581-BEAR, or in-person at the Maine Athletics box office.
Promotions:
- Join the Black Bears for a 'Friday Night Lights' edition of a Blue Out at Alfond Stadium! All fans are encouraged to wear blue to the home opener as the Black Bears host Colgate on move-in day at UMaine.
- The annual 'Running of the Bears' will take place just prior to kickoff as we welcome the Class of 2028 to Morse Field
- Fans will receive the official Maine Football schedule poster and schedule magnets while supplies last
- All UMaine students who attend Friday's game will receive thundersticks, courtesy of the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein
- The 2023-24 America East Champion women's basketball team will be recognized during the game and available pregame for an autograph session from 6-6:45 p.m.in the Hannaford Kids Zone
- A special postgame fireworks display, presented by Phantom Fireworks, will take place approximately 15 minutes following the conclusion of the game.
- The Hannaford Kids Zone will open 60 minutes prior to kickoff and remain open through the game allowing children to play fun lawn games, interact with the football and basketball inflatables, enjoy face painting, and much more!
Tailgate:
Tailgate lots will open at 3 p.m. for Friday's game. For more information on tailgating, and all game day FAQs, please click here.
Broadcast Details:
Friday's game will be live streamed on FloFootball and can be heard locally on 92.9 The Ticket and nationwide at GoBlackBears.com. The game will also be televised locally in the Orono area on FOX 22 and on MeTV in Portland.
Â
Â
- Maine opens its 132nd season of football on Friday when it hosts Colgate in the sixth overall meeting between the two programs and first since 2022. Maine is 63-61-5 all-time in its season openers and will be looking to start the season 1-0 for the first time since 2019. This marks the first time Maine has opened the season at home since the fall of 2021.
- Maine enters action 2-3 all-time against Colgate. Maine has won two of the last three meetings but lost the most recent showdown, 21-18, in Orono in 2022. The game was the first for Jordan Stevens as head coach of the Black Bears. Maine defeated Colgate, 35-21, in 2019 at Colgate and also defeated the Raiders in a 2001 meeting, 34-10. In 2019, Earnest Edwards returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and caught another while Maine's 'Black Hole' defense racked up 14.0 TFLs with eight sacks in the win. The 2001 meeting was the last time Maine defeated Colgate at Alfond Stadium. Colgate took the first two meetings in the series, winning in the first game played before the two schools in 1916 and again scoring a victory in a 1999 meeting. Maine is 16-20-1 all-time against Patriot League teams.
- Maine returns 15 starters (7 Off., 7 Def., 1 Spec) from its 2023 roster and 37 total letterwinners from a year ago while welcoming in 35 newcomers including 12 transfers. Maine also welcomes three new coaches to the staff at tight end, defensive line, and safety. Mikahael Waters has been elevated to offensive coordinator after spending the previous five years as an assistant on the staff, while Umberto Di Meo was promoted to defensive coordinator after one season on staff.
- The Black Bears will debut a new signal caller under center in graduate transfer Carter Peevy. Peevy spent the 2023 season at Mercer where he guided the Bears to an NCAA FCS postseason berth while throwing for 2,284 yards and 11 touchdowns and adding 324 yards on the ground and 12 rushing touchdowns. Peevy will be aided by a receiving corps which returns its top-five pass catches from a year ago in CAA Preseason Honorable Mention Joe Gillette (36 catches/570 yards/5 touchdowns); Jamie Lamson (49/552/6); Montigo Moss (37/408/3); Michael Monios (28/296/1); and Trevin Ewing (17/243/2).
- Defensively, Maine welcomes back three of its top four tacklers from 2023 in Tyshawn Stewart (58); Xavier Holmes (51); and Izaiah Henderson (49). Henderson led the Black Bears in sacks (4.0) and TFLs (9.5) in 2023 while Holmes, who will be wearing the coveted #9 this season to signify Maine's defensive leader, added 7.5 TFLs, two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble.
- Colgate enters the season coming off a 6-5 campaign and 4-2 record in Patriot League action. The Raiders were selected fourth out of seven teams in the Patriot League Preseason Poll and earned five Preseason All-Patriot League Team selections in Treyvhon Saunders (WR); Bardhyl Gashi (OL); Chance Niesner (OL); Christian Sweeney (LB); and Shelby Pruett (P). Sweeney paced Colgate's defense a season ago with 74 tackles and a team-high 8.0 TFLs while Saunders set the school record with 68 receptions to go along with 859 receiving yards. Brescia and Stearney each saw time under center a year ago and both return for the 2024 season as Brescia led the team in passing yards (837) while Stearney paced the way in touchdown passes (7). The Raiders finished last in the Patriot League in defense a year ago, allowing a league-high 442.8 yards per game while surrendering 32.6 points per game.
A Maine Win Would:
...Be Maine's third win over Colgate.
...Be Maine's first season opening win since 2019.
...Be Maine's first home opening win since spring of 2021 (vs. UAlbany)
...Be Maine's third win in its last four outings against Colgate
...Be Maine's 17th win over the Patriot League (16-20-1)
Â
Tale of the Tape
| Maine (CAA rank '23_ |
Category |
Colgate (Patriot '23) |
| 23.5 (11) |
Points |
22.8 (6) |
| 359.8 (8) |
Total Offense |
318.2 (6) |
| 79.7 (15) |
Rushing Yards |
123.1 (5) |
| 280.1 (3) |
Passing Yards |
195.1 (5) |
| 7/27 |
Rushing TDs/Passing TDs |
17/14 |
| 30:34 (7) |
Offensive Time of Possession |
30:17 (2) |
| 32.7 (12) |
Points Allowed |
32.6 (6) |
| 416.3 (11) |
Total Defense |
442.8 (7) |
| 177.0 (12) |
Rushing Yards Allowed |
159.3 (4) |
| 239.3 (10) |
Passing Yards Allowed |
283.5 (7) |
| 22/24 |
Rushing/Passing TDs Allowed |
20/27 |
| 38.6 (9) |
3rd-Down Conversions |
38.4 (6) |
| 49.6 (14) |
3rd-Down Conversion Defense |
43.7 (5) |
| -6 (12) |
Turnover Margin |
-1 (4) |
Â
Â
