ORONO, Maine -- Maine hits the road for its first road contest of the season as the Black Bears look to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 2018 when they travel 2,603 miles for the program's first-ever meeting with #3 Montana State. Kickoff is set for 8:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM MT.
Broadcast Details:
Saturday's game will be live streamed on ESPN+ and can be heard locally on 92.9 The Ticket and nationwide at GoBlackBears.com. The game will also be over the airwaves in Portland on 100.5 WLOB-FM as well as 1310 AM.
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- Maine and Montana State meet for the first time in history. Maine is 2-3 all-time against the Big Sky with wins over Weber State and Northern Colorado. The Black Bears last played a Big Sky member in 2018, a 50-19 loss at #4 Eastern Washington in the NCAA FCS semifinal round. Maine's win over a Big Sky team also came in 2018, a 23-18 road victory over #3 Weber State in the NCAA FCS quarterfinals. Maine has also played Montana (twice).
- Maine began its season with a 17-14 victory over Colgate to move to 1-0 on the season for the first time since 2019. Maine's 'Black Hole' defense turned in an impressive effort, holding Colgate to just 303 total yards. It was the fewest yards surrendered by Maine since allowing 253 yards back on Sept. 10, 2022 - also against Colgate. After averaging just 79.3 rush yards per game in 2023, Maine began the season with 145 yards on the ground and snapped a six-game streak without a rushing touchdown as Carter Peevy and Jaharie Martin each rushed for a score in the season-opening win. Alhaji Kamara sealed the victory with an interception with 7-seconds to play.
- 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.
- Montana State moved up to No. 3 in the latest Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll following a convincing 31-7 win over Utah State in which the Bobcats allowed just 41-yards through the game's first three quarters. Montana State, which opened the season with a win at FBS foe New Mexico, boasts the nation's second ranked rushing offense at 345.5 yards per game on the ground. The Bobcats' 524 total yards per game check in second best in the Big Sky and fourth in all of the FCS. Scottre Humphrey leads the dynamic rushing attack with a Big Sky leading 123.5 rush yards per game. Former Black Bear Rohan Jones leads the Bobcats in receiving with 91 receiving yards. The Bobcats are allowing just 250 yards per game and 19.0 points through their first two games while holding opponents to just 10.5% conversation rate on third down; third best in the FCS.
A Maine Win Would:
...Be Maine's first win over Montana State (first meeting).
...Be Maine's first win in the state of Montana (0-1 last trip came in 2004, a loss at Montana)
...Be Maine's highest ranked win since 2018 (23-18 at Weber State FCS quarterfinal)
...Be Maine's first win over the Big Sky since 2018 (Weber State)
...Move Maine to 3-3 all-time against the Big Sky
...Be Maine's first ranked win since March 13, 2021 (38-34 vs. #13 UAlbany)
...Be Maine's first week two win in a different time zone since Sept. 8, 2018 (31-28 win at Western Kentucky).
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Tale of the Tape
| Maine (CAA rank) |
Category |
MSU (Big Sky rank) |
| 17.0 (10) |
Points |
33.0 (3) |
| 287.0 (11) |
Total Offense |
524.0 (2) |
| 101.0 (10) |
Rushing Yards |
345.5 (1) |
| 186.0 (9) |
Passing Yards |
178.5 (9) |
| 2/0 |
Rushing TDs/Passing TDs |
6/3 |
| 30:15 (7) |
Offensive Time of Possession |
39:38 (2) |
| 14.0 (2) |
Points Allowed |
19.0 (2) |
| 303.0 (3) |
Total Defense |
250.0 (2) |
| 129.0 (3) |
Rushing Yards Allowed |
112.5 (7) |
| 174.0 (5) |
Passing Yards Allowed |
137.5 (2) |
| 2/0 |
Rushing/Passing TDs Allowed |
2/1 |
| 50.0 (4) |
3rd-Down Conversions |
48.3 (4) |
| 50.0 (4) |
3rd-Down Conversion Defense |
10.5 (1) |
| +0 (8) |
Turnover Margin |
-1 (5) |
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