By Andrew Stefanilo
The fifth-seeded, No. 10/8 University of Maine football team is preparing for a rematch against its biggest rival in No. 15 University of New Hampshire this weekend.
The game will be the Black Bears’ – who come in with a 10-2 record, 7-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association – second straight contest against the Wildcats, and it just happens to come in the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for us to be a part of and make the FCS playoffs,” UMaine head coach Jack Cosgrove said.
The Wildcats – 8-4 overall, 6-2 against conference opponents – spoiled UMaine’s undefeated run through the CAA with a 24-3 win in Durham, N.H. two weeks ago. UNH has won 10 of the last 11 contests against the Black Bears, and takes a 50-43-8 record into the 102nd all-time meeting between the two rivals.
“They just outplayed us,” Cosgrove said. “They did all the things they needed to do to beat us.”
The Black Bears earned a bye in the playoffs and haven’t been on the field since that loss on Nov. 23. UNH beat Lafayette University 45-7 in the first round of the playoffs last weekend to seal their spot in the second round.
Who will benefit more from last weekend – the Black Bears with a bye, or the Wildcats and their first round drubbing of Lafayette – remains to be seen.
“There’s two sides to this: New Hampshire’s been on the field improving and growing, and we got off the field after not playing real well,” Cosgrove said.
“Do I think that this [the bye week] can help us? Yes,” he added. “Do I think playing last weekend helped New Hampshire? Yes. It’s really just something we’ll know more about when we play the game.”
Saturday’s game has all the makings to be a classic. It’s the first time UMaine has had the opportunity to host a home playoff game in Orono and the fact that it’s against their biggest rival makes it that more intense.
“I think for us, we get to look at a game in between where they played,” Cosgrove said. “For us, they don’t get to see us play, we had the bye.”
The Black Bears are making their seventh NCAA playoff appearance in program history, and their first postseason showing since a FCS quarterfinal loss to Georgia Southern University in 2011. UMaine brings a 3-6 postseason record into Saturday’s matchup with UNH.
Both teams bring in high powered offenses and solid defenses as well. The Black Bears were held to just 3 points when they visited Durham two weeks ago. That was the lowest scoring output this season for UMaine, whose next lowest point total was 19 in a home victory against Stony Brook University Nov. 2. Look for the Black Bears to get the offense back to into gear after what was an uncharacteristic performance by them.
Not to be overlooked is Cosgrove’s defensive unit. UMaine eclipsed the 10-win mark for the first time since 2002 thanks to a defense that held opponents to 20.5 points per game, well under what the Black Bears averaged offensively this season.
Executing will be key for UMaine on Saturday if they wish to make it back to the quarterfinals the following weekend.
“If you think about anything other than what’s at hand, you find yourself going home,” Cosgrove said. “The tournament allows you to precede one of two ways: you keep going, or you go home.”
Kickoff for the Black Bears first ever home playoff game is scheduled for 2 p.m.