The University of Maine football team may have long since been eliminated from postseason contention, but the Black Bears will have plenty of motivation in their Colonial Athletic Association season finale on Saturday.
Coach Jack Cosgrove’s team looks to send its seniors out on a winning note in their traditional rivalry game against New Hampshire.
Maine Black Bears (3-7) at New Hampshire Wildcats (6-4), 1 p.m., Cowell Stadium, Durham, New Hampshire: UMaine hopes to bring home the Brice-Cowell Musket, the firearm that is the trophy going to the winner of the rivalry. The Black Bears have lost three straight, including last week’s 27-22 setback against Elon.
UNH has dominated the series of late, winning five in a row and 12 of the last 13 meetings. UMaine’s last win came in 2010.
The Wildcats lead the rivalry with a 52-43-8 record.
Despite having won three straight overall, including a 24-14 victory last Saturday at Albany, the Wildcats appear to be a longshot to earn an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision postseason berth. UNH has made a nation-leading 11 consecutive playoff appearances and has won its last 10 contests in the month of November.
It will be the last collegiate appearance for UMaine’s seniors, including center Bruce Johnson, wide receivers John Hardy and Justin Flores, defensive ends Trevor Bates and Mike Kozlakowski, linebackers Randy Samuels, Cabrinni Goncalves and John McCabe, and cornerback Sherrod Baltimore.
UNH, which reached the FCS national semifinals each of the last two seasons, ranks fourth in the CAA in scoring (24.5 points per game) and fifth in total offense (352.7 yards per game). Quarterback Sean Goldrich (131-for-226 passing, 1,272 yards, seven touchdowns), tailback Dalton Crossan (83.9 yards per game) and tight end Jordan Powell (42 receptions, 412 yards, five touchdowns) are the leading threats.
UMaine counters with a strong defense that ranks third in CAA total defense (311 ypg), including second against the run (113 ypg). The Black Bears’ game-changers are Samuels (67 tackles, two interceptions), Goncalves (52 tackles) and Bates (52 tackles).