WVII-ABC 7 of Bangor will televise three University of Maine home football games this fall with Bryant University and Colonial Athletic Association rivals Albany and Villanova being the opponents.
Bangor Communications’ ABC 7 and WFVX Fox 22 agreed to a two-year contract extension with the university and Learfield/Black Bear Sports Properties in March to televise at least seven men’s hockey games and three football games during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.
UMaine athletic director Karlton Creech said anytime a Maine team can receive local television exposure, “it’s a great thing.”
Four-time Maine Sportscaster of the Year Dan Hannigan will again handle the play-by-play, and he will be joined for the first time by former Black Bear standout and NFL player Mike DeVito.
UMaine will play Bryant University of Smithfield, Rhode Island, on 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at Morse Field at Alfond Stadium; Albany (New York) will be the Black Bears’ Homecoming opponent at noon Saturday, Oct. 15, and Villanova (Pennsylvania) will invade Orono at noon Saturday, Nov. 5.
Bryant, which plays in the Northeast Conference, went 5-6 overall last season and 3-3 in the conference. Three of the Bulldogs’ six losses were by two points or less. Bryant beat UMaine 13-10 in Smithfield in 2014 en route to an 8-3 campaign.
Albany went 3-8 a year ago, 2-6 in the CAA, and that included a 39-7 home loss to the Black Bears.
Villanova was 6-5 and 5-3 in 2015 and posted a 13-3 victory over UMaine.
UMaine went 3-8 a year ago, 3-5 in conference play.
The Black Bears will open the season against FBS team the University of Connecticut on Sept. 1.
Editor’s note: Larry Mahoney is employed by Learfield for its UMaine men’s hockey radio broadcasts.