The Maine Black Bears travel to the Bowl on Saturday take on the Bulldogs at 1 PM ET. You can watch the game on ESPN+.
Maine (2-1) is currently ranked #16 in the FCS subdivision and will be the most talented foe to date. Maine dominated University of New Hampshire 35-7 in the season opener before traveling to Bowling Green, Kentucky to knock off BCS opponent, Western Kentucky, 31-28. Maine traveled to Mount Pleasant, Michigan last week to square off against another BCS squad, Central Michigan, and lost a close contest 5-17. Maine’s starting quarterback, Chris Ferguson, suffered an upper body injury against Central Michigan and is questionable for Saturday.
Maine features a bruising offensive line with only one starter under 300 lbs. Quarterback Chris Ferguson has completed 35 of 63 attempts for 405 yards, 5 touchdowns and 1 interception. If he’s ruled out Saturday, Isaiah Robinson will get the nod. Robinson has struggled in the passing game completing only 50% of his passes with no touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Joe Fitzpatrick and Ramon Jefferson split carriers for the Black Bears. Fitzpatrick is a 230 lb. power runner, whereas Jefferson is more of a classic tailback with speed and moves. Jaquan Blair and Micah Wright are the top receivers and will be tough for our young secondary to contain.
Maine’s defense has been impressive this season led by their NFL-sized linebackers. Senior linebacker Sterling Sheffield (6’2″ 240 lbs.) has racked up 26 tackles, 7.5 tackles for losses and 4.5 sacks, while sophomore linebacker Deshawn Stevens (6’1″ 250 lbs.) has accumulated 25 tackles, 3.5 tackles for losses and 2 sacks over three contests. As a whole, the Black Bear defense has only allowed 40.7 rushing yards per game and 184 passing yards per game. Keep in mind two of those games were against BCS teams. The defensive line is average sized with starters ranging from 250 lbs. to 280 lbs., but they are fast and eat up blockers allowing the linebackers to roam freely. If there is any area of weakness on this defense, it would have to be the secondary. Western Kentucky was able to throw for 347 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions against the Black Bears.
27 replies on “Maine Preview”
This isn’t the Maine team Yale played a couple of years ago!
Noooooo yet they were favored then also.
Would love to see Yale win this home opener however I think the coaching staff is smarter than to sacrifice current starters to the point of suffering such injuries that the team Will be non-competitive in the Ivy race
I was in Maine in August, about an hour from Orono, and the Maine team was practicing every day since August 1! Interesting that the local TV stations in Bangor had nightly coverage of each practice session. Not quite what Yale gets from the Register.
Apples and Oranges, up there Maine is the only team in The State. Yale competes with UConn, Sacred Heart , CCSU. Giants, Jets Patriots, Ect.?.
Compare the last 4 recruiting classes via 247 for Yale vs. Maine. Sure suggests that “practice makes perfect.”
Also, I dread the injury possibility, but doesn’t playing games, especially against competitive teams, make our players better? Do we really want to face Dartmouth with starters (and key reserves) having played only 1 or 2 games?
This is a game Yale can win. Playing the #16 team in the nation is a major opportunity to score a marquee victory. Yale needs to put their best available players on the field. Good sportsmanship demands no less. Maine has never beaten Yale in over 100 years of playing. Team 146 needs to protect that legacy.
Yale can beat Maine Sat if they use this play during the game.In the right spot this will help the team.I know what it is lets see if coach cahill will call the play.Yale will not run against Maine. Use this one play and it will help the running game. Maine 28 Yale 17.
3rd long road trip in a row for Maine, 2nd string QB maybe starting, tough defense except for secondary. Yale RB’s banged up. I predict Yale blowout using the passing game and just enough runs to keep em honest. Special teams will continue to play a big part as usual. (59+8+81 = 3).
Is there any direct and accurate information on the status of our injured players that posters can share with the rest of us?
As much as I want to see a win, if an early return jeopardizes someone’s status for the Dartmouth game on the 5th than I don’t play him.
What do we know about Rouse, Lamar and Dudek? Those are three big weapons out of the lineup. Are they practicing? I’ve been told X-rays reveal Dudek has no broken bones but he was scheduled for an MRI.
These young men are getting better every practice. They need to finish the play and run through and wrap up the tackles. When they do that , they will be The Yale D that I’m familiar with.
Offense, I have no problems with. O line needs to protect Rawlings better. Cahill needs to open the offense for DUMMIES Book . Little imagination goes a long way to move the ball and protect you’re players.?
Are any JV games scheduled this year?
I would say no.!! Only because of all the underclass men playing
A posting from a Maine fan on Any Given Saturday site says that Maine’s starting QB has a separated shoulder. If true it’s highly unlikely he’ll play Saturday.
gentlemen; if memory servers me correct the second string quarterback from the engineers a few years ago passed for nearly 500 yards and four touchdowns against our blue. Throw in the recent second stringer from the Crusaders our blue should be wary and play to their potential. I still chafe over the third stringer mr. champy.
In a surprised move coach Reno starts Patrick Conte over Rawlings for Sat game against Maine.To avoid injuries to his star QB. Jimmy Check will be his backup QB. Smart move by Reno save Rawlings for ivy league games.
Is Conte starting your prediction or do you have information confirming that?
Perhaps in yesterday’s article in the YDN, Reno was intimating that injuries would require reaching more broadly into the depth chart. Don’t know if I’m wrongly reading between the lines but we will find out on Saturday. Also if you observed Rawlings carefully in the two games played it seemed at times he was a little banged up so maybe there is a need to be cautious in a non league game. We are not going to be 10-0 this season anyway so with a team that depends so much on a healthy Rawlings, Dudek and Lamar to win the league championship the rather interesting question for the coaching staff is whether for the Maine game it is worth risking the loss of key players. If Dudek needed an MRI as previously noted, it seems doubtful he can be at 100% for Maine.
Last year we never got a chance to see what kind of qb talent there is behind Rawlings. This year if there is any game to give Conte, Check, et al the opportunity to display their skills and get some experience I would say it’s tomorrow’s at the Bowl.
Plenty of very talented Srs seeing little if any playing time. A great mystery.
I don’t think that is true
I agree with Hawk196, They play the best players to win. If the kid is good , he plays.!!
Rawlings , got hurt on the pass play at Holy Cross. When Locke threw the ball late. Rawlings got bumped . Stupid play, running the ball down they’re throats, and 2 very stupid play calls in the 2nd qtr.!!!
Dudek , getting hurt also against HC. Sit that young man down for this game
Dudek kept shaking his head when he got stuffed a couple of times in the second half by the Cornell defense signaling to the sidelines that something was wrong. He then came in and out of the game even though it was quite apparent something wasn’t right. If he required Xrays and MRI after the game one needs to ask why the coaches kept sending him back on the field. Obviously someone as tough and competitive as Zane would want to continue to play even if he was hurt but shouldn’t the trainers and coaches have known better than the player when not to risk further injury.
Conte is not starting. Most likely Dudek will take the week off though.
Anyone even faintly close to Yale football realizes that last year’s senior class was terrific and, for one reason or another, this year’s is anything but. Hence the need to use so many unseasoned players. All of us remember last year’s superb DBs and LBs being torched as freshmen (sorry, first years) and sophomores.
We should be realistic about this year, particularly if the injury plague has returned.
Not that I’m writing off 2018, but next year, the world!
Really, the team is 1-1 and could easily be 2-0. Why do we have to airmail the season in .
I for one am going to enjoy a small tail gate on a beautiful day. Look forward to these young men play a GAME. Against a allegedly far superior football team. I could give a hoot about a OOC game. Sure I want YALE to win. But if Yale can rest and heal the main core do it. Play who you have and NO GIMMiCK STUPID PLAYS..!! YALE will be fine.