UMaine freshman quarterback Joe Fagnano has thrown 15 touchdown passes in his five starts. The Black Bears are averaging 38 points a game during that stretch. Peter Buehner photo
WHERE: Wildcat Stadium, Durham, N.H.
KICKOFF: 1 p.m. Saturday
TV: NBC Sports Boston
ALL-TIME SERIES: New Hampshire leads, 55-44-8
LAST MEETING: Aug. 30, 2018, won by Maine, 35-7
LAST WEEK: Maine defeated Rhode Island, 34-30; New Hampshire lost to Albany, 24-17
WHEN MAINE HAS THE BALL: The Black Bears have the Colonial Athletic Association’s top-rated passing offense (306.8 yards per game) and freshman QB Joe Fagnano has thrown 15 touchdown passes in his five starts. But don’t be surprised to see Maine try to run the ball early against New Hampshire. The Wildcats are experienced in the secondary, led by senior CBs Prince Smith Jr. and Isiah Perkins, and have 13 interceptions on the season. If Maine can get Joe Fitzpatrick and Emmanuel Reed going early, that should open up the play-action game and allow play-makers Earnest Edwards, Devin Young and Jaquan Blair more time to get open.
WHEN NEW HAMPSHIRE HAS THE BALL: The Wildcats have a freshman QB of their own in Max Brosmer, who has two fourth-quarter game-winning drives on his resume already. New Hampshire isn’t flashy, averaging only 332.3 yards per game. Evan Gray (592 rushing yards, three touchdowns) and Carlos Washington (591 rushing yards, three touchdowns) split time in the backfield. Brosmer has completed 57 percent of his passes for 1,726 yards and 10 touchdowns but has also thrown 11 interceptions. Maine needs to put some pressure on him and force him into errant throws. That won’t be easy considering the Wildcats have given up just 18 sacks this season.
KEY STAT: 8 – the number of consecutive losses for Maine at UNH since 2001.
OUTLOOK: Maine has won four consecutive games and needs to win a fifth to keep its FCS playoff hopes alive. And it should. New Hampshire has lost two in a row and is out of the playoff picture. New Hampshire’s defense is formidable, giving up just 21.1 points a game (second in the CAA). But Maine’s offense is averaging 38 points a game in Fagnano’s five starts and has some of the most dynamic play-makers in the CAA. It’s going to come down to whether Maine can get its running game going against a fairly tough rush defense (only 140 yards per game). And it’s not just Fitzpatrick and Reed. Young and Edwards are dangerous on jet sweeps and Fagnano is a threat to take off on any play.
OF NOTE: Maine has not won in Durham since 2001, a 57-24 win. … New Hampshire is 4-0 at home this year. … The Black Bears will get Blair back from his one-game suspension for a violation of team rules. But WR Andre Miller and TE Shawn Bowman are both questionable with knee injuries. LBs Myles Taylor (labrum) and Jaron Grayer (knee) are both out, meaning Ori Jean-Charles, the converted TE, will start at LB. … New Hampshire will be without injured S Pop Lacey, one of its best defenders and a teammate of injured Maine LB Deshawn Stevens at the Kent School. … Maine’s Edwards needs just 32 receiving yards to become the school’s all-time leader. Sergio Hebra (1984-87) has the record with 2,612 yards. Last week Edwards became the first Maine receiver since Drew O’Connor in 1998 to gain over 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
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