WHERE: Alfond Stadium, Orono

WHEN: 3:30 p.m. Saturday

STREAMING: FloFootball

ALL-TIME SERIES: Maine leads, 4-0. The Black Bears won the last meeting between these teams, 38-28 in 2022.

KEY STAT: 100%, Maine’s red-zone scoring percentage through two games. The Black Bears have scored on each of their seven trips inside the 20.

OUTLOOK: The Black Bears return home off a 41-24 loss at No. 3 Montana State, a game in which Maine trailed 35-0 midway through the second quarter and surrendered 526 yards of offense. While the Bobcats are one of the top running teams in the country, this week’s opponent can attack the Black Bears through the air, with a quarterback Maine knows well. Derek Robertson, who threw for 2,933 yards and 25 touchdowns for Maine last season, is now under center for the Hawks. In two games Robertson has completed 65% of his passes for 745 yards, and is ranked third in the FCS in passing yards. Maine Coach Jordan Stevens said he has a lot of respect for Robertson’s character and work ethic, and knows his defense faces a tough task. Linebacker Kesean Dyson leads Maine with 13 tackles, and was in on eight stops last week. … While Monmouth scored at least 27 points in each of its games, the Hawks also allowed 42 in the season-opening loss to Eastern Washington and 40 in a 40-35 loss to Lafayette last week, in which Lafayette scored a pair of touchdowns in the final 53 seconds to win the game. The Hawks surrendered at least 429 yards in each game. With an improved running attack that’s averaged 132 yards per game, more than 50 per game better than last season, Maine should be able to move the ball. Maine quarterback Carter Peevy has connected with 11 receivers, spreading the ball around well. The Hawks rank last in the CAA and 111th out of 115 FCS teams in passing yards per game allowed, with 338. Monmouth Coach Kevin Callahan cited Maine’s maturity, with more than 20 graduate students on the roster, as a concern for his team. He added that he has not spoken to Robertson about returning to Maine, where he enjoyed success and began his college career. Defensive back Deuce Lee leads Monmouth with 15 tackles. Linebacker Damir McCrary has 14 tackles and a sack for the Hawks.

OF NOTE: A victory gives the Black Bears a 2-0 start at home for the first time since 2018. Maine opened that season with a 35-7 win over New Hampshire, then did not play at home again until Oct. 6, a 13-10 win over Villanova … Maine’s Montigo Moss is third in the CAA with 10 receptions. Moss is ninth in receiving yards with 131. Moss enters this game nine catches shy of 100 for his career … When Maine beat Monmouth 21-7 in 2008, Stevens made five tackles, including a tackle for a loss for the Black Bears … Robertson’s 2,933 passing yards for the Black Bears was the third-highest individual passing season in program history. With 4,466 career passing yards, Robertson is 12th all-time at Maine, just behind Madison native Bobby Wilder.