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The University of Maine football team is in the midst of their best season since 2002 after coming off a resounding 34-12 win over Appalachian State University in the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
To continue their run deep into the playoffs, the Black Bears must overcome Georgia Southern University, one of the most dominant FCS programs in history. The Eagles have won an unprecedented six national championships and won the Southern Conference Football Championship for the first time since 2002 and were ranked as high as No. 1 in the country.
The Eagles are 9-2, with their only losses coming to the Mountaineers and the University of Alabama, the No. 2 Division I team in the country.
The Black Bears have had one of their most successful seasons in recent memory, and to continue that success the contest against the Eagles will come down to two x-factors.
It’s a known fact that the Black Bears need to stop the potent rushing attack of the Eagles to win the game. It’s also apparent that Georgia Southern needs to maintain possession with their ground game and not allow for UMaine’s multi-faceted offensive attack to carve them up.
One aspect that’s been a vital part of the Black Bears success is if the kicking game is playing well, the Black Bears tend to win. In five of their nine wins, the Black Bears have pinned their opponent inside their own 20-yard line at least twice.
In their second-round game against the Mountaineers, the Black Bears managed to pull out the victory despite a lackluster kicking game.
“We had a kick blocked, we kicked another one low — that was on our kicker — and we had a kickoff go out of bounds,” UMaine head coach Jack Cosgrove said. “So the kickers need to play a little better.”
The other x-factor in Saturday’s contest is ball control. In the Black Bears two losses to FCS opponents, UMaine had at least three turnovers. The Black Bears need to take care of the ball to prevent Georgia Southern from controlling the clock.
Thankfully for the Black Bears, the Eagles don’t have the greatest turnover statistics. With just a plus-three margin, Georgia Southern has recovered seven fumbles and intercepted 13 passes, while the Black Bears have recovered 10 fumbles and picked off 19 passes — led by senior safety Trevor Coston and his six interceptions.
If the Black Bears are able to limit the turnovers like they did at Appalachian State — just one interception, mitigated by a three-and-out by the defense — and can win the field position game by pinning the Eagles deep in their zone with solid punts, then UMaine has the chance to move into the national semifinals.
That is, of course, if UMaine can stop the Eagles No. 2 rushing attack, first.
