2018 Maine Black Bears football team
The 2018 Maine Black Bears football team represented the University of Maine in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They played their home games at Alfond Stadium. They were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. They were led by third-year head coach Joe Harasymiak.[1] They finished the season 10–4, 7–1 in CAA play to be crowned CAA champions. They received the CAA's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs where, after a first round bye, they defeated Jacksonville State in the second round, and Weber State in the quarterfinals before losing in the semifinals to Eastern Washington.
| 2018 Maine Black Bears football | |
|---|---|
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CAA champion | |
FCS Playoffs Semifinals, L 19–50 vs. Eastern Washington | |
| Conference | Colonial Athletic Association |
| Ranking | |
| STATS | No. 4 |
| FCS Coaches | No. 5 |
| Record | 10–4 (7–1 CAA) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Nick Charlton (1st season) |
| Defensive coordinator | Corey Hetherman (3rd season) |
| Home stadium | Alfond Stadium (Capacity: 10,000) |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Maine $^ | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 James Madison ^ | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 16 Stony Brook ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 20 Towson ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 24 Delaware ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 19 Elon ^ | 4 | – | 3 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rhode Island | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| William & Mary | 3 | – | 4 | 4 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Hampshire | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Villanova | 2 | – | 6 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Richmond | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Albany | 1 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Preseason
CAA Poll
In the CAA preseason poll released on July 24, 2018, the Black Bears were predicted to finish in eighth place.[2]
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Madison | 241 (21) |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 206 (2) |
| 3 | Delaware | 182 |
| 4 | Stony Brook | 169 |
| 5 | Elon | 168 (1) |
| 6 | Villanova | 164 |
| 7 | Richmond | 127 |
| 8 | Maine | 81 |
| 9 | Albany | 78 |
| 10 | Towson | 74 |
| 11 | William & Mary | 55 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 39 |
Preseason All-CAA Team
The Black Bears had three players selected to the preseason all-CAA team.
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Defense Kayon Whitaker – DL Special teams Earnest Edwards – KR Mozai Nelson – Specialist |
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 30 | 7:00 p.m. | No. 7 New Hampshire | FCS/FSGO | W 35–7 | 6,597 | ||
| September 8 | 7:30 p.m. | at Western Kentucky* | No. 22 | ESPN+ | W 31–28 | 15,178 | |
| September 22 | 3:00 p.m. | at Central Michigan* | No. 13 | ESPN+ | L 5–17 | 16,474 | |
| September 29 | 1:00 p.m. | at Yale* | No. 16 | ESPN+ | L 14–35 | 7,889 | |
| October 6 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 19 Villanova | No. 25 |
| FCS/WVII/WIPL | W 13–10 | 6,894 |
| October 13 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 16 Rhode Island | No. 21 | CAA.tv | W 38–36 | 7,301 | |
| October 20 | 3:30 p.m. | at William & Mary | No. 16 | Cox Yurview | L 20–27 | 10,462 | |
| October 27 | 1:00 p.m. | Albany | No. 24 |
| FCS/WVII/WIPL | W 28–9 | 9,248 |
| November 3 | 4:00 p.m. | at No. 15 Towson | No. 23 | CBSI Digital/CBS SportsLive | W 35–28 | 7,356 | |
| November 10 | 3:00 p.m. | at Richmond | No. 16 | NBCS WA+ | W 28–9 | 7,820 | |
| November 17 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 14 Elon | No. 16 |
| FCS/WVII/WIPL | W 27–26 | 6,584 |
| December 1 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 8 Jacksonville State | No. 12 |
| ESPN3 | W 55–27 | 6,145 |
| December 7 | 8:00 p.m. | at No. 3 Weber State | No. 12 |
| ESPN2 | W 23–18 | 7,726 |
| December 15 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 4 Eastern Washington | No. 12 |
| ESPN2 | L 19–50 | 7,529 |
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Game summaries
New Hampshire
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 7 Wildcats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Black Bears | 0 | 22 | 7 | 6 | 35 |
At Western Kentucky
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 22 Black Bears | 0 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 31 |
| Hilltoppers | 21 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
At Central Michigan
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 13 Black Bears | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Chippewas | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
At Yale
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 16 Black Bears | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Bulldogs | 7 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
Villanova
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 19 Wildcats | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| No. 25 Black Bears | 0 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 13 |
At Rhode Island
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 21 Black Bears | 7 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 38 |
| No. 16 Rams | 10 | 6 | 14 | 6 | 36 |
At William & Mary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 16 Black Bears | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
| Tribe | 7 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 27 |
Albany
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Danes | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| No. 24 Black Bears | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
At Towson
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 23 Black Bears | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| No. 15 Tigers | 0 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 28 |
At Richmond
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 16 Black Bears | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
| Spiders | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
Elon
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 14 Phoenix | 0 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 26 |
| No. 16 Black Bears | 0 | 14 | 13 | 0 | 27 |
FCS Playoffs
Maine received a bye in the first round.
Box scores:[4][5][6]
Jacksonville State–Second Round
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 8 Gamecocks | 7 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 27 |
| No. 12 Black Bears | 21 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 55 |
At Weber State–Quarterfinals
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 12 Black Bears | 0 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 23 |
| No. 3 Wildcats | 0 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 18 |
At Eastern Washington–Semifinals
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 12 Black Bears | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| No. 4 Eagles | 21 | 7 | 15 | 7 | 50 |
Ranking movements
| Week | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
| STATS FCS | — | 22 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 25 | 21 | 16 | 24 | 23 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 4 |
| Coaches | — | 25 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 25 | 22 | 20 | RV | RV | 21 | 19 | 14 | 5 |
References
- "Football Announces 2018 Schedule". goblackbears.com. University of Maine Athletics. November 1, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
- Washburn, Rob (July 24, 2018). "James Madison Favored To Win Fourth Straight CAA Football Title in 2018". Colonial Athletic Association. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
- "2018 Maine Football Schedule". goblackbears.com. University of Maine Athletics. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
- "Jacksonville State vs. Maine - Game Summary - December 1, 2018 - ESPN". ESPN. December 9, 2018.
- "Maine vs. Weber State - Game Summary - December 8, 2018 - ESPN". December 9, 2018.
- "Maine vs. Eastern Washington - Game Summary - December 15, 2018 - ESPN". December 9, 2018.
