WHERE: Barker-Lane Stadium, Buies Creek, North Carolina
WHEN: 4 p.m. Saturday
STREAMING: FloFootball
ALL-TIME SERIES: This is the first game between these teams.
KEY STAT: 37.8, Campbell’s per game scoring average, ninth-best in FCS.
OUTLOOK: Campbell is one of two newcomers to the Coastal Athletic Association this season, joining the conference along with North Carolina A&T after previously competing in the Big South. Campbell head coach Mike Minter said during his weekly CAA conference call on Monday he knew the league would be tough, and he’s glad to see his team is 2-2 in conference games thus far. The Camels host Maine after a bye week, and will be one of the most explosive offenses the Black Bears face all season. Quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams ranked 10th in the FCS with 1,667 yards passing. His .742 completion percentage is second-best in the nation, and he’s fifth in passing efficiency (173.56). VJ Wilkins (30 catches for 317 yards, four touchdowns), Chaney Fitzgerald (29 catches for 320 yards, two TDs), Jalen Kelsey (24 catches for 429 yards, two TDs), and Ezeriah Anderson (15 catches for 246 yards, four TDs) give Williams four strong targets. Minter said his team will need to be at its best against a Maine defense that has forced two or more turnovers in five of seven games. Cornerback Kahzir “Buggs” Brown has played well for Maine, with 37 tackles and five pass breakups to go with one interception.
Since an 0-4 start, Maine has played much better over the last three games, especially on offense. After throwing no touchdown passes and five interceptions over the first four games, quarterback Derek Robertson has been in a groove over the last three, completing 72.4% of his passes for 944 yards and 10 touchdowns with just two picks. This season, Robertson has 1,546 yards passing, 20th-best in the FCS. Receiver Joe Gillette, a graduate transfer from Lafayette, is sixth in the CAA in receiving yards (428) and tied for second in touchdowns with five. Linebacker CJ Tillman leads the Camels with 54 tackles. Cornerback Ed Dennis has a pair of interceptions. As a team, Campbell has a conference-low three sacks, and Minter said improving the pass rush is essential this week against a Maine offense that averaged 37 points per game over the last three games.
OF NOTE: Something’s going to give this week. The Black Bears haven’t picked up a road win since 2021, while Campbell is 0-2 at home this season. … Maine last road win was on Nov. 20, 2021, a 33-20 win at New Hampshire in the season finale. … The Camels have scored on 28 of 30 trips inside the red zone this season, the 10th-best red zone conversion rate in the nation. … The Camels rank first in the CAA and fifth nationally on third down, converting 51.5% of the time. … Maine is plus-4 in turnover margin this season. The Black Bears ranked second in the CAA with 14 turnovers gained and are fifth nationally. … Campbell head coach Mike Minter played 10 years in the NFL and started at safety for the Carolina Panthers against the New England Patriots in the 2004 Super Bowl, making a career-high 18 tackles.
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