WHERE: Alfond Stadium, Orono
WHEN: 1 p.m., Saturday
STREAMING/TV: FloFootball/WVII
ALL-TIME SERIES: Maine leads 10-6.
KEY STAT: 503, the number of passing yards for Maine quarterback Derek Robertson last week in a 34-28 loss at Campbell. Robertson was 19 yards shy of Maine’s single-game record, 522 yards, set by Mickey Fein in 1997 in a triple-overtime win over UConn.
OUTLOOK: Last week’s loss at Campbell was another example of the Black Bears playing very well at times, but not putting together a complete game. Maine fell behind 28-7 in the first half before making the game close in the second, and that was too much of a hole from which to climb out. A key to holding the Camels to six points in the second half was better tackling, said Maine Coach Jordan Stevens, and against the Great Danes the Black Bears have to be fundamentally sound for all four quarters. Albany leads the Coastal Athletic Association in time of possession, holding the ball for just over 34 minutes per game. Great Danes quarterback Reese Poffenbarger has 20 touchdown passes with six interceptions. Julian Hicks has six touchdown catches for the Great Danes. Maine has been hit hard by injuries on the defensive side of the ball, with five starters out last week. Offensively, Maine needs to get the run game going. While Robertson and his receivers were strong in recent games, the Black Bears ran for minus-7 yards last week, and are last in the CAA in rushing per game, at 75.38 yards. Albany’s Anthony Juncaj lead the FCS with 10 sacks.
OF NOTE: Maine has won seven of its last eight games against Albany. The Great Danes snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Black Bears with a 23-21 win last season… Albany is coming off a 35-10 win over Rhode Island, a team that beat Maine 34-17 on Sept. 15… The Great Danes have won four of their last five games… Robertson’s 503 yards passing last week are the most by an FCS player this season… Maine has not lost a home game to Albany since 2014.
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