The University of Maine football team opens their 2022 home schedule this Saturday when they welcome the Colgate Raiders from the Patriot League into Harold Alfond Sports Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
Maine is coming off their worst season opening loss since 2012 (34-3 to Boston College) when they were trounced by FBS New Mexico 41-0 in Albuquerque last Saturday night. The offense sputtered, amassing only 118 total yards on 47 plays (49 yards in the first half) with two turnovers and quarterback Joe Fagnano was sacked three times. The Black Bears will look to establish more of a running game this week, having only rushed for 22 total net yards on 20 carries against the Lobos. They only had seven first downs in the game (28-7), and punted eight times in the contest.
Colgate also comes in at 0-1, as the Raiders also played an FBS opponent in week one falling at Stanford 41-10. They return seven starters on offense and five on defense from their 2021 team that went 5-6 overall, but 5-1 in the Patriot League. Colgate is led by sophomore quarterback Michael Brescia, who was the Patriot League Rookie of the Year last season with 1,182 all-purpose yards with 11 touchdowns (568 rushing yards, nine TDs- 614 yards passing, two TDs). This will be the fifth all-time meeting between the Black Bears and Raiders, with the series tied 2-2. Maine has won four of its last five home openers overall. Fagnano enters Saturday 11th on the all-time passing yards list in Orono (3,520) and has only thrown seven interceptions in 435 career pass attempts.
Maine will also honor members of the 1982 team during the game on Saturday, on the 40th anniversary of their season. The Black Bears went 7-4 that year under the direction of head coach Ron Rogerson, and were co-champions of the Yankee Conference. Six players on that squad earned Yankee Conference first team honors.
The Black Bears have another road contest against an FBS team after their matchup with the Raiders, as they head to Boston College to face the Eagles out of the ACC on September 17. Maine will then have a bye week to get ready to host Villanova on Saturday, October 1 at 1 p.m. in the CAA conference opener.
