The University of Maine football team, coming off back to back 2-9 seasons, will open up their 12 game 2024 schedule on Friday under the lights at Alfond Stadium in Orono when they play host to the Colgate Raiders in non-conference action at 7 p.m.
The Black Bears, who have also gone 3-13 combined in CAA play over the last two years, recently named transfer quarterback Carter Peevey as the starter ahead of the opener against the Raiders, who are out of the Patriot League. Peevey had a very successful 2023 in leading Mercer to a FCS playoff appearance where they beat Gardner-Webb in the first round. Peevey completed 66% of his passes (202-304) for 2,284 yards and 11 touchdowns. The native of Lawrenceville, Georgia also expects to be a dual threat for Maine as he added 324 rushing yards on 125 carries with 12 touchdowns last fall.
Maine also returns some offensive threats with big play ability in wide receivers Joe Gillette, Jamie Lamson, Montigo Moss, and Michael Monios, along with tightend Cooper Heisey. The Black Hole defense will look for a bounce back performance in 2024. The Maine defense allowed 32.7 points per game in 2023, with 416 yards given up per outing (177 rushing, 239 passing).
The Black Bears have three kickers on the roster that could all see action including graduate student Joey Bryson, who had 47 kickoffs last season in 10 games leading to 12 touchbacks. They also have freshman kickers Kemsley Marsters (Foxcroft Academy) and Samuel Tremblay (Quebec City). Marsters had the biggest leg in the state of Maine in high school with the Ponies, while Tremblay in high school hit 27-36 field goal attempts and was 67-67 on point after tries. Tremblay was named the #1 kicker in Canada in 2019. Graduate student Aidan Cadogan will handle the punting duties. Cadogan punted 36 times in 2023, appearing in all 11 games, with an average of 43.5 yards setting a UMaine single-season record. He landed seven punts inside the 20-yard line, nine went 50+ yards, and one matched his career-high of 65 yards.
Colgate is coming off a 6-5 campaign in 2023, winning their final three contests and finishing 4-2 in the Patriot League. They are led by senior quarterback Michael Brescia, who passed for 837 yards and two touchdowns in 2023, while adding six scores and 307 rushing yards. Brescia appeared in nine games last fall for the Raiders, missing two games with injury. When he was fully healthy in 2022, he started all 11 games and accounted for 20 touchdowns (seven passing- 1,656 yards and 13 rushing-751 yards).
Maine, under third year head coach Jordan Stevens, is just 3-7 at home in the last two seasons including a 2-6 record in conference games. On the road, the Bears have won just once away from Orono since 2022 (1-10), a 31-24 CAA victory at Hampton on 10/8/22. Here is the full schedule for 2024, that includes road trips to FCS powerhouse Montana State in Week 2 and nationally ranked FBS Oklahoma out of the SEC later in the season. The CAA opener is in Week 3 at home vs Monmouth-
Friday, 8/30 vs Colgate 7 p.m.
Saturday, 9/7 at Montana St. 8 p.m.
*Saturday, 9/14 vs Monmouth 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, 9/21 at Merrimack 1 p.m.
*Saturday, 9/28 at Albany 3:30 p.m.
*Saturday, 10/12 at Delaware 1 p.m.
*Saturday, 10/19 vs Villanova 1 p.m. (Homecoming)
*Saturday, 10/26 at Rhode Island 1 p.m.
Saturday, 11/2 at Oklahoma 2:30 p.m.
*Saturday, 11/9 vs Bryant 1 p.m.
*Saturday, 11/16 at Elon 2 p.m.
*Saturday, 11/23 vs UNH 1 p.m. (Battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket)
*- denotes CAA games
Maine wide receiver Jamie Lamson reels in a catch that went for a 49-yard touchdown against Hampton during a CAA game in Orono on 11/4/23. The Black Bears open the 2024 season on Friday night at home vs Colgate. Photo by Anthony DelMonaco
