2022 Opponent Preview Series: Get to Know Maine
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)Publisher
Arguably the biggest surprise of Boston College's 2022 schedule reveal was a non-conference game against an FCS opponent.
Only because of when the game is supposed to kick off.
BC and Maine are set to play Week 3 under the lights of Alumni Stadium at 7:30 p.m. As of right now, the out-of-league matchup is one of BC's three night games—the others being a Sept. 10 road game at Virginia Tech and a Nov. 4 home game against Duke.
FCS opponents typically travel to Power Five schools to play at noon and, in the process, collect their six-figure pay stub. This time around, however, the Eagles and Black Bears will face off in prime time, albeit on ESPN3.
BC is paying Maine $400,000 to participate, according to the Portland Press Herald. It will be the Black Bears' second FBS test in the Jordan Stevens era. They play New Mexico on the road in Week 1.
Stevens took over as head coach in December after former Maine frontman Nick Charlton left to become UConn's new offensive coordinator. Stevens, a former Black Bear player himself, most recently served as Yale's co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach.
He'll hope to restore a Maine defense that ranked 75th in total defense (386.9 yards per game allowed) and 63rd in the FCS in scoring defense (27.0 points per game allowed) last year.
WHEN IS BC PLAYING MAINE?
Saturday, Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m.WHERE IS BC PLAYING MAINE?
Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, MassachusettsSERIES HISTORY
BC and Maine have played 10 times, most recently in 2015. That season, the Eagles defeated their FCS regional foe, 24-3. BC's defense, which ranked first nationally in yards per game allowed that year, gave up just 91 yards to the Black Bears. Then-sophomore quarterback Darius Wade threw his first career touchdown pass, and running back Tyler Rouse rushed for a pair of scores. BC has won six straight games in the series, and Maine's last win over the Eagles occurred in 1915.BREAKING DOWN THE 2022 BLACK BEARS
Maine's 2021 Record: 6-5 (4-4 CAA), 5th in CAAOffense: Joe Fagano is back. If he's healthy, Maine's offense is much better off. The senior quarterback missed most of last season with a high ankle sprain. That said, in the four games he did play, Fagano completed 60.2% of his attempts for 794 yards, six touchdowns and just two interceptions. Accuracy was the biggest discrepancy between Fagano and backup Derek Robertson whose completion percentage hovered around a meager 50% in 2021. Fagano, a 6-foot-3 signal caller, broke onto the scene in 2019 when the was the two-time CAA Rookie of the Week. In five of Fagano's six starts that season, he tossed at least two touchdowns. Additionally, he recorded the three-longest touchdown passes in program history (87, 88 and 90 yards).
The Black Bears will be without their top-two receivers from last season. Andre Miller, an all-conference performer in 2021, is gone, and so is Devin Young, who also averaged north of 50 receiving yards per game last year. Attention turns to tight end Shawn Bowman. The 6-foot-5, 263-pound target was reliable in the red zone last season, as he led the team with touchdown grabs. He was third with 282 receiving yards. At wideout, though, Maine will need more production from the likes of Montigo Moss, Jacob Hennie and Zavier Scott.
Up front, Maine was in the top half of the FCS last year in both pass blocking and run blocking, according to Pro Football Focus. The Black Bears posted a pass blocking grade of 62.1 (66th nationally) and a run blocking grade of 59.6 (58th nationally). They return four O-Linemen who logged 400-plus snaps last season. The name to know is Michael Gerace. Now a grad student, the center was an All-CAA first-team selection in 2021. He's started 35 games since 2018, and he'll be the anchor of a group that has to pave the way for running back Freddie Brock, who starred with 10 total touchdowns for Maine last year.
Defense: This is the unit to watch in the first year of Stevens' stay. After all, it's where the former defensive end's background lies. Maine's "Black Hole" defense was underwhelming last season. The Black Bears gave up 5.94 yards per play, which was 11th in the CAA.
Stevens has some pieces to play with in Year One. Even though Maine lost stud linebacker Ray Miller—he totaled 103 tackles in his graduate year—the Black Bears still have a good bit of talent in the second level. The upperclassmen tandem of Xavier Nurse and Adrian Otero combined for 123 tackles and 6.5 TFLs last year. Maine has the makings of a decent CAA front seven, with Khairi Manns holding down the fort on the defensive line. Manns piled up six TFLs and was tied with Miller for the team lead with three sacks last year. He also posted the second-best PFF passing rushing grade (77.5) of any Black Bear in 2021.
The back end will be important to watch, particularly against BC, given that Maine was only middle of the pack in passing yards allowed last season. The Black Bears conceded 225.5 yards per game through the air, ranking 67th in the FCS in that category. They also were 90th in PFF coverage grade (74.2). Maine should be fine at safety, where it has the pairing of Shakur Smalls and Robbie Riobe. Smalls, in particular, shined last year, tallying six pass break-ups, 53 total tackles, two forced fumbles and two interceptions. Corner will be a greater area of concern, although the Black Bears are bringing back Kahzir "Buggs" Brown—a 6-foot-3 defensive back from Trenton, New Jersey, who nabbed a team-high three picks last season.
Special Teams: Maine doesn't have its top punter (David Gelb) and place kicker (Johnny Messina) from 2021. Instead, Brian Cooey and Cole Baker appear to be their respective placements. Both saw the field last season. Cooey averaged 36.7 yards per punt on 13 boots, while Baker made his lone field goal attempt, which was a 24-yarder. Luckily for the Black Bears, they are bringing back Hennie, their leading punt returner from last year.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
720 — rushing yards registered by running back Freddie Brock in 2021. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry.9 — number of turnovers Maine committed last year, tied for the second fewest in the FCS. The Black Bears created only 15 giveaways yet ranked tied for 21st nationally in turnover margin (plus-six).
1.36 — sacks per game allowed by Maine in 2021. That mark was tied for 22nd in the FCS.
ESPN FPI
The database gives BC a 94.9% chance of beating Maine in Week 3.OUTLOOK
BC should be able to roll over the Black Bears in Week 3. If the Eagles take a loss at Virginia Tech, this will serve as a perfect bounce-back opportunity.Continuity at quarterback and a few skill positions is always essential for an FCS team hunting for a "buy game" upset. And, while Maine has pieces to fit the bill, it's unlikely to pull off that kind of heist in Alumni Stadium.
BC will likely have this matchup in the bag by halftime.
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