Maine Football enters 2014 at number 15 in our rankings. Check out our Top 25 Season Preview for more on the top college teams to watch this fall. Can’t find your team in the Top 25? View our full rankings to see where every team stands.
Last Season: 10-3 (7-1) Colonial Athletic Association
Maine football had their best season in recent memory in 2013, winning the Colonial Athletic Association with a 10-2 record. Their 5,158 total yards set a new school single-season record and they earned the right to host their first ever FCS playoff game, which they played December 7 against New Hampshire.
It was the second straight week the Black Bears played the Wildcats, after New Hampshire handed Maine their second loss of the season in the regular season finale, 24-3. The playoff game went a little better, but ultimately ended with the same result – a loss, this time with a final score of 41-27.
Dearly Departed
-Marcus Wasilewski QB – 276/409 (67.5%), 3,238 yards, 25 TDs, 9 INTs, 156 carries, 532 yards, 3 TDs
-John Ebeling WR – 60 catches, 647 yards, 6 TDs
-Derrick Johnson WR – 60 catches, 608 yards, 2 TDs
-Ricky Stevens RB – 128 carries, 757 yards, 6 TDs
-Justin Perillo TE – Third team FCS All-American, 39 catches, 490 yards, 4 TDs
-Michael Cole DL – 27 tackles, 11 TFL, 8 sacks, 1 INT
-Troy Eastman LB – 78 tackles, 2 INTs
-Kendall James DB – Third team FCS All-American, 36 tackles, 2 INTs,
What to Watch For
New Sheriff in Town – Marcus Wasilewski is gone. The two-year starter finished his career with 5,612 passing yards, 46 TDs, and 20 INTs. It will be up to redshirt sophomore Daniel Collins to replace him, and he’ll do so without top receivers Derrick Johnson and John Ebeling who graduated last spring.
Expectations
Maine won the CAA last season on the arm of a veteran quarterback and the backs of some talented defensive players. That quarterback, his top receivers, and several of those defensive players are gone, while their replacements are young, inexperienced in many cases, and not yet up to the level the fans have come to expect now that they’ve seen a home playoff game. With teams like New Hampshire (who beat the Black Bears in both meetings last season), Towson (who played in the National Championship game), and even up-and-comers Villanova and William & Mary in their conference, Maine will have to figure out their problem areas quickly if they want to stay atop the CAA. Don’t be surprised if they can’t.
