Maine fans....Whatup?!?!

[Tribe4SF]

Have to say I was stunned at the difficulty the Black Bears had putting away St. Cloud St., a team that lost to Augustana 38-16 last week. Would appreciate some takes from the Maine faithful.

[Dane96]

Depending on how our O-Line plays...gotta tell ya, that score gives me confidence in playing the Black Bears.

[Tribe4SF]

Depending on how our O-Line plays...gotta tell ya, that score gives me confidence in playing the Black Bears.

And well it should. Cosgrove shrugged off the suggestion that the BBears took St. Cloud lightly. If they didn't, and Maine played hard, you have to wonder what the state of the team is at this point. The stats and recap of the game indicate a very competitive contest throughout. No huge turnover disparity, or strange circumstances to explain how close the score was.

[EmeryZach]

Maine defense just couldn't stop them. The defensive backs looked pretty bad in this game.

[NHwildEcat]

I am hoping they play like this throughout the season :)

[theasushow]

haha listen to us..."st. cloud state??? maine gets taken to OT by St. Cloud state?" reminds me of all those bcs school saying "wofford, we're playing wofford?" wonder if St. Cloud State is at home saying "one day those fcs schools will give little schools like us a little more respect".
i will admit tho....maine was taken to OT by ST. CLOUD STATE???

[NHwildEcat]

haha listen to us..."st. cloud state??? maine gets taken to OT by St. Cloud state?" reminds me of all those bcs school saying "wofford, we're playing wofford?" wonder if St. Cloud State is at home saying "one day those fcs schools will give little schools like us a little more respect".
i will admit tho....maine was taken to OT by ST. CLOUD STATE???

Very valid point...:D

[Redbird Ray]

Maybe the CAA won't get 5 bids this year after all

[89Hen]

If they didn't, and Maine played hard, you have to wonder what the state of the team is at this point.
I couldn't believe the ticker when I saw that last night. xsmhx

[89Hen]

haha listen to us..."st. cloud state??? maine gets taken to OT by St. Cloud state?" reminds me of all those bcs school saying "wofford, we're playing wofford?" wonder if St. Cloud State is at home saying "one day those fcs schools will give little schools like us a little more respect".
i will admit tho....maine was taken to OT by ST. CLOUD STATE???


Very valid point...:D
Not really. If SCSU was a good DII, then the point would be valid. Maine was expected to challenge for a playoff spot and SCSU hasn't won a DII playoff game in 20 years. This should have been a 21+ victory.

[Tribe4SF]

haha listen to us..."st. cloud state??? maine gets taken to OT by St. Cloud state?" reminds me of all those bcs school saying "wofford, we're playing wofford?" wonder if St. Cloud State is at home saying "one day those fcs schools will give little schools like us a little more respect".
i will admit tho....maine was taken to OT by ST. CLOUD STATE???

Unless St. Cloud was sandbagging against Augustana last week, this wasn't a game that anyone would have expected to be that close. Noone in FCS expects to play very close against a top 20 FBS team. Maine was expected to be a top 20 FCS team this year so when a middle-of-the-road Div. II squad gives them all they can handle it's worthy of discussion.

[darell1976]

haha listen to us..."st. cloud state??? maine gets taken to OT by St. Cloud state?" reminds me of all those bcs school saying "wofford, we're playing wofford?" wonder if St. Cloud State is at home saying "one day those fcs schools will give little schools like us a little more respect".
i will admit tho....maine was taken to OT by ST. CLOUD STATE???

Thats what UNI thought about UND when we were in D2 and we took them to school, same with NDSU/Montana. Just because they are D2 you need to show them some respect and come to play or they will beat you.

[Ronbo]

What ever happened to MaineJeff?

[89Hen]

Thats what UNI thought about UND when we were in D2 and we took them to school, same with NDSU/Montana. Just because they are D2 you need to show them some respect and come to play or they will beat you.
UND and NDSU >>> St Could State xthumbsupx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

This just in: when you schedule games against sub-D-I teams, sometimes you lose, or it's much closer than you would like. Last year Texas State had all they could handle from Angelo State but they won 21-14. The Bobkittes went on to win the Southland autobid and give Montana a scare in the playoffs.

If Maine had lost, that would have said something - but they didn't. The Black Bears will take the 'W' and go on. I wouldn't read too much into this.

[andy7171]

D.II schools play FCS schools with as much heart and emotion as FCS schools playing the FBS. Add to the mix it's hard the bigger school to get up when the competition is below their standards.

[OL FU]

This just in: when you schedule games against sub-D-I teams, sometimes you lose, or it's much closer than you would like. Last year Texas State had all they could handle from Angelo State but they won 21-14. The Bobkittes went on to win the Southland autobid and give Montana a scare in the playoffs.

If Maine had lost, that would have said something - but they didn't. The Black Bears will take the 'W' and go on. I wouldn't read too much into this.

I agree. Things happen expecially first games. I don't put too much stock in close FBS losses and don't put too much stock in close DII wins.

as I mentioned in another thread, in '85 FU lost to Newberry and then went on to play in the NC game. FU did have some injuries but the enthusiam on the Newberry sidelines was a great equalizer in the game. Probably wouldn't have been close again if we had played 10 more times that season but the stars were aligned for the upset that day. Could be the same here with Maine.

[Ronbo]

This just in: when you schedule games against sub-D-I teams, sometimes you lose, or it's much closer than you would like. Last year Texas State had all they could handle from Angelo State but they won 21-14. The Bobkittes went on to win the Southland autobid and give Montana a scare in the playoffs.

If Maine had lost, that would have said something - but they didn't. The Black Bears will take the 'W' and go on. I wouldn't read too much into this.

Thanks for the great compliment. 31-13 is a scare to Montana.xnodx

[MplsBison]

And well it should. Cosgrove shrugged off the suggestion that the BBears took St. Cloud lightly. If they didn't, and Maine played hard, you have to wonder what the state of the team is at this point. The stats and recap of the game indicate a very competitive contest throughout. No huge turnover disparity, or strange circumstances to explain how close the score was.

For what it's worth, both Saint Cloud and Duluth get a LOT of twin cities kids, both in general for the school and on the football team. TC high school football, while not at the level of southern schools in TX, FL, etc., is pretty decent. A lot of athletes who get overlooked go to those teams. See Duluth winning the DII national championship last season for more proof.

[GannonFan]

You know, Maine did lose some significant pieces from a team that just barely eeked into the playoffs last year and was summarily beaten fairly easily in the first round. Considering that a lot of prognosticators had Maine as the 3rd place team in the CAA North (the weaker of the two divisions) it is possible that this game was not a fluke and that Maine just isn't that good this year. We'll get that answer next Saturday as they go to Parsons to play a pretty average Northeastern team.

[dgreco]

and they had to backs out. That hurts a team early on who can't control the ball.

[aceinthehole]

Not really. If SCSU was a good DII, then the point would be valid. Maine was expected to challenge for a playoff spot and SCSU hasn't won a DII playoff game in 20 years. This should have been a 21+ victory.

Yes the have! Well, the other D-II SCSU (Southern Connecticut State University) team has. :p

[Tribe4SF]

and they had to backs out. That hurts a team early on who can't control the ball.

I can understand Maine's offense being limited, but their defense is always their real strength, and it sounds like they are not as good this year. They lost some very good defensive players, and it may be that the cupboard is leaner now than in the past.

[NFLCB2]

Did the running back Turcotte play this game? I didnt see any stats?

[Tribe4SF]

Yes the have! Well, the other D-II SCSU (Southern Connecticut State University) team has. :p

Are you making the trip to Williamsburg next week?

[Tribe4SF]

Did the running back Turcotte play this game? I didnt see any stats?

No, he was out.

[ChickenMan]

I agree. Things happen expecially first games. I don't put too much stock in close FBS losses and don't put too much stock in close DII wins.

as I mentioned in another thread, in '85 FU lost to Newberry and then went on to play in the NC game. FU did have some injuries but the enthusiam on the Newberry sidelines was a great equalizer in the game. Probably wouldn't have been close again if we had played 10 more times that season but the stars were aligned for the upset that day. Could be the same here with Maine.

I agree.. particularly with opening games. Back in '93 UD lost at home to DII West Chester.. but went on to have a good year making the playoffs and winning at Montana before losing a close one at Marshall.

[aceinthehole]

Are you making the trip to Williamsburg next week?

Right now I'm planning on it.

[GannonFan]

I agree.. particularly with opening games. Back in '93 UD lost at home to DII West Chester.. but went on to have a good year making the playoffs and winning at Montana before losing a close one at Marshall.

Actually, we lost to West Chester in 1992, but still won the A10, and won two playoff games (home against Samford and at top seed NE Louisiana) before losing to Marshall in the game where Vergantino got the flu and couldn't play without puking. xsmhx

[Ivytalk]

What was the announced attendance? Did it break 1,000?xconfusedx

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

What was the announced attendance? Did it break 1,000?xconfusedx

5,300 +/-

[EmeryZach]

The crowd sounded pretty loud, but also silent shock at times.

I'm sure it was a head-scratcher for the Maine fans there. I mean it definitely was a huge surprise to me watching it.

[andy7171]

Right now I'm planning on it.

Well if you like Busch Light, you like SF! :D

[bkrownd]

I'm sure it was a head-scratcher for the Maine fans there. I mean it definitely was a huge surprise to me watching it.

No surprise. Until recently D-2 was to the upper plains what I-AA was to the East Coast. St. Cloud State has 50% more students than the U of Maine. It is the second largest in Minnesota, after the U of M. Has a reputation as a lightweight party school, tho.

[19Duke97]

Most coaches will tell you the most improvement for a team will be made between week 1 and 2. That certainly played in favor for STC, but yeah really Maine should have won this by 3-4 touchdowns.

[caribbeanhen]

Would appreciate some takes from the Maine faithful.

Did he surface yet?

[blukeys]

Maybe the CAA won't get 5 bids this year after all

1 team from the North.
4 teams from the South.

Sounds about right and in keeping with the competitive nature of the CAA.

[PapaBear]

Just back from Orono. I'll weigh in with a few observations.

1. From a purely philosophical viewpoint, if you have to open with a DII game, I'd rather start with a competitive game like this than a 40-0 blowout. I mean, the latter will boost your ego for a day or two, until you start questioning whether your team can respond to competition. This game featured seven lead changes. Maine's O responded every time it had to, and Maine's D responded the one time it really had to -- in OT, when we shut them down like we'd have expected to the whole game.

2. Although we were missing All-American FB Jared Turcotte, I don't think that hurt us. Our run game was fine, once it got on track.

3. Very conservative pass game, as usual. I think we called about 20 pass plays, but Brusko pulled several of them down and ran, because SCS played an incredibly soft, deep zone for most of the game.

4. Had a TD pass dropped in the end zone, and Brusko threw a pick in the end zone after a long drive. Two mistakes that, had we not made them, would have greatly changed the complexion of the game.

5. Kicker/Punter Jordan Waxman was excellent. Put several kickoffs inside the five, and was perfect on XPs and two FGs. That, alone, is reason for optimism.

6. SCS skill players were very good. They had a nice RB, and their QB and receivers were really in synch. They dinked and dunked us to death with stick/stop routes and zone/window routes.

7. First time I had ever seen a team run that U of Nevada "Pistol" offense live. Displays some elements of the Spread (lots of zone blocking).

8. I agree with the Lehigh poster who said, "I wouldn't read too much into this." As evidence, I'd point to the year Maine beat Mississippi State. We finished 5-6 that year.

[Husky Alum]

And Maine has just what the doctor ordered next week....

A visit to Parsons Field.

Not looking good for these Huskies down here.

[BDKJMU]

D.II schools play FCS schools with as much heart and emotion as FCS schools playing the FBS. Add to the mix it's hard the bigger school to get up when the competition is below their standards.

Ding, ding, ding we have a winner.xnodx

[BDKJMU]

I agree.. particularly with opening games. Back in '93 UD lost at home to DII West Chester.. but went on to have a good year making the playoffs and winning at Montana before losing a close one at Marshall.

Wrong sir. UD beat West Chester in 93' In 93' I very well remember (was on JMU's team that year) an undefeated and ranked at the time #2 (I think) Delaware get upset 42-38 by 2-3 unranked JMU in Harrisonburg.
http://www.fanbase.com/Delaware-Fightin-Blue-Hens-Football-1993

[Skjellyfetti]

It was 92 they lost to West Chester

[LacesOut]

8. I agree with the Lehigh poster who said, "I wouldn't read too much into this." As evidence, I'd point to the year Maine beat Mississippi State. We finished 5-6 that year.

This sums it up for me.

Christ, it's I-AA football, meaning a team can lose 3-4 games and still make the playoffs and still do some damage in them.

And I'm pretty sure Maine won this game.

[MaineFan]

Its one game guys chill. The defense was flat out bad. No way around that. On offense Maine was without Turcotte and Williams, and lets face it Maine doesn't have a great passing attack. Take those two away and it hurt a little bit. Maine will be fine, but they have some work to do.

[slycat]

Thanks for the great compliment. 31-13 is a scare to Montana.xnodx

The first half was a different story......