The 99th meeting in the Maine/New Hampshire rivalry this Saturday has significant postseason implications for both teams. Yet both head coaches agree their eyes are mainly on the immediate prize, the Brice-Cowell Musket.
“It’s pretty simple for us, it’s the musket, because that has a history to it,” Maine head coach Jack Cosgrove said when asked about the implications of the game (noon, Comcast Sportsnet New England).
“The game is special,” UNH head coach Sean McDonnell said, “But it got a lot more special when you put something that you can carry off the field and have in your locker room for a year and be part of a tradition that I think is great not only for New England college football but all college football.”
The musket currently calls Orono home after Maine’s 16-13 overtime victory last season. UNH leads the all-time series, 47-43-8.
No. 11 Maine (9-1, 6-1 in the CAA) virtually clinched its first appearance in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs since 2008 with last week’s 32-21 victory over Massachusetts. The Black Bears could win the CAA title and secure an automatic playoff bid with a win at No. 12 UNH (7-3, 5-2) and a Towson loss to Rhode Island on Saturday.
“It’s exciting,” Cosgrove said. “Believe me, I’m more excited for our seniors and the program and the kids in it than I’m probably letting on, simply because I think the challenge that we’ve gone through from last year to this: the growth, the development and all of the things that have taken place internally here, have really got us very excited about where we’re at and what’s in front of us.”
UNH needs a win to virtually guarantee an at-large bid in the playoffs.
Cosgrove said he is impressed with UNH senior quarterback Kevin Decker, the conference’s top passer with a 71.2 percent completion rate, 2,869 yards and 17 touchdowns. Decker spreads the ball around to wide receivers R.J. Harris and Joey Orlando and running back Dontra Peters, who is second in the CAA in all-purpose yards with 1,493.
“They keep coming at you with guys,” Cosgrove said.
Maine junior linebacker Troy Russell, who was named CAA Defensive Player of the Week after posting a sack and a forced fumble and returning another fumble 60 yards for a touchdown against UMass, leads a defense that is ranked No. 1 in the conference against the pass (188.7 yards per game).
The offense got a boost last week with the return of senior running back Pushaun Brown from a nagging thigh injury. Brown rushed 26 times for 144 yards and a score.
“He played very well for us,” Cosgrove said. “You can’t make up for the experience and the toughness and the know-how that you get from a senior back.”
For the last couple of week, Cosgrove has been fielding questions about whether the Black Bears could draw a home playoff game if they win the conference. The coach said that is up to the NCAA selection committee when it determines the playoff field on Sunday. All his team can control is what happens Saturday in Durham.
“If we take care of business there, it can only mean good things,” he said.
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