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Maine vs. Nebraska Weekly Release
Aug. 30, 2005
Complete Release in PDF Format
SCOUTING NEBRASKA Nebraska returns 13 starters (7 offense, 5 defense, 1 kicker) and 40 letterwinners (18 offense, 19 defense, 3 specialists) from its 2004 squad which produced a 5-6 record. The Huskers failed to qualify for a bowl and snapped their streak of 35-consecutive seasons appearing in a bowl. However, Nebraska's 3-5 conference record left it just a game out of first place in the Big 12 North Division race, behind Colorado and Iowa State. The Huskers will have an influx of first-year players in 2005, as they welcome 31 newcomers, including 19 true freshmen and 12 junior college transfers. NEBRASKA COACH BILL CALLAHAN Bill Callahan enters his second season as head coach of the Nebraska football program. In his first season in Lincoln in 2004, Callahan posted a 5-6 record and just missed out on qualifying for a post-season bowl after dropping a 26-20 decision to Colorado in the season finale. Prior to coming to Nebraska, he served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders and led them to the 2002 AFC Championship and a berth in Super Bowl XXXVII. Callahan is a 1978 graduate of Illinois Benedictine College. LAST MEETING Maine and Nebraska are meeting for the first time. WHEN THE NCAA SPLIT BETWEEN DIVISION I-A & I-AA Beginning with the 1978 season, the NCAA split Division I football into the two categories of I-A and I-AA to level out the playing field in terms of scholarships handed out from schools. The Division I-A level consists of 119 teams with each carrying a maximum of 85 scholarship players. The I-AA level is comprised of 120 programs with half of those carrying a maximum 65 scholarship players. The other half of I-AA are non-scholarship programs and are considered mid-majors. MAINE VS. I-A COMPETITION The Black Bears are 1-2 all-time against Division I-A teams. LAST TIME VERSUS I-A OPPONENT (Maine 9, Mississippi State 7) Maine scored one of the biggest victories in program history on Sept. 18, 2004, when it defeated Mississippi State, 9-7, in Starkville, Miss. Ron Whitcomb threw a game-winning 17-yard touchdown pass to Kevin McMahan with 2:55 remaining and the Black Bears stopped the Bulldogs twice in the final minutes to pull off the upset win. A play before the winning touchdown pass, Whitcomb completed a 25-yard pass across the middle to Ryan Waller on a third-and-15. Mississippi State, which committed three turnovers deep in Maine territory, blocked the extra point attempt, but the Bulldogs failed to reach field-goal range on their last two drives. Whitcomb threw for 124 yards and the lone touchdown, while Marcus Williams ran for 58 yards on 17 carries for Maine. Senior defensive back Brandon McGowan paced Maine defensively, as he tallied 12 total tackles, including two tackles for loss for minus-29 yards. Daren Stone recorded 11 tackles, while Jermaine Walker had eight stops and a sack. NEBRASKA TO OPEN SECOND-STRAIGHT SEASON VERSUS DIVISION I-AA OPPONENT Nebraska's game with Maine will mark the second-consecutive season it will open with a I-AA opponent. The Huskers opened the 20004 campaign -- Callahan's first game as Nebraska's head coach -- with a 56-17 victory over Western Illinois in Lincoln. LARGEST CROWD EVER EXPECTED TO WATCH BLACK BEARS IN FOOTBALL An expected sellout crowd of 73,918 will watch the battle between the Black Bears and Huskers on the gridiron. The expected turnout would be the largest crowd to ever watch Maine play a football game, besting the old mark of 43,486 at Mississippi State in 2004. NEBRASKA OWNS NCAA RECORD WITH 268-CONSECUTIVE HOME SELLOUTS AT MEMORIAL STADIUM Nebraska's current streak of 268-consecutive home sellouts at Memorial Stadium is an NCAA record. The streak dates back to the 1962 season. The Huskers have compiled a 237-31 record during the streak, including a 105-8 mark the last 17 seasons. They have won at least six home games in 17 of the past 18 seasons. NEW FACE Nebraska will be the 75th different opponent Maine will have played in the program's history. THERE IS "NO" RELATION WITH THE COSGROVES Maine head coach Jack Cosgrove and Nebraska defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove share the same last name, but are not related. BLACK BEARS ALL-TIME IN SEASON OPENERS Maine is 57-52-4 all-time in season openers, including losing the last two. BLACK BEARS AND BEING AWAY FROM ORONO FOR SEASON OPENERS RECENTLY Maine will be opening a season away from Orono for the eighth time in the last 10 seasons. Four of those contests were designated as home games, but were played at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, Maine. Maine is 4-3 on the road and 5-4 overall in its last nine season openers. MAINE DOING WELL ON ROAD VERSUS NON-CONFERENCE FOES The Black Bears sport an impressive 6-3 road record versus non-conference foes since the 2000 season, including a pair of wins in the I-AA playoffs (McNeese State in 2001 and Appalachian State in 2002). MAINE TO FACE BOSTON COLLEGE IN 2006
In addition to facing I-A Nebraska this season, the Black Bears will also face I-A opponent and ACC-foe Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass., during the 2006 season.
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