The Black Bears will play in the national semifinals for the first time in school history next weekend.
The University of Maine football team has gone from an afterthought in its own league to one of the final four teams standing in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
The Black Bears were picked to finish eighth in the Colonial Athletic Association preseason poll. After Friday night’s 23-18 win over Weber State, they’re in the national semifinals for the first time.
In a joyous locker room after the game, Coach Joe Harasymiak – who choked up during his on-field post-game interview while reflecting on the season – had a simple message for his players: “Right now, as of this, you’re the best team to ever play at the University of Maine.”
It’s hard to disagree. Maine did participate in the 1965 Tangerine Bowl, but its seven previous forays into the NCAA playoffs never got past the quarterfinals, where the Black Bears were 0-3 before Friday night’s game.
“It’s unbelievable, honestly,” senior tight end Drew Belcher said Saturday afternoon. “I woke up this morning and almost didn’t think it was real. To be where we were at, last year we were 4-6, two years before we were 3-8, to just to go from that to being one of the final four teams left? It’s tremendous. It’s an unbelievable feeling.”
Maine (10-3) will play in the semifinals at Eastern Washington or UC Davis next Friday (8 p.m.) or Saturday (2 p.m.).
The Black Bear offense made just enough big plays Friday night – including a 67-yard touchdown pass from Chris Ferguson to Earnest Edwards and a clinching 45-yard run by Ramon Jefferson – to hold the lead.
