(STATS) – FCS wins over the FBS have slowed considerably since the first full weekend of the season, with teams a collective 6-83 heading into Saturday, when there will be six of the final 21 matchups.
But one of the games offers a superb opportunity: No. 13 Maine travels to Central Michigan, seeking to become the first FCS team to beat two FBS programs in the same season since Portland State in 2015.
The Black Bears (2-0) beat Western Kentucky 31-28 on Sept. 8 – the only FCS win over the FBS in the last two weeks. No other subdivision team with a remaining FBS opponent has a win over one this season.
Central Michigan enters the matchup a bit desperate at 0-3. But the Chippewas from the Mid-American Conference finished 8-5 a year ago and has appeared in bowl games each of the last four seasons.
“I think they’re going to be extremely hungry coming into this game to get their first win of the year. We just have to be ready to go again on the road at an FBS opponent,” Maine third-year coach Joe Harasymiak said.
Maine had a bye week between its two FBS games, so it was well-timed to get the Black Bears rested and healthier for its first-ever game against Central Michigan. The CAA Football program is 3-16 all-time against FBS opponents.
“Every game is different and every game is independent, so nothing we did against New Hampshire and against Western Kentucky has anything to do with what’s going to happen versus Central Michigan,” Harasymiak said. “We cannot be overconfident and just say, ‘Hey, all right, we already beat an FBS, let’s just show up.’ Obviously, I don’t think over kids are going to do that, but you never know.”
Two other teams in the STATS FCS Top 25 are facing FBS opponents on Saturday: No. 9 McNeese (3-0) at BYU (2-1) and No. 16 Illinois State (2-0) at Colorado State (1-3). In addition, North Carolina Central (1-1) will travel across town to face Duke (3-0), Gardner-Webb (1-2) visits Appalachian State (1-1) and Texas Southern (1-2) takes on Houston (2-1).
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