On the road again.

Four words to strike terror into the heart of a University of Maine football fan. Four words that have come to symbolize frustration for the Black Bears.

Twelve times in three seasons under head coach Kirk Ferentz the Bears have boarded a bus or a plane to travel to a foe’s home field. Twelve times they’ve returned to Orono with a loss. Take it back the year before Ferentz arrived, to the ’89 season which ended with a road playoff loss, and Maine is road-for-13, a nasty stat, particularly when placed along side the program’s 10-6 home record over the same span.

Ending its reputation as the Yankee Conference’s road kill will be one of the goals when Maine (4-2, 2-1 YC) takes the field at Memorial Stadium in Storrs, Conn., Saturday at 1 p.m. against UConn (2-4, 1-2).

“We’ve got to change that this week, it’s as simple as that,” is how UM fifth-year senior tailback Ben Sirmans is approaching the road losing skid.

Sirmans, who was a sophomore when Maine last tasted victory away from home on Nov. 11, 1989, with a 29-26 win at Northeastern, has no explanation for why the streak has dragged on so long.

“When we’re on the road, we’re ready to play,” said Sirmans, who enters UConn as Maine’s leading ground-gainer with 571 yards. “We’re jacked up. I know at Richmond (a 28-6 loss Oct. 3) we were more jacked up in the locker room than at any other game this year. Things just didn’t go our way.”

Ferentz knows the streak has begun to weigh on the program. So he hasn’t hesitated to make it an issue.

“No question, getting a win on the road would mean we’d achieved another goal,” said Ferentz, noting Maine has already surpassed its win total of the past two seasons. “Our players are aware of it. They know it’s dragged on too long. I don’t know why. We prepare the same way whether we’re home or away. To me, a football field is the same no matter where it’s located.”

On paper, Maine’s chances of ending the streak look good.

Connecticut is struggling, having lost its last two games, including a 20-7 decision last week at UMass. There is a growing quarterback controversy featuring sophomore starter Tom DeSarno and freshman Zeke Rogers.

What’s more, the Associated Press reported Friday 10th-year UConn head coach Tom Jackson’s job security is in question.

Ferentz isn’t buying into the disarray-equals-a-soft-opponent theory, however.

“I think we’re going into a bees nest. Connecticut has played some tough teams and they’ve played hard. It’s their homecoming, so they’ll be doubly motivated. We’re going to have to play our best football to beat them,” Ferentz said.

If there’s a single key to stopping UConn, it will be containing the Huskies’ ground attack. Alternating tailbacks Ed Long (556 yds) and Wilbur Gilliard (359) have accounted for nearly 50 percent of UConn’s total yardage to date.

“We want to force them to throw the football,” said Ferentz, who is a UConn graduate.

If DeSarno or the untested Rogers have to pass, they’ll find a Maine defense that leads the conference with 16 interceptions licking its chops.

Offensively, Maine wants to get off to a quick start and put UConn in a hole.

“I think the first quarter will be critical,” Ferentz said.