Victory today would be icing on Bears’ cake

Forget the difference between finishing 7-4 or 6-5.

Forget the remote chance a win could result in an at-large berth to the I-AA playoffs.

According to University of Maine football coach Kirk Ferentz, the only thing that should matter to the Black Bears as they take on seventh-ranked Villanova University Saturday at Villanova (Pa.) Stadium in the regular-season finale (1:30 p.m.), is how far Maine’s veteran players have come since they last faced the Wildcats 21 games ago in last year’s season opener.

“I think this will be a good measuring stick to find out what kind of progress we’ve made,” said Ferentz, whose 6-4 team (4-3 Yankee Conference) will put a two-game win streak on the line against the 8-2 Wildcats (5-2 YC).

“They’re still an excellent football team, every bit as good as they were last year,” continued Ferentz, referring to ‘Nova’s run to the conference title last season, which included an easy 48-7 win over Maine. “Hopefully, we’re a little bit better. We’ll find out how much ground we’ve covered.”

Covering ground is probably an apt summation of how this contest stacks up. Both teams have played macho football all season, with emphasis on the ground game and defending against the ground game.

Statistically, this is a tossup.

Maine ranks second in the conference in rushing offense (210.7 yards per game). Villanova ranks fourth (185.7 ypg).

Maine’s passing offense ranks fifth (189.3 ypg). Villanova’s air game ranks sixth (183.3 ypg).

Put them together and you’ve got the conference’s No. 4 overall offense in Maine facing No. 5 in the Wildcats.

Villanova’s rushing defense ranks first (78.4 ypg). Maine’s defense against the run ranks second (118.1 ypg).

Villanova’s pass defense ranks sixth (203.7 ypg). Maine’s air defense is rated ninth (228.9 ypg).

Put them together and it’s ‘Nova’s No. 2 YC defense against No. 4 Maine.

The difference between the two teams on paper is slight enough to give ‘Nova head coach Andy Talley a headache.

“Maine is not the team we want to be playing right now,” said Talley, whose team appears all but assured an at-large berth to the I-AA playoffs, win or lose. “Right now, Maine is playing as well as anyone in the league, ourselves included.”

Talley said his squad, which can finish no better than second in the conference behind Delaware (7-1), cannot afford to let Maine slide by.

“We’re looking at this game as the start of the playoffs for us. We can’t be absolutely sure we’ll even be going unless we win this game. And we sure don’t want to go into the playoffs coming off a loss. I think this game will tell us a lot about ourselves and how bad we want it.”

The contest will probably mark the final appearance for Maine’s 18 seniors, unless something bizarre happens. How bizarre?

If Maine wins, New Hampshire beats UMass, and William & Mary beats Richmond, Black Bear Athletic Director Mike Ploszek said he will petition the NCAA to include Maine in the playoffs. Under that scenario, the Bears would be tied for second in the YC with ‘Nova, UMass, and Richmond, with wins over ‘Nova and UMass.

Barring that, senior tailback Ben Sirmans, the conference’s No. 2 rusher with 1,150 yards, will be looking to go out in style. So will senior inside linebacker Dan Girard, the league’s No. 3 tackler with 130 stops.

Also finishing their careers will be: safety Lance Boston, tight end Shawn Campbell, cornerback Bill Curry, offensive guard Dick Donahue, center Paul Fuller (who probably won’t play because of a back injury), linebacker Lorenzo Harris, offensive tackle Dan Jones, offensive guard Chuck Keegan, tight end Adam Knudsen, defensive end Corey Parker, linebacker Rob Pauleus, tight end and kicker Mark Shaw, linebacker Ron Springer, flanker Tony Szydlowski, kicker Matt Tobin, and fullback Gordon Willey.