Know the opponent: Maine

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – With the 2017 Bryant University football season two months away, Bryant Athletics will take a look at all 11 opponents the Bulldogs will face this season.

In week 2, the Bulldogs will make the trek up to Orono, Maine, to take on the University of Maine. It will be Bryant's second-longest trip of the year.

Opponent: Maine (Website)

Date|Time: Saturday, Sept. 9|TBA 

Location: Morse Field at Harold Alfond Sports Stadium (Orono, Maine)

All-time series: Maine leads, 4-1

First played: Sept. 3, 2011 | Maine 28, Bryant 13 (Orono, Maine)

Last played: Oct. 1, 2016 | Maine 35, Bryant 31 (Orono, Maine)

Series History: Bryant and Maine will be meeting for the sixth time in the last seven years when they line up against each other in week 2. The Black Bears hold a 4-1 lead in the all-time series and are a perfect 3-0 against the Bulldogs in Orono.

The Black and Gold's only win in the series came back in 2014 (13-10) when they stunned the No. 20-ranked Black Bears in Smithfield. Maine, however, has won each of the other four meetings and is averaging 37 points per game in those contests.

Last time they met: Bryant raced out to a 21-0 lead in the first half and led 31-14 with 3:57 to go in the third quarter but Maine rallied for a 35-31 victory last season in Orono. Touchdown receptions from Keenan Thompson and Matt Sewall (Portsmouth, R.I.) (2) gave the Black and Gold a 21-0 lead but the Black Bears would score on five-straight possessions to complete the comeback.

Sewall would finish the game with a program record-tying three touchdown receptions, and also became the first wide receiver in program history to lead the team in rushing and receiving.

Throwback: Bryant's only victory in the brief five-game series was a thrilling one. Two weeks removed from a huge season-opening victory over Stony Brook, the Black and Gold used a vicious defense and an incredible individual effort to stun the nation's 20th-ranked team, 13-10. The Bulldogs held the Black Bears to just 277 yards of total offense, just 13 first downs and held them to 3-of-13 on third down conversions. It was enough to keep them in the game as Chad Ward's 14-yard touchdown reception with 2:04 left was the only scoring of the second half and proved to the be the game winner.

Earlier in the drive, Ward made an incredible catch on a trick play in which running back Ricardo McCray received the handoff before tossing it back to quarterback Dalton Easton. Ward then made a leaping David Tyree-type catch. The reception put the Bulldogs into Maine territory and two plays later Ward's number was called again. He caught the ball around the Maine 10, made one man miss and then dove with his arm outstretched towards the pylon, just getting the ball across the goal line.