By Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

'CAT TALE: Any chance the University of New Hampshire had of reaching the postseason this year likely evaporated following the team's 27-7 loss to Massachusetts on Saturday.

UNH quarterback Ricky Santos was sacked eight times and the team's only touchdown came on Chad Kackert's 1-yard TD run. He led UNH's ground game with 30 yards on nine carries.

UMass led 10-7 at halftime and outscored UNH 17-0 in the final two quarters. The loss dropped UNH's record to 6-4 overall and 3-4 in the Colonial Athletic Association.

"Very good football team (UMass) and better than us again on that day," UNH coach Sean McDonnell said. "They did the things in the second half of the game that they needed to do to win the football game. Disappointing loss to say the least."

NUMBERS GAME: UNH ranks last among the 12 Colonial Athletic Association teams in pass defense (252.9 yards per game) and total defense (445.6 yards per game).

LOOKING AHEAD: UNH will take on Maine in what will likely be the final game of the season for both teams Saturday at Cowell Stadium (noon). Maine (4-6, 3-4) stretched its winning streak to three games by beating Rhode Island 35-0 Saturday. The winning streak followed a six-game losing streak.

The Black Bears are 11th among CAA teams in both scoring offense (17.2 points per game) and total offense (3.6.8 yards per game).

WORD PLAY: "One of the best teams in the league is coming in right now the way they're playing," McDonnell said. "They're a tremendous defensive football team up front. Big, big challenge for this football program after two tough losses to get up off its feet and get ready to go.

"Right now we have to find a way to make things happen to get (victory) No. 7 and send these seniors off who have done so well for us on the right note. The guys who are graduated from this football program have invested an awful lot. It's important to understand that they want to go out of here with a win."

NOTEWORTHY: UNH wide receiver Keith LeVan made nine catches for 100 yards in the loss to UMass and passed David Gamble for fourth place on UNH's all-time reception list with 190. ... Maine's Jhamal Fluellen gained 84 yards on 20 carries against Rhode Island to become the sixth player in the program's history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. Fluellen is averaging 102.1 yards per game, which is sixth in the CAA. ... The all-time series between UNH and Maine is 43-43-8. UNH beat Maine 19-13 in overtime last year, and has won the last four meetings.