Is there anything sweeter than what the UNH football team will be embarking on this weekend? Head coach Sean McDonnell doesn't think so.
Playing against the most heated rival in program history, on the final day of the season, with the division title, playoff hopes and what could be the coolest trophy in sport all on the line.
Yeah, that is pretty sweet.
"What would you rather be doing on November 22 in Orono, Maine than playing for the North Division championship?" asked McDonnell. "Nothing else."
All eyes will be on Orono this Saturday when the No. 11 Wildcats (8-2, 5-2 CAA) travel to take on the No. 17 Black Bears of Maine (8-3, 5-2 CAA). The two teams are tied for first in the North Division of the Colonial Athletic Association and the winner will get their ticket punched for the FCS playoffs, scheduled to start Nov. 29.
In recent years, the Wildcats have had the upper hand in this series, beating Maine the last five times. UNH leads the series 46-43-8, which started back in 1903.
A victory will give UNH their first North Division title since the CAA came into existence in 2007. Back when the conference was known as the Atlantic 10, McDonnell and his boys won two division titles in 2004 and 2005, respectively.
And of course, who could forget about the Brice-Cowell Musket, awarded to the winner of the game. A tradition that began in the 1940s, the musket currently hangs in the Wildcats' locker room and that is where McDonnell would like it to stay.
"The musket is right in the locker room," said McDonnell. "And when we got done with the game Saturday, I pointed right to it. That's something we want to keep here."
Maine is on a hot streak like no other, winning their last six contests after starting the season 2-3. They are recently coming off a victory over Rhode Island, where Maine allowed the Rams just seven points.
To say the Maine offense is the opposite of the Wildcats' offense is an understatement. While it's no secret McDonnell favors the air attack, the Black Bears are all about running the ball.
The quartet of backs that Maine uses-Jhamal Fluellen, Jared Turcotte, Derek Session and Pushaun Brown-are nothing compared to the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame, but they get the job done, ranking second in the conference in average team rush yards per game with 201.
Some of that success should be attributed to the Black Bears' offensive line. The same five players have started in the same position every game for head coach Jack Cosgrove this year.
"We are a run-stopping defense," said senior defensive back John Clements. "We've done a good job stopping the run, so it is going to be a game of who can stop it. We want to make them throw the ball."
If the Wildcats cannot pull out a win this Saturday, the chance of a playoff berth would diminish, but not necessarily vanish. On paper, an 8-3 record is very strong and many would believe that it would warrant a spot in the playoffs, including McDonnell.
"I believe we are one of the top 16 teams in country," he said. "We have not been in a bad situation in a football game all year. It's hard to see us not get in at 8-3. We have to control what we do."
The factors against the Wildcats would be two-fold. First, a spot may not be available for an 8-3 team after the eight automatic bid and upper echelon teams are selected by the 10-person committee for the 16-team field.
Second, unlike last year, the chance of the committee choosing five teams from the CAA is highly unlikely. James Madison is already in, having locked up the CAA automatic bid last week. And whichever team wins the North will definitely be chosen.
From there, it is a tossup. Villanova will probably be selected and there are strong cases for Richmond and William & Mary, who play each other this Saturday. If UNH is unsuccessful, keep an eye on that game, as it could affect the Wildcats' future.
It is confusing, but after the selection show, which will air Sunday at 7 p.m., it should all make sense, with UNH being one of the 16 teams that are playoff bound.
But that situation is not at the forefront of the Wildcats' minds. They are focused on the battle at Orono, most likely on a frozen tundra (expected temperature is 28 degrees), and all the goodness that will come with a win.
"It is awesome," said sophomore R.J. Toman. "When you get the chance to realize this could be it for the seniors and on top of that, it's Maine week. It has a double meaning. It's do or die and we have worked very hard to be able to keep going."
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