Football games are won and lost on third downs.

If your offense can convert third downs into first downs, it keeps possession of the ball and can continue driving for a score.

If your defense stops the opponents on third down, they usually punt and your offense gets to trot onto the field.

For the University of Maine’s football team, inefficiency on third down on both sides of the football has been costly and a key contributor to its third 0-4 start in four seasons.

So far this season, the UMaine offense is converting on only 22.4 percent of its third downs (11-for-43) and that ranks the Black Bears 121st among 126 Football Championship Subdivision teams in that category.

The defense hasn’t been much better as opponents have converted on 48.3 percent of their third down chances (29-fo

See Full Page