ORONO, Maine - For the second straight season, Maine has a chance to knock the University of Massachusetts out of the postseason picture.

A Colonial Athletic Association team finishing with an 8-3 record is usually guaranteed a trip to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. To reach that magic mark, the Minutemen (4-3, 2-2 CAA) need to win their final four games beginning Saturday at 3:30 at Maine.

Two teams have earned playoff bids at 7-4 in the past, including the Black Bears last year, but the FCS standings this season make it less likely that a team with that record would make the postseason.

The Minutemen were 6-3 last year before Maine beat them 21-20 at McGuirk Stadium on Nov. 8.

UMass coach Kevin Morris said he is not looking at Saturday's game as more of a must-win than any other.

"Every game is a must-win," Morris said. "It's the CAA and you want to win every game no matter who you're playing. Must-wins are every week,

"We put high expectations on ourselves. We want to win. Does any game make or break your season? I don't think so. I don't think you play it that way."

Still, senior Victor Cruz said the Minutemen have something to prove.

"It's definitely a big game," Cruz said. "We want to prove that last week (a 34-12 loss at Richmond) was something we can get over and come out strong and prove to the league that we're definitely still a contender."

Time & location: 3:30 p.m., Alfond Stadium, Orono, Maine

Records: UMass 4-3, 2-2 CAA; Maine 3-4, 2-2 CAA

Last week: UMass lost to Richmond 34-12; Maine had a bye.

All-time series: UMass leads 40-14-1

Last year: Maine won 21-20 at McGuirk Stadium

TV: ComcastSportsNet (Gary Tanguay, Andy Gresh)

Radio: WRNX-FM (100.9); WMUA-FM (91.1)

Internet broadcast: Links can be found at umassathletics.com

When UMass has the ball: There are plenty of questions facing the Minuteman offense this week. It starts with the health of the running backs. Tony Nelson did not play last week at Richmond because of a leg injury, and Jonathan Hernandez missed the second half with a hand injury. Both will likely play Saturday, but how strong they will be is anybody's guess.

Will quarterback Kyle Havens play better and how long will Morris' leash be if he doesn't? Havens struggled against Richmond and has not really played well this month. If UMass has any chance of winning the rest of its games and making the playoffs, Havens has to play well.

Maine is always strong defensively and sophomore linebacker Donte Dennis (70 tackles) looks like the next star Black Bear.

Senior defensive lineman Jordan Stevens is among the league leaders with 5.5 sacks. Jerron McMillian leads the secondary with 42 tackles and three interceptions.

When Maine has the ball: Last year Maine depended on its running game. This year, the combination of losing preseason All-American fullback Jared Turcotte for the season and the switch from Mike Brusko to Warren Smith at quarterback has led to more passing by the Black Bears.

Smith is averaging 215.2 yards per game in the air, third most in the CAA.

Derek Session has replaced Turcotte as Maine's primary ball carrier and is averaging 61.1 yards per game.

"Derek Session is a very talented athlete," Morris said. "They'll split him out, they'll put him in the backfield, they'll get him the ball any way they can because he does great things with it."

Notable: Senior Armando Cuko needs one field goal to tie the single-season mark of 16 held by Chris Koepplin in 2006 and Sandro Vitiello in 1978.

Cuko has 27 in his career, tying him with Koepplin and Doug White for third all-time at UMass, two behind Vitiello and three back of leader Silvio Bonvini.

Cruz and Jeremy Horne are both climbing the Minuteman career receiving charts. Cruz has 1,631 career yards for No. 6 all-time, 49 behind No. 5 Chip Mitchell. Cruz is seventh in career catches with 105, three behind Bob Simeone.

Horne is No. 13 in career yardage with 1,307, 52 behind No. 12 DeShon Hardy.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Follow UMass coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/GazetteUMass. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at http://www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage.