Harasymiak: ‘Must Avoid Distractions’ [VIDEO]

Before their classes began today, UMaine football players got in an early morning practice in preparation for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Saturday night.

This week's game is one of two FBS games that are often called 'money' games. UMaine will get $300,000 for playing in Kentucky. Another $400,000 game is coming later in the month when the Bears travel to Central Michigan.

Coach Joe Harasymiak admits that he is riding his players hard about 'the distractions that come with beating UNH and getting nationally ranked as a result of the win'. Maine jumped from being unranked to #22 in the national poll.

Western Kentucky plays in Conference-USA and the Hilltoppers new head coach is Mike Sanford who spent the past two years as offensive coordinator at Notre Dame.

Saturday night, WKU took on #4 ranked Wisconsin from the Big 10 and got beat 34-3.

NOTE: College football fans will recognize the names of Western Kentucky's last three head coaches, Willie Taggart (2010-12) now head coach at Florida State. Bobby Petrino (2013) now head coach at Louisville. And, Jeff Brohm (2014-16) now head coach at Purdue.