MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) -- Maine coach Jack Cosgrove still thought
his team had a chance to upset third-ranked Montana after the Black
Bears pulled within 27-20 with 33 seconds remaining Saturday.
But Montana's Tate Hancock dove on the ensuing onside kick,
preserving the victory for the Grizzlies of the Big Sky Conference.
"We did some things we can't do in a game of that magnitude
that came back to haunt us," Cosgrove said. "But I still thought
we were going to win the football game at the end if we could get
the onside kick and score and win in overtime."
Craig Ochs passed for 217 yards and three second-half touchdowns
to lead Montana over 11th-ranked Maine.
"I thought our offense wore their defense down a bit," said UM
coach Bobby Hauck. "That's hard to do because they are a physical
bunch of kids."
Maine (0-1), of the Atlantic-10 Conference, led 6-3 at halftime
before Montana (1-0) rallied with 10 unanswered points in the third
quarter.
Jefferson Heidelberger, who caught seven passes for 115 yards,
caught a 25-yard scoring pass from Ochs with 8:36 remaining in the
third quarter to put Montana up 10-6. Freshman Dan Carpenter made
his second field goal -- one that waffled in from 47 yards -- to put
the Grizzlies up 13-6.
"It wasn't the best kick, but I will take it," Carpenter said.
Maine's Matthew King recovered an Ochs fumble on the 1-yard line
early in the fourth quarter and tailback Marcus Williams scored on
the next play.
"It was completely my fault," said Ochs, who had the ball
slapped away on a fake handoff to Justin Green. "I left it in
there too long. My stomach just dropped when I saw the ball lying
there."
Williams finished with 105 yards on 20 carries.
Montana responded with back-to-back touchdowns -- a 12-yard pass
from Ochs to Jon Talmage with 8:04 remaining and a 2-yard pass from
Ochs to Willie Walden with 1:54 remaining. The Walden touchdown was
set up by Kevin Edwards' second interception.
"I actually guessed on it," Edwards said. "I was in the right
spot and I just snagged it."
Maine's final score came on a 7-yard pass from Ron Whitcomb to
Josh Radulski with 33 seconds remaining.
Maine attempted an onside kick, but Hancock recovered the ball.
"When two good teams like this play, it comes down to penalties
and turnovers," Whitcomb said. "You can look at the state sheet
and see why we lost."
Maine was penalized 12 times for 119 yards, while Montana had
three penalties for 35 yards.
Whitcomb completed 24 of 32 passes for 234 yards and two
touchdowns -- the first a 4-yard pass to Christian Pereira early in
the second quarter. Alan Saenz blocked Mike Mellow's extra point
attempt, leaving Maine with a 6-0 lead.
Carpenter kicked a 32-yard field goal with 10:34 left in the
half -- his first for the Grizzlies.
"What a great way to make your debut," Hauck said.