The University of Maine football team has earned measurable respect on the national level.

Coach Jack Cosgrove’s Black Bears, who are 4-1 coming off Saturday’s 21-9 victory at Northeastern, are ranked No. 24 in the country in the most recent Division I-AA poll released by The Sports Network. It is one of two I-AA national polls.

UMaine, which is 3-1 in Atlantic 10 play this season, has won three in a row heading into Saturday’s noon Homecoming showdown against 20th-ranked Villanova at Alfond Stadium.

The Bears, who also received votes (68 points) in the USA Today/ESPN poll, behind No. 25 Florida A&M (91 points), had not been nationally ranked since Sept. 15, 1997, when UMaine was 24th in the USA Today/ESPN poll.

The Atlantic 10 is the highest-rated Division I-AA conference in the country and is ranked 10th overall, according to power ratings compiled by Jeff Sagarin for USA Today.

Defense has been the cornerstone of UMaine’s success thus far. The Bears lead the Atlantic 10 in scoring defense, giving up only 15.2 points per game, and total defense (262.6 ypg).

On the national level, they are ranked 13th and 16th, respectively, in those two categories and also are rated 13th in pass efficiency defense (90.79) and 14th in pass defense (145 ypg).

The UMaine defensive unit has not allowed a touchdown since the fourth quarter of the Sept. 22 loss at Hofstra.

“They give up a play here and there, but they really tighten it up when [opponents] get in the red zone [inside the 20-yard line],” Cosgrove said. “That’s a great compliment, just being able to play the next play, to not get down if one play kind of hurts you. It also shows the confidence they have in each other.”

UMaine also leads the league in sacks (20) and fewest first downs allowed (69). Junior inside linebacker Stephen Cooper earned Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week honors after making 12 tackles, 10 unassisted, and registering a leaping, one-handed interception.

Cooper is fourth in the league with 11.2 tackles per game.

Springfield to honor UM’s Cobb

Bob Cobb, the dean of the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Maine, will be inducted Oct. 20 into the Springfield (Mass.) College Athletic Hall of Fame during the school’s homecoming activities.

Cobb was a three-year letterman at linebacker and captained the Springfield football team, on which he was the MVP in 1962 and ’63. As a senior, he was accorded All-American and All-ECAC honors.

The Winthrop native graduated Summa Cum Laude from Springfield in 1964 and did graduate work there from 1965-69 while serving as an assistant professor of physical education and as an assistant football coach. During his first season, Springfield accomplished its only undefeated, untied season at 9-0.

Cobb earned master’s and doctorate degrees from Springfield before returning to Maine in 1969 to join the UMaine faculty. He became a dean in 1977.

Springfield selects its Hall of Fame candidates based on an individual’s contributions to sports and for innovation, service, dedication and leadership in their professional fields.

College writer Pete Warner can be reached at 990-8240, toll-free at 1-800-310-8600, by fax at 990-8005 or via e-mail at pwarner@bangordailynews.net