The college football season is a long, difficult one.

The University of Maine has lived that reality during the first third of its 2004 campaign.

Only two weeks after knocking off Division I-A Mississippi State, the Black Bears must try to shake off Saturday’s disappointing 43-38 loss at defending national champion Delaware in their Atlantic 10 opener.

Coach Jack Cosgrove’s team exhibited a baffling blend of defensive ineffectiveness and remarkable resilience against the fourth-ranked Blue Hens.

UMaine twice trailed by 20 points, only to battle back and eventually take the lead in the fourth quarter before surrendering the winning touchdown in the final minute.

In the process, the Bears were reminded there is much work to do over the final seven weeks of the season.

UMaine, now 2-2 overall, faces a tough challenge in its quest for a conference title and/or an NCAA playoff berth. The first step is putting the Delaware loss behind it.

“It all depends on how we react to it and what happens next week [against Richmond],” Cosgrove said. “It’s our only league loss to this point.”

UMaine is trying to keep things in perspective.

With the loss, the Bears slipped four spots to No. 12 in The Sports Network Division I-AA top 25 poll. UMaine is among seven Atlantic 10 teams in the rankings, with Delaware (4-1) leading the way at No. 4.

New Hampshire (4-1) has vaulted to No. 9, its highest ranking ever, while 3-2 Villanova (14th), 3-1 William & Mary (18th), 3-1 James Madison (19th) and 2-2 Northeastern (No. 23) lurk not far behind.

The Bears remain one of the most respected teams in the league and in the nation.

Senior linebacker Agean Robinson said the Bears aren’t concerned about their ability to get back on a winning streak.

“That’s the kind of team we are,” Robinson said. “I’ve been around these guys for a long time. We just play. No matter what goes on the week before or what happens, we’re always here to play.”

Looking back, Cosgrove and Co. fully believe they could have and should have beaten both Montana and Delaware, two teams ranked No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, at the time.

With their losses coming to two of the top teams in the country and wins over then-No. 23 Northern Colorado and I-A Mississippi State, it’s way too early to start writing off the Bears.

However, UMaine this week will play on the road for the fourth time in five games against a Richmond team that already owns a win over Massachusetts and is coming off a bye week.

The strength and parity within the A-10 is more apparent every week, but the Bears fully expect to be in the thick of the Atlantic 10 chase come November.

Bears burdened by big numbers

UMaine’s loss at Delaware produced some inauspicious statistics.

The 43 points allowed were the most since a 47-27 loss last November at New Hampshire, while the 560 total yards were the most surrendered by a UMaine team since Hofstra piled up 705 in a 51-30 win over the Bears on Sept. 9, 2000.

The 415 passing yards amassed by the Blue Hens were the most against a UMaine team since at least 1987, prior to the Cosgrove era.