ORONO – Despite being blown out in its previous two games, the University of Maine flirted briefly with posting a big upset Saturday afternoon.

The Black Bears couldn’t make enough plays to get the job done.

Tailback Steve Baylark caught two touchdown passes in a span of 54 seconds late in the third quarter while powering No. 8 Massachusetts to a 35-14 victory in front of 6,560 Homecoming fans at Alfond Stadium.

UMaine fell to 2-5 and is 0-4 in conference play for the first time since 2000.

“We made a run at ’em. We had a chance,” said UMaine coach Jack Cosgrove. “We got up 14-13, but we just did some things we couldn’t afford to do. We turned the ball over and they took advantage of it.”

Baylark pounded his way to 198 rushing yards on 30 carries and caught six passes for 64 yards to lead the Minutemen (6-1, 5-0 A-10), who cashed in on two second-half turnovers while handing the Black Bears their third straight loss.

“By far, I think he’s probably the best running back we’ve been against all year,” said Bears linebacker Jermaine Walker.

Massachusetts went into the game with the top-ranked defense in all of Division I-AA. That didn’t stop the Bears from having their best offensive outing in several weeks.

UMaine changed its offense, working mostly out of a spread formation with four wide receivers and one running back. The move kept the Minutemen on their heels, but the Bears remained inconsistent.

Five times, UMaine moved inside the UMass 35-yard line but came up empty. Three of the possessions ended in interceptions and the other two on failed fourth-down conversions.

“I think it’s just we’ve got to execute at that point. There’s some parts to the game where we just sputtered,” said Bears quarterback Ron Whitcomb, who completed 19 of 31 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted three times.

UMaine schemed around speedy wide receiver Arel Gordon, who often lined up in the backfield. He carried nine times for 46 yards and caught eight passes for 31 yards.

The Bears surged in the third quarter after UMass’ Armando Cuko missed a 43-yard field-goal try. Whitcomb’s 33-yard scamper on a designed run keyed a four-play, 74-yard drive that culminated in a 35-yard scoring strike from Whitcomb to wideout Kevin McMahan (6 catches, 180 yards).

Freshman Matt Voliva’s PAT gave UMaine a 14-13 edge with 4:41 left in the third.

“They did a nice job going with four wides and throwing it around,” said UMass coach Don Brown. “Obviously that gave them a chance.”

The Minutemen responded immediately. Liam Coen (21-for-31, 236 yards, 3 TDs) completed a 32-yard pass to Brandon London on their next offensive play, sparking a 65-yard march.

Coen found Baylark all alone on the right side for a 10-yard touchdown pass at the 2:21 mark, then threw for the two-point conversion to make it 21-14.

On the ensuing kickoff, James Ihedigbo forced Gordon to fumble and UMass recovered at the UMaine 6. Two plays later, Baylark made a superb diving catch on a 7-yard toss from Coen to give the Minutemen the momentum.

“That changed the whole complexion of the game,” Cosgrove said. “Now they’re up two scores and it’s in the fourth quarter.”

The Bears’ next two drives stalled at the UMass 31 and 29, respectively, the first ending with an Ihedigbo interception at the 7-yard line.

UMaine made a final threat, taking over at its own 24 after another missed field goal by Cuko with 4:01 to play. Whitcomb completed a 45-yard pass to McMahan and a 19-yarder to freshman Rodney Salomon, giving the Bears a first-and-goal from the 8.

On the next play, Whitcomb was rocked while throwing the ball, which fluttered into the hands of Cesar Rosario. He rambled 89 yards for the clinching touchdown.

UMaine trailed 13-7 at halftime after having an apparent 44-yard TD pass negated by a holding penalty (its only flag of the contest) early in the second quarter.

The Minutemen scored 5:40 into the game when Baylark capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive with a 14-yard scoring run.

UMaine tied it up 1:14 later when Whitcomb found McMahan all alone down the left side for a 57-yard touchdown strike. It was the Bears’ first offensive touchdown in nearly 11 quarters and the first allowed by the UMass defense since its Sept. 10 loss at Colgate.

“We got in a nice rhythm early,” Cosgrove said. “Then we got the ball deep to Kevin (McMahan) and got a feeling of confidence on the sideline and with the offensive group.”

UMass went back on top with 9:03 left in the second quarter on a 17-yard scoring pass from Coen to Mike Douglass, but Cuko’s PAT kick missed left.

MINUTEMEN 35, BLACK BEARS 14

Massachusetts (6-1) 7 6 15 7 – 35

Maine (2-5) 7 0 7 0 – 14

UMass – Baylark 14 run (Cuko kick)

UMaine – McMahan 57 pass from Whitcomb (Voliva kick)

UMass – Douglas 17 pass from Coen (kick failed)

UMaine – McMahan 35 pass from Whitcomb (Voliva kick)

UMass – Baylark 10 pass from Coen (London pass from Coen)

UMass – Baylark 7 pass from Coen (Cuko kick)

UMass – Rosario 89 interception return (Cuko kick)

UMass UMaine

First downs 19 17

Rushing att.-yards 40-204 37-138

Passing comp.-att. 21-31 19-31

Passing yards 236 275

Total yards 440 413

Punts-avg. 3-47.0 4-46.0

Fumbles-lost 4-3 1-1

Intercepted by 3 0

Penalties-yards 4-20 1-10

Rushing

UMass: Baylark 30-198, Montgomery 3-14, Team 3-(minus 3), Coen 4-(minus 5); UMaine: Owens 15-47, Gordon 9-46, Whitcomb 12-41, Walker 1-4

Passing

UMass: Coen 21-31-0-236; UMaine: Whitcomb 19-31-3-275

Receiving

UMass: London 7-99, Baylark 6-64, Stewart 4-40, Douglas 2-26, Day 1-6, Rancher 1-1; UMaine: Gordon 8-31, McMahan 6-180, Ry. Waller 3-20, Salomon 2-44

A-6,560