ORONO – Just when it appeared the University of Maine football team might be a legitimate challenger for the Atlantic 10 title, the Black Bears find themselves wondering whether they have what it takes.

Matt Walker kicked a 33-yard field goal from the right hashmark with 9.7 seconds left Saturday, lifting Rhode Island to an ego-deflating 18-17 victory over Maine in front of a sparse crowd (3,271 tickets issued) at misty Alfond Stadium.

It was Walker’s third game-winning kick in four years.

“It’s a great feeling to be able to come from behind,” said Walker, who knelt alone in prayer, helmet off, prior to the kick.

The 4-2 Bears, now 2-2 in the Atlantic 10, squandered an early 14-point lead and then were unable to generate any offensive consistency in the second half despite excellent field position.

“This one hurts, especially when it comes on the heels of a big victory like we had last week,” said Maine coach Jack Cosgrove of the upset win over then-No. 4 Villanova.

“I didn’t look at [Rhode Island] as a lesser team, because I don’t know where our team is yet,” Cosgrove said. “We’re still trying to develop an identity. We had a great win last week, but that doesn’t indicate instantaneous status.”

Rhode Island, a team searching for respect after three close losses, earned some on the soggy AstroTurf of Morse Field.

Coach Floyd Keith’s 2-3 Rams, 1-3 in league play, not only nullified Maine’s struggling run game, but shut down Mickey Fein and the usually potent passing attack. Maine mustered only 233 total yards and committed three second-half turnovers, two of which led directly to Rhode Island touchdowns.

And while Rhody’s run-based offense was unspectacular, the power running of tailback James Jenkins (116 yards) and a few well-conceived plays were enough for the visitors to overcome five first-half turnovers.

The Rams boldly pulled off some deception plays Saturday, none of which proved more critical than a fake extra-point kick early in the fourth quarter.

Ron Iannotti’s second interception of the game set up a 54-yard yard march highlighted by Jenkins’ 35-yard jaunt around right end. Quarterback Rudy Bulgar followed with a 1-yard touchdown lunge.

Trailing 17-13 with 12:03 left, Rhody set up to kick the PAT, but holder Jeff Weaver took the snap and hit Shyron Sanford with a shovel pass for the two-point conversion that cut Maine’s lead to 17-15.

“They had the fake on the two-point conversion, which was a gutsy, gutsy call,” Cosgrove said.

Why go for two?

“Well, because [Maine] thought I wouldn’t,” Keith quipped. “We didn’t hold anything back. You roll the dice and you just hope it works out in your favor, that’s all.”

The Bears managed only two first downs on their last four possessions and were unable to either score or run out the clock. Maine got one last play, but the desperation pass caught by Phil McGeoghan at the URI 18 came up short.

With the run game virtually non-existent (29 yards) and Fein under pressure from the Rhody pass rush, the offense sputtered.

“We just couldn’t get an inch running the thing,” Cosgrove said.

“We were out of synch. We weren’t protecting, we weren’t throwing it well, or we were dropping it,” he added. “We certainly were about as far from where we were last week as we possibly could have been.”

The Bears had scored twice in a span of less than three minutes in the first half.

Maine converted after Shawn Taylor stripped the ball from Jenkins and Pete LeBlanc recovered at the URI 33. Fein’s 30-yard completion to McGeoghan set up a 4-yard scoring toss to Drew O’Connor with 2:35 left in the first quarter.

After forcing the Rams to punt, Maine drove 43 yards on seven plays. This time, Fein’s 20-yard pass to Nate Sergent led to a 5-yard TD pass to O’Connor on the next play. Maine led 14-0 five seconds into the second quarter.

The Bears could have extended the lead on their next possession, but Todd Jagoutz’s 28-yard field goal attempt missed left. Jagoutz, who hit a career-best 40-yarder in the third quarter, also missed left on a 44-yarder early in the fourth quarter.

“I thought we had the opportunities early in the game. We just didn’t perform in the red zone,” Cosgrove said.

Rhode Island regrouped after a mistake-marred first half.

The Rams got on the scoreboard midway through the third quarter, after Iannotti picked off a Fein pass and returned it 32 yards to the M 47. Bulgar completed a key fourth-down pass to Damon Ray on the Rams’ drive, but it was a 32-yard reverse scamper for a TD by Shane Jacobs that got URI on the board.

Linebacker Brent Naccara made 12 tackles to pace Maine. LeBlanc had 10.

Rams 18, Black Bears 17 Rhode Island (2-3) 0 0 7 11 – 18 Maine (4-2) 7 7 3 0 – 17

M – O’Connor 4 pass from Fein (Jagoutz kick)

M – O’Connor 5 pass from Fein (Jagoutz kick)

URI – Jacobs 32 run (Walker kick)

M – Jagoutz 40 field goal

URI – Bulgar 1 run (Sanford pass)

URI – Walker 33 field goal

R.I. Maine First downs 11 10 Rushes-yards 52-234 25-29 Passing 71 204 Comp-Att-Int 9-24-3 17-37-2 Return Yards 163 93 Punts-Avg. 8-27.8 9-36 Fumbles-Lost 7-2 1-1 Penalties-Yards 8-50 4-30 Time of Possession 34:21 25:39 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Rhode Island: Jenkins 30-116, Ianotti 1-35, Jacobs 1-32, Bulgar 9-20, Sanford 9-21, Jamison 1-3, Small 1-(-3); Maine: Christopher 13-44, Rich 7-12, Fein 5-(-27).

PASSING – Rhode Island: Bulgar 23-9-3-71, Iannotti 1-0-0-0; Maine: Fein 37-17-2-204.

RECEIVING – Rhode Island: Gibson 3-17, Fanopolous 2-23, Ray 1-10, Abdul-Matin 1-9, Jenkins 1-7, Bulgar 1-5; Maine: O’Connor 4-55, Wilmot 4-38, McGeoghan 3-71, Christopher 3-9, Sergent 2-25, Brown 1-6.