ORONO — If you bang a drum, people do tend to pay attention. If you preach hope, as Maine Coach Jack Cosgrove did for much of this summer, people will believe.

Maine beat St. Cloud State 34-27 in overtime Thursday night. While the outcome was expected, the score wasn't. The Huskies, who dropped their opener to another Division II team last week, stepped up to very nearly knock off a ranked Football Championship Subdivision team.

And wouldn't that have smacked Maine football in the face. Maine will be tested by the Delawares and Richmonds of the Colonial Athletic Association this season. That St. Cloud State would hold Maine's feet too close to the fire was not expected.

The Blacks Bears got their victory and Cosgrove got his first look at his team in real-game conditions. Maine has a chance to be good. Based on St. Cloud State's ability to move the ball up and down the field quickly against Maine's defense, the Black Bears will be a work in progress.

Cosgrove was busy this summer spreading the word in Maine's small cities and towns. This Maine team would be exciting. This Maine team was going to show a consistency of effort. He pointed to the home-grown talent: hello Jordan Stevens from Temple and Jared Turcotte from Lewiston. He pointed to his senior leadership: shake hands with Mike Brusko and Brandon McLaughlin.

Cosgrove acknowledged the inexperience on the offensive line and on defense while extolling the team's work ethic. He talked about the character of the team and individuals.

He banged the drum more this summer because frankly, the university needs money to keep pace with conference rivals. Cosgrove's team won six straight last season and earned a place in the playoffs. Winning does open wallets.

Winning also whets an appetite for more.

Hey, football has rarely been an easy sell here. Too much false hope. Until recently, Maine had a propensity for winning games it shouldn't with dramatic finishes and losing games against underdogs.

Then last year's win streak happened and fans crowded into the stands to watch rival New Hampshire end the streak in a surprise snowstorm. There was disappointment but not bitterness and that's what Maine wanted to build on.

No nonconference season-opener should ever be called a statement game but this had a little of that because so few outside the Black Bears' locker room gave St. Cloud State any respect.

Expectations were too high. St. Cloud State's football pedigree wasn't known or appreciated very far from its home state of Minnesota. Would beating the Huskies by four touchdowns be a big enough statement? How about a 50-3 score?

Look at it this way: More was learned from a 34-27 overtime win than a one-sided drubbing. Maine had to rally, then hold off an offense that had a quick backfield and an accurate and poised quarterback.

It was a balmy night at Morse Field. A crowd that nearly filled the home grandstand cheered and clapped even when Maine fell behind. The announcement that former Maine defensive back Brandon McGowan scored a touchdown for the New England Patriots in their final exhibition game with the New York Giants made more noise.

Maine won by pushing downfield to score when it had to and stopping St. Cloud State in the shadow of the goal posts. Games are and always will be about the bottom line.

Staff Writer Steve Solloway can be contacted at 791-6412 or at:

ssolloway@pressherald.com