The University of Maine opened some eyes with last week’s 31-17 upset over No. 5 Delaware. Enough, in fact, to earn the 19th spot in this week’s The Sports Network/Fathead.com Top 25 poll.

Coach Jack Cosgrove downplayed the significance of the Black Bears’ first appearance in a Top 25 poll since 2009.

“We have no real control over things other than what we do each and every Saturday,” he said. “And our preparation and planning is underway now for a great team in James Madison and whatever happens along the way is immaterial to what we can control.”

Another thing the Black Bears (3-1, 1-0 Colonial Athletic Association) can’t control is injuries. This week they announced senior tight end Derek Buttles will miss the rest of the season after having surgery to repair a torn ACL. Buttles had 10 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown before injuring his knee Sept. 17 in a win over Albany.

Saturday’s matchup at No. 7 James Madison (3:30 p.m., Comcast Sports New England) will be Maine’s first road contest against a Top 10 opponent this season. JMU (4-1, 2-0), which is coming off a 31-7 win over No. 10 Richmond, boasts the top-ranked rushing offense in the CAA (228.4 yards per game), led by redshirt sophomore running backs Jordan Anderson, who rushed for 162 yards and two touchdowns last week, and Dae’Quan Scott, who has rushed for a team-high 421 yards and five touchdowns this season.

“They execute very well up front and I think they have a talented group of backs,” Cosgrove said.

As good as the Dukes are at running the ball, they may be even better at stopping the run. They lead the CAA in rushing yards allowed (85.8 ypg) and total defense (297.8).

JMU may be the toughest test yet for Pushaun Brown. The Maine senior ran his streak of consecutive 100-yard rushing games against FCS opponents to six last week with a spectacular 193-yard, three-TD performance against Delaware that earned him both CAA and ECAC offensive player of the week accolades.

Cosgrove, who picked up his 100th career victory last week, praised Brown’s all-around contributions to the offense.

“Pushaun is a pretty steady back in all phases,” Cosgrove said. “He’s in there pass protecting for us. He can catch the football. He’s a smart kid, a guy you can rely on. He’s had great ball security this year.”

 “Whether or not he gets an inch against James Madison, well, that kind of depends on a lot of factors,” he added. “They frighten me as a defense… their speed and their ability to get to the ball, their linebacker play, their experience in the secondary, and they’re always able to restock the front.”

Cosgrove said he was impressed with how the Bears bounced back from a sloppy first half and dominated the second half against Delaware. He was also pleased with how the offense was able to convert three of the four interceptions by Vinson Givans, Trevor Coston, Jerron McMillian and Darlos James into points.

“Some of the things we had done in the first half were uncharacteristic of us,” he said, noting Maine’s two interceptions and six penalties. “I think in the second half, we became much more disciplined. We only had one penalty. We didn’t turn the ball over. And we were able to run the football.”

Maine still has a lot to work on, the coach added, particularly in the kicking game.

“There’s a lot of things we’ve got to do better,” he said.