In too many games this season, the University of Maine Black Bears have returned from the locker room for the second half a different team than the one that went in after the first half.

Last Saturday against the University of Massachusetts, the Black Bears looked like a different team in the second half again. But coach Jack Cosgrove was happy with the change.

“For a lot of games we’ve been there, within a score or two, in the second half, but the results haven’t been what we’ve wanted them to be. So it was good to assert ourselves more in the second half, play with a greater level of confidence and poise,” Cosgrove said.

In the 19-9 victory, Maine’s defense blanked UMass in the second half, whose only points came on a two-point conversion try that was intercepted and returned for a safety. The offense also showed resilience in the second half, Cosgrove said, particularly after an apparent third quarter touchdown was negated by a bizarre penalty where Mike Brusko was flagged because he faked taking a knee before firing to Landis Williams in the end zone.

“We hung in there and we got a field goal and got points off that,” he said. “I thought that demonstrated some poise, and then the next time the offense got the ball in the fourth quarter, they drove down the field and scored.”

Led by linebacker and CAA Defensive Player of the Week Donte Dennis (11 tackles, two interceptions, fumble recovery), the defense forced six turnovers. Senior defense end Jordan Stevens of Temple picked up another sack. The Mt. Blue product ranks third in the CAA in sacks with 6.5 and in fumbles forced with three.

“There’s nobody on the team that’s been more consistent on either side of the ball than Jordan Stevens,” he said. “He plays incredibly hard with great passion. He got one sack (against UMass), but the pressure was tremendous.”

“We felt there was great pressure on their quarterback, and they kicked it out a few times where they were on the run trying to throw the ball,” Cosgrove added. “I thought we displayed great discipline in staying in coverage and not jumping the running quarterback and leaving somebody open.”

Maine (4-4, 3-2 CAA) hits the road again Saturday to face James Madison (3-5, 1-4). The Dukes started the season by losing to Maryland on an overtime field goal, but couldn’t carry the momentum of playing a major program so tough into the conference schedule.

“Their losses are against three teams — one’s No. 1 (in the nation), one’s No. 4 and one’s No. 5,” Cosgrove said. “This is a very good football team.”

Cosgrove called senior defensive end Arthur Moats the premier defensive player in the CAA, “a bigger Jovan Belcher,” he said. Moats and the Dukes limited Delaware to just nine yards rushing in a 20-8 victory that snapped a four-game losing streak.

On the other side of the ball, the Dukes counter Dennis with last week’s offensive player of the week Justin Thorpe, a redshirt freshman quarterback. Thorpe, who Cosgrove calls a younger version of his predecessor, 2008 CAA offensive player of the year Rodney Landers, threw for 229 yards in the second half against Delaware. Rattling the first-year QB won’t be easy, Cosgrove said.

“We’re fortunate, I guess, that he’s a redshirt freshman and not a senior. He’s made some mistakes. But I think what they’ve done, to their credit, is reduced those mistakes. They’ve cut back on the turnovers and the forced throws and the things that were probably part of his repertoire earlier in the year,” he said.

Kickoff is 3 p.m. There is no TV broadcast, but the game will be streamed on JMUsports.com.