HARRISONBURG, Va. -- When the University of Maine football team took the opening possession of Saturday's game with James Madison down inside the Dukes' 10-yard line, it looked like the beginning of a nice day for the Black Bears' offense.

Unfortunately for Maine, that drive -- which ended in a failed fourth-down conversion -- turned out to be the highlight of an error-filled first half.

The Black Bears committed four first-half turnovers to fall into an early 15-point hole, and a furious fourth-quarter rally fell short in a 22-14 loss.

Maine (4-5, 3-3 Colonial Athletic Association) scored twice in the fourth quarter to cut a 22-0 deficit to 22-14, but couldn't close the gap any further.

Overall, the Black Bears turned the ball over six times, throwing four interceptions and fumbling twice.

"We just turned the ball over too many times to win this football game," Maine coach Jack Cosgrove said. "I never knew what it was like to turn the ball over as much as we did today; that's not who we are or what we've done. The second quarter was as bad a quarter of football as I think I can recall in a long time, just in terms of the things that transpired and took place."

Maine took the game's opening drive down to the eight-yard line. On fourth-and-1, Cosgrove elected to go for it, but sophomore running back Derek Session was dropped for a 2-yard loss.

"We've always gone for it on fourth-and-1," Cosgrove said of the decision. "I don't know if I've ever not gone for it on fourth-and-1. Now, our ratio hasn't been good lately, but in college football, I think fourth-and-1 is easier than a field goal."

After the teams exchanged three-and-outs, Maine senior receiver and punter Mike Brusko hit a 33-yard punt that was downed at the JMU 3-yard line.

The Dukes (4-5, 2-4) moved down the field but had a 25-yard touchdown by running back Scott Noble negated by a holding penalty, and on the next play Justin Thorpe's pass to Rockeed McCarter was intercepted by Maine's Jerron McMillian at the two-yard line.

That poor field position ended up costing the Bears, though, as a fourth-and-5 punt snap from the six sailed over Jordan Waxman's head and out of the end zone for a safety, giving JMU a 2-0 lead with 10 minutes, 35 seconds to play in the half.

The Dukes extended their lead on the ensuing drive, as Thorpe tucked the ball, bounced out to the right and sprinted down the sideline untouched for a 42-yard touchdown.

Maine threw interceptions on each of its next two possessions, the second of which set up a 23-yard field goal by JMU's Dixon Wright that made it 12-0 with 2:02 remaining in the half.

Things only got worse from there, as the Black Bears mishandled a pair of short JMU kickoffs. The Dukes converted one of those turnovers into a 38-yard field goal to take a 15-0 lead into the locker room.

JMU took its first drive of the second half 66 yards in nine plays, capped by a 31-yard touchdown pass from Thorpe to Noble to take a 22-0 lead.

Maine finally got on the board when sophomore quarterback Warren Smith hit Brusko for a 13-yard score with 14:00 remaining.

Two possessions later, Brusko hooked up with Troy Harris on a fake punt pass, and Harris shook off JMU cornerback Scotty McGee and raced 82 yards for a score to make it 22-14 with 6:01 to play. It was the second-longest pass play in school history.

"I didn't even think Mike was going to throw it," Harris said, "and then I saw the ball in the air. "I actually wasn't running as fast as I probably should have been, but I saw the ball and I grabbed it."

Maine's final two drives each ended in interceptions, and JMU kneeled to end the game.

Smith finished 25-of-42 passing for 178 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. He took several punishing hits from the JMU defense, and went to receive X-rays on his left foot after the game. He was replaced on the last two plays by sophomore Chris Treister, who threw the final interception.