By KEVIN NOONAN

VILLANOVA, Pa. – Most of the people on hand to watch the Maine-Villanova football game – and there weren’t many of them – probably expected to see a low scoring affair filled with 2-yard runs and lots of defense.

The reason they expected that kind of game was the same reason there weren’t many people in the stands – the CAA contest at Villanova Stadium was played in a driving snowstorm that made life miserable for everybody, with the possible exception of Maine QB Warren Smith.

Instead, the fans got a barnburner as Maine beat Villanova 41-25 and, coupled with Towson’s loss to Delaware later in the day, the Black Bears (5-0 in the CAA, 7-1 0verall) now have sole possession of first place in the CAA.

And instead of 2 yards and a cloud of ice, the handful of hardy fans who braved the elements – temperatures in the low 30s and winds gusting up to 40 mph — saw the two teams roll up a total of 815 yards of offense, including 10 plays that picked up 25 yards or more.

“If we had come out and been passive, that would have been to Villanova’s advantage,’’ Maine coach Jack Cosgrove said of his team’s aggressive approach.

Maine got things going with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Smith to WR Maurice McDonald, but Nova answered with a long drive that ended with a 5-yard TD run by freshman RB Austin Medley, who would finish with 102 yards on 17 carries, the first 100-yard game of his college career.

The underdog Wildcats (0-6, 1-8) hung tough and trailed by just 13-6 at halftime, but the Black Bears brought out the big guns in the second half, scoring on an 80-yard bomb from Smith to WR Arthur Williams and a 29-yard run by Smith to make it 28-6 with 4:31 left in the third quarter.

Villanova came back with a big play of its own, a 59-yard TD pass from freshman QB Chris Polony to WR Dorian Wells that made it 28-12 and the two teams spent the fourth quarter exchanging touchdowns.

Smith was on target all day despite the terrible weather, as he completed 17 of 22 passes for 251 yard and two TDs.

“We always emphasize ball security in our offensive meetings, but ball security is especially important on a day like today,” Smith said. “You put two hands on the ball and you make sure you make the right play. And [footing] wasn’t that bad for me. I only rolled out once or twice and I was very cautious when I did.”

“He was on the top of his game,’’ Cosgrove said of his QB.

Workhorse RB Pushaun Brown carried the ball 18 times for 75 yards for Maine and McDonald caught eight passes for 96 yards. S Trevor Coston intercepted a pass to set up the Black Bears’ first touchdown.

“We knew turnovers would be a key and we knew that, with the weather and everything, a fast start would also be a key,” Cosgrove said. “And we were able to do both.”

For Villanova, Polony shook off a shaky start and completed 10 of 20 passes for 198 yards and three TDs and he also rushed 11 times for 50 yards. Wells caught two passes for 73 yards.

It’s been a lost season for the Wildcats, but the last-place team hung with the first-place team for most of the afternoon. The difference, said Villanova coach Andy Talley, were the big plays by the Black Bears.

“If we didn’t give up the big play and make them drive 60 or 70 yards, we probably would have been in the game at the end,” Talley said.