CEDAR FALLS - Maine's Black Bears began the football season under Iowa's summer sun.

They trudged away from the home field at Alfond Stadium in mid-November, pursued by an early rush of winter and a dark forecast for their playoff future.

Saturday, the circle of 2008 and Maine's spirit remain unbroken. Coach Jack Cosgrove's team returns to the Midwest for a Football Championship Subdivision playoff game against Northern Iowa at the UNI-Dome.

The road from Kinnick Stadium in August to the Panthers' lair in autumn has been far from straight and narrow. Maine's hopes for postseason play appeared to be buried on that snowy November Saturday in Orono. Yet, the Black Bears are alive and ready to go west - again.

"We'll get up Friday morning, get on a plane and go about our business," said Cosgrove. "We'll have some challenges."

As Cosgrove pointed out, that's nothing really new for his program. Maine has never hosted an FCS playoff game, for one thing.

The Black Bears, of course, played UNI at the Dome seven years ago, losing a quarterfinal round game.

And Maine's first trip to the Midwest in 2008 provides a measuring stick Cosgrove does not object to using.

"We're a much better team now than we were at that point," said Cosgrove.

Back on Aug. 30, Maine opened the regular season with a 46-3 loss against Iowa and head coach Kirk Ferentz. Cosgrove worked for Ferentz when he ran the Maine program.

Yet, the Black Bears handled themselves well.

"We wouldn't have beaten them in 100 years," said the coach. "But I thought we competed real hard. We stood toe-to-toe with them. It was a great opener - a great experience for this team to grow from, especially with the trip and the travel."

Over the next several weeks, Maine's trip through the season and the Colonial Athletic Association's battle couldn't always be labeled a great experience. The Black Bears lost star running back Jmahal Fluellen for three games to an injury. Starting quarterback Adam Farkes got hurt and could not return. Michael Brusko took over.

Maine stood 2-3 at one stage, and yet found reasons for optimism during a bye week.

"We improved our offense, defense and special teams," said defensive end Jovan Belcher, the Buck Buchanan Award candidate. "We had some injuries, but it gave young guys some experience and a chance for everyone to play together."

The Black Bears kept growing through a six-game winning streak that began with a victory over 2007 FCS runner-up Delaware. Then New Hampshire handed Maine a crushing home loss in the snow that appeared to end the Bears' playoff hopes.

"That was probably one of the toughest walks I had to take as a coach from that sideline," said Cosgrove. "I could tell it was a very, very difficult walk for (the players). I did my best to keep some hope alive."

Then things happened. Liberty, for instance, lost its finale. Thus, when the FCS selection show appeared on ESPNU last Sunday, the Black Bears gathered and got the news.

The ticker initially said "Northern Illinois," not Northern Iowa. It didn't matter. Maine was in.

"Wow," said Cosgrove. "It was exhilarating. I felt privileged to be able stand in front of them and go back 24 hours to what I saw Saturday to what I saw Sunday - the eyes sparkling, the teeth showing, shoulders puffed up. It was really neat."

For Maine, the post-season journey has begun.

"That was just what the doctor ordered for a bunch of young men who thought that something they had worked so hard for had been taken away," said Cosgrove.

Contact Jim Sullivan at (319) 291-1434 or jim.sullivan@wcfcourier.com