RICHMOND, Va. — Maine is in a dead heat for the Colonial Athletic Association lead thanks to some special teams magic.

Maine rallied from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Richmond 23-22 in a CAA football Saturday game at Robins Stadium.

Maine and Towson are both 4-0 in the conference and 6-1 overall.

“Two teams you wouldn’t have expected,” Maine coach Jack Cosgrove said. “There’s a lot of parity in this league.”

The Black Bears, in search of their first conference title since 2002, play next Saturday at Villanova, then against Towson on Nov. 5 in Orono.

Maine’s latest victory was jittery ride on the high wire.

“We never gave up — I know that,” Cosgrove said. “I talked to the team at halftime about finishing the game, even if we couldn’t win. We feel very fortunate.”

Maine trailed 16-0 entering the fourth quarter, but that’s when senior quarterback Warren Smith got busy. Smith’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Justin Perillo and Brian Harvey’s PAT broke the ice at 16-7 with 14:54 left.

Smith would complete 30 of 50 throws for 277 yards, a TD and two interceptions. He was sacked just once.

“This is a special bunch of guys,” Smith said. “I love this team.”

The host Spiders, now 3-4 after four straight losses, countered with a 2-yard TD run by Garrett Turner to make it 22-7.

But that’s when the momentum quickly — and unexpectedly — switched in Maine’s favor.

Wil Kamin’s PAT was blocked by Michael Cole (Maine’s second blocked PAT of the game) and picked up by Jerron McMillian. The senior from New Jersey sprinted 90 yards for the 2-point defensive conversion, making it 22-9.

“That play energized us,” Cosgrove said. “That’s when our defense starting getting stops.”

Instead of Richmond getting one seemingly sure point, Maine got two the hard way, and that was the difference in the end.

McMillian had six tackles and broke up a fourth-down pass by Southern Cal transfer Aaron Corp to seal the victory with 22 seconds left and Richmond on the Maine 44.

On Richmond’s final possession, Erwin Roach sacked Corp for an 11-yard loss, pushing the ball back from the Maine 33 to the 48. Roach had two sacks for minus 17 yards.

Maine was relentless in the fourth period after being dominated the previous three quarters.

Redshirt freshman David Hood scored from 5 yards out at 9:14 to cut the Richmond lead to 22-16.

Smith then ran in from one yard out with 4:00 left, and Harvey booted the decisive PAT.

A total of 96 passes were attempted in the 3 hour, 11 minute contest. Corp was 32-for 44 for 301 yards but was sacked five times. He completed 15 straight passes during one stretch in the first half.

Richmond’s Tre Gray had 12 catches for 128 yards, but 10 of those receptions came prior to intermission.

Smith connected with six targets. Maurice McDonald had 10 catches for 84 yards; tight end Perillo had eight snags for 61 yards and a TD; and Arthur Williams made 6 catches for 62 yards.

Pashaun Brown, who was averaging 106 yards rushing, was held to nine yards on just seven carries. Three of his carries came on Maine’s final possession, when it was trying, unsuccessfully, to run out the clock.

Taking up the slack was Hood, who ran 13 times for 77 yards, including a 26-yarder in the first half.

Trevor Coston had 11 tackles, forced a fumble and broke up two passes in the Black Bears’ secondary.

Coston also had what appeared to be game-clinching interception on Richmond’s final drive, only to have the pick nullified by a penalty.

Maine has won five in a row since a 35-29 loss at Pittsburgh. The last three victories have been a combined eight points.