Sadness Accures

And there was much unhappiness.

Doesn't feel any better the next day. What a heartbreaking day.

Don't want to send the wrong message.  Very proud of what this program became this year.  It was a long haul and a 6-2 record in the MAC with a win over Toledo was a rewarding year. It was a fun season...fun to watch games and figure we will win.  There were spurts of excellence and some disappointing moments.  The ODU loss...but really the NIU loss at home.  That one was really costly.

It's heartbreaking for all that.  And when you see how hard you have to work to get a shot, and then it slips away.  Winning championships is really hard.  We have an experienced team that stuck together. This was the time.  Until it wasn't.  And we will get another shot, but the guys who stuck with us, who played through all that mess, who worked to make this team what it was...they won't get another shot.  Period.

Coach Loeffler choked up twice in his presser, where nobody seemed to be able to even ask him a question. Make no mistake:  this is a pain that you only feel when you commit yourself totally to a goal.  I have been there. Those with one foot in do not know it.

It is the cruel nature of sport. Somebody's heart had to be broken yesterday.

In the end, Miami was just a little better than us.

We knew all year that the offensive line was not elite.  Sometimes they were good, sometimes they were average and sometimes less than average.  Always resilient.  (Also, fighting through a severe mid-year disruption).

And we knew that we were not getting the production at WR that teams do in this day and age.

Those were decisive issues yesterday.  Miami won more battles on the line of scrimmage and BG could not establish a running game. Even removing sacks, most of our backs were under 4 yards per carry. Then, they double or even triple-teamed Fannin.  One time, I saw four guys around him.  He wasn't 100% and they were able to neutralize him.

So something had to be open...but we didn't have the WRs to take advantage.   Bazelak had a rough game...and so the offense sputtered and made victory an uphill climb the whole way.

The defense kept us in the game.  Two INTs.  Held Miami to zero first downs in the 3rd quarter--26 yards on 12 plays.

And finally BG gets a drive.  Late 3rd/early 4th. Fannin completes a stumbling TE pass to Gazerak, who makes a miracle catch to convert a 3rd and 2.

BG finally driving.  Levi Gazerak with two more catches, Johnson with a 22-yard run, and then Patterson the score.  FINALLY.  A 92-yard, 11-play drive that makes it 14-12.

11 minutes left in the game.

Second play of Miami's drive...BG blitzes, Gabbert steps up and hits a WR who gets behind our great defense when we just can't let that happen, and in one play it's 21-12 with 10:30 left and the game is essentially over.  BG never crossed their own 30 again.  Everything before it is erased.

There were bunches of play.  As mentioned, two INT for BG.  Bazelak threw one.  BG got a safety.  BG struggled badly with punting. There was a terrible no-call on PI against Fannin.  MU got the lucky catch of all time at the end of the first half when BG had cut the deficit to 2. There were only 3 penalties in the game.  

I was thrilled with the crowd.  The weather was appalling and every BG fan was 10 minutes from a warm house and a television.  Another reason to be heartbroken.  With us against OU, they might have sold out Ford Field.

Sigh.

More on the future to come.  There's a bowl game, almost for sure without Harold Fannin. Who knows what else will happen when the portal opens.  Coach Loeffler is entering the last year of his contract and the BG turnaround has drawn notice elsewhere.

For today?  Today is a heartbreaking day.