Toward the end of last season, BG had OU on the ropes in a game down at the Doyt. We've already discussed what happened...OU drove the length of the field and beat the Falcons.
The game became off-season motivation for our team. "Close the deal." Players wore shirts with the time that OU's drive started printed on the chest.
So, tonight, in Athens, there was a close the deal kind of moment. BG was up 12 in the early 4th against a team they had largely controlled but who had the capacity to score pretty fast. The game was there to be had...but would this team close the deal, or, as has happened so often, watch it slip away.
Deal was closed. OU drove the ball down the field, but never on big plays, and time was melting away. Coach has often talked about how it is often one play that makes the difference, that closes the deal. In this case, it was a blitzing Aaron Foster who ran down Tyler Tettleton for a 16 yard loss deep in BG territory (on 3rd down--BG might lead the nation in 3rd down sacks) and that set up an unmakeable 4th down and that was that.
It is a great night to be a Falcon fan. OU was considered the dominant team in the East and the game was on the road and BG has been playing teams without records of accomplishment. This was a game BG simply had to have...and, playing a style of ball we are becoming used to, they did have it.
We'll have much more on this tomorrow. In the meantime, let's focus on BG building a win on defense and special teams and a good enough running game. We didn't have many long drives, but when we got a short field, we made it work. BG also blocked two punts and had two other punts botched by OU and made a FG.
Yeah, I worry about what will happen if we have to pass. We didn't tonight, and we won the game with a very solid effort in which we controlled the game for most of the time.
Haters are going to talk about OUs difficulties with the punt game....my point is, that used to be us giving the game away on special teams. We even gave OU a game on two fumbled punts back in the Brandon era. The point is that we took care of the ball and made the special teams plays and OU didn't.
So, on a "see your breath" night in Athens, BG played its game and beat a good team playing their game.
Good night to be a Falcon. By the time Kent gets to town, I will be climbing the walls.
That is BG's sixth straight win, the most since the 2004 season. And, BG football is in the discussion again...and we're playing big November games.
Good night.
Great game, Glad I made the trip - it'll totally be worth it to be dragging at the office tomorrow morning. I love watching BG play defense and it is great to have this feeling again. Go Falcons!
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