Another nightmare in Mobile

Next time someone wants us to play in Mobile, I think we just let them know that we are busy that night.

For the second straight time, BG was completely destroyed in Ladd-Peebles Stadium, this time 58-27.  Very disappointing, and I am sure our guys are disappointed that they didn't go out on a better note.

The game itself unfolded just the way I feared. Georgia Southern was amped up and ready to play and BG had no answer for the running game for most of the game.  The Eagles scored easily on their first drive and then BG's defense adjusted and played well for the next three drives, forcing three straight punts.  That was the end of the success...the Eagles then scored TDs on their next six drives, one of them a 7:32 drive.  Basically, for that period of the game, BG had no way to get Georgia Southern off the field.

At the same time, BG's offense, which basically needed to score every time it had the ball, went scoreless for an entire half, the only time that happened all season.  Even worse, the offense fumbled twice deep in its own territory giving Georgia Southern short fields and giving up an offensive possession.

The Eagles ran the ball 68 times for 452 yards, a 6.6 yard average, which is even above their D1-leading season average.  They scored 7 rushing TDs.  They were 4-8 passing and 1 TD...82 yards total.

The Eagles possessed the ball for just over 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, BG had only 15 first downs.  The Falcons ran only 63 plays, and while their 5.7 yards per play was pretty good, combined with the turnovers and a couple drops by our star receiver and the die was cast.  BG had to score nearly every time it had the ball to win this game and that wasn't happening.

Much credit to the Eagles.  That's a good, well coached team that knows what it wants to do and can execute it.  They have incedible athletes and they played a great game.

As I noted in the preview, we both have attacks that are tough to prepare for and we both had interim coaches playing for staffs who are on their way out the door.  I was very worried about how BG's defense...which had punched above its weight much of the year but was still vulnerable...would stop the Eagles.  Then, you lose two DTs and it gets tougher and it seemed like once the Falcons lost the thread and started to chase the Eagles, it was all over.

Meanwhile, the offense failed to click after halftime.  There was one deep drive that ended on a 4th and 10 draw play, but the turnovers were deadly.

Let us not lose sight of this...it was a great season.  Just incredible.  While the end was disappointing, these young men are conference champions and they will be forever.  They also knocked off two Big Ten teams on the road and set all kinds of offensive records.  Most of these players, in fact, are two-time champions, something very few Falcons can say over the past 50 years.

Last night was a disspointing way to end it, but let's not lose sight of the fact this was a championship season.  I'd trade that for a bowl win anyday.