The Way it Was, Part I

And the beat goes on.

I will say this, the EMU game on Saturday was entertaining football.  It was close, good finish, some nice plays made...it was entertaining.

It was, however, a very poor result for the Falcons, especially at home, especially on homecoming.

Midway through the 3rd, things were not going great.  In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Doyt, the game was tied 7-7 (1966-style).  BG wasn't scoring but the defense was keeping us in the game.  BG mounted a nice drive that left them 2nd and 4 on the EMU 14.  As happens way too often for this team, BG then netted 1 yard on the next two plays and settled for a far-from-automatic 32 yard FG from Jake Suder. 

BG had the lead.

On the possession before, EMU had brought Brogan Roback in.  He's more of their passing QB.  He completed one pass...and then they called a double pass...and BG's defense completely bit.  Coach said it was a case of Jamari Bozeman "with his eyes in the wrong place...that's day one football" and the pass worked for a 64 yard gain and EMU scored on the next play and BG's lead lasted exactly 1 minute.  And would not come back.

The Falcon offense is just needed here.  Gotta have it.  Gotta punch back.  Instead, we went 3 and out and ate up :57 of time.

EMU's offense back on the field, and they go 73 yards on 10 plays (8 of them on the ground)--aided by a BG personal foul--and punch it in again.  Now it's 21-10 with 1:23 left.  That sequence there occupied less than 6 minutes of game time.

This time, the offense did respond.  Building on a 41 yard run by Fred Coppet, BG drove the ball into the red zone, converted a 4th and 2 from the 8 and eventually sent Coppet into the end zone for a 21-17 EMU lead.

Now it is the defense's turn to deliver.  EMU switched tactics--presumably as BG guarded the box more--and sent Roback to the air.  He completed 3 of 4 passes with a couple run to get to the BG 40.  And then, the back breaking play.  Roback got out of contain, had time to set his feet in the flat and fired the ball to the goal line.  There, Sergio Bailed and Alphonso Mack were set to battle for the ball.  Mack was in position, jumped for the ball, and Bailey just reached over his head and took it out of his hands.  It looked for all the world like an INT.  28-17 EMU.

BG's offense was much more effective at this point, hopefully providing a look at what is to come.  They mixed the run and the pass very well and went on a 14 play drive, converting a 3rd and 10 at the EMU 35 and a 3rd and 6 on a penalty and eventually pounding it in.  BG also got the 2-pt conversion and it was 28-25.

EMU's ball with 5:16 left.  Absolutely still a game.  Here's the thing.  After the North Dakota game, Jinks said you need to be able to pound out a couple first downs to end the game in a situation like that.  We could not in that case.  EMU could.  BG never got the ball back.  EMU's line just gashed the Falcon front....Turner had 46 yards on 3 carries...and EMU ended the game inside the BG red zone in victory formation.

Look, EMU was the better team and they won the game.  What you saw was two teams going in opposite directions.