Sadness Accrues

So, not withstanding last week's thrilling outcome, we were reminded Saturday that the Falcons have a long climb to get where they need to be.  BG was outplayed by CMU for the entire game.  The score entering the 4th was only 28-14 but the game had been more one-sided than that and ultimately CMU won 38-20.

I'm not terribly surprised.  Last week was like a feverish dream, but this team is still under-manned and under-developed.  You can watch Coach's presser...he spells it out it in exacting detail...but the ultimate thing is that we're just going to struggle to win right now.

CMU got the ball to start and did what they do, which is run right down the field and score.  BG got the ball back and made some progress, driving into CMU territory before failing to convert on a 4th and 1 at the 41.

Even worse, Davon Jones was injured on the drive and did not return.  It looked serious, but time will tell.  It leaves BG in a sorrowful position at RB.  Andrew Clair continues to be out with the foot injury, and Jones is now out, leaving Denley as the only scholarship RB on the roster.  (I was surprised to go back and see there were no RBs in last year's scholarship class).

Anyway, from there on in BG patched together Denley, walk-on Trevon Raymore (from Norwalk, highly productive HS back in HS) and jet sweeps with RB Marlow.  It's going to make things tough.  Leaving last year, RB looked like a position of strength, but Clair hasn't played (and it's easy to forget now how good he has been for us), Hargrove transferred and here we are.

Anyway, CMU drove the BG 2 again.  BG held them on 2nd and 3rd down and then on 4th down forced a fumble which Caleb Biggers scooped up and ran 102 yards with for a TD, tied for the longest play in BG history.

So, the score's 7-7. but what's happened is CMU has moved the ball at will and been snakebit by a fluky play (not so much forcing the fumble but the return).

BG has some momentum and gets a stop as the 2nd quarter starts.  The offense failed to pick the thread up, though, went 3 and out and CMU scored on its next possession to go up 14-7.

After some exchanged punts, CMU started a drive with 7 minutes left from its own 3.  What happened next was a back-breaker, as the Chips drove the 97 yards in 5+ minutes, 12 plays and only one of them on 3rd down, and scored a TD.  BG had two penalties on the drive, CMU had a OPI and still converted.  Anyway, after that it was 21-17.

BG did run an effective 2 minute drill but Loy was picked from the CMU 29.

That was also a shame, because BG had the ball to start the 3rd Q and it would have been a great chance to get back in the game with two straight possessions.  BG took the kickoff and moved down the field, featuring a 26-yard sweep to Marlow and a 4th and 6 conversion before scoring and getting it to 21-14.

So, for all that had happened, you're in play at home and only down score.

Alas, CMU hit a 53-yard pass and scored on a 4-play drive to go back up 28-14.

So, still 3rd Q, BG needs a drive to get things going.  They don't get it...one drive was hampered by two penalties, one ended on an unconverted 4th and 1 and one on an unconverted 4th and 5.  Not be lost in there was an INT by Jordan Anderson, who is looking to be a player at S for BG.

It's now early 4th and CMU finally closes the deal with a 51-yard TD run...Coach Loeffler said BG just didn't tackle well on the play (and all day, beyond that).  At 35-14 and BG with only one offensive TD, you have to know its a long road.  BG did score one more time and CMU added a FG with a 38-20 final.

BG's depth continues to be an issue...in addition to Jones, Karl Brooks was injured.  In both cases, that leaves with BG very thin.  More to come...