Football Closes with a Dub

 Well, it's over.

What a year.  There will be more chances to talk about that....signing day is coming up.  This off-season is critical.  We will not know for sure until the portal closes, but I suspect that we will have real holes to fill.  Even the ones we know about are significant.

UMass is just terrible. This is how the result should have been, and BG made it happen.  I'm glad our guys got to enjoy a win, especially for those whose football career has finished.

BG burst out to a 28-0 lead over the first 20 minutes of the game, and it appeared like the rout was on.  It was, however, not.  Yet.

The Minutemen had 2 first downs at this point.  They went on a 73 yard TD drive followed by an 80 yard TD drive to make it 28-14, and ghosts seemed to be coming out of the closets. 

UMass got the ball coming out of the half.  The Falcons got them 3 and out.  BG drove to the 39.  It was 4th and 2.  Everyone expected BG to go for it, but instead they punted UMass to their 4.  UMass ran 10 plays...to get to their 35...before BG turned them over on downs.

From the UMass 35, BG scored to make it 35-14 and everything eased up a little.  The first drive in the 4th led to a FG (38-14) and then in the waning minutes, BG went on a scoring drive in which long-time Falcon hero Pa'Sean Wimberly capped his career with a touchdown.

Classy touch by Coach George, who also got Blane Cleaver into the end zone for his last game and an XP to Travis Kenner.

At 45-14, BG had its biggest win over an FBS team since 2019.  Yes, we all know, that UMass might well be one of the 10 worst teams of all time...you're supposed to beat them and we did.  BG ran the offensive attack that many have been calling for...only 9 passes...mostly very short, to the extent that BG had 128 yards passing and most of that on runs after the catch. 

In fact, BG's average depth of throw was -.1 yards.  They ran 48 times for 5.8 yards per carry.  I'm not sure this approach would have succeeded against better competition, but it got the team the win today.

So, signing day is next week.  And then there's the portal work....the portal opens in January and after that we will have a better idea what we have.  More on this...but on day 1 we know we need serious help at QB, OL and WR.  Even if no one transfers.

Meanwhile...I will miss it.  See everyone in Lincoln.