BG Beats Kent in Pure #Maction

So last night was pure #maction.  That game is what the term was built for.  Wild entertainment for football junkies.  Straight, mainlined, pure, uncut #maction.  At one point, it felt like a fever dream.  Guys are dancing with their shirts off, band members are kicking field goals, hip hop music filled the air and a sparse crowd danced.  This guy was handing out what might have been candy. It was wild.

It was crazy--BG made multiple game-losing mistakes...but did not actually lose the game, picking up the season's third win.

Important to note was that Austin Dendy, Jay Kastantin and Winn Sharp were all out for the game.  Austin Novosad started and had an outstanding game.  More on that later.

Where to start?  Not to neglect the FOUR possessions these offensive juggernauts shared during the last 2:31 of the half, but let's hit in the middle of the fever dream, with BG getting the ball up 17-14 to start the second half.  When you defer that opening kickoff, it's this moment you dream of.  BG had closed the first half with a FG, and then took the opening kickoff 60 yards in 10 plays to go up 24-14 and get everyone feeling pretty good.

On that drive, Leo Kemp, America's least likely kick returner, brought the kick out to the 40. BG ran the ball on 7 straight plays for 30 yards, converting 2 3rd downs and driving to the KSU 30.  Novosad hit Jacon-Duffy at the KSU 6, and on second down, Novosad and Blane Cleaver executed the play of the game when Novosad threw a picture perfect pass to Cleaver who caught it on tiptoes in the back corner, double covered, and it was 24-14.

BG got a three and out (sack by E. George) and then got the ball on their 28 yard line.  Novosad hid Ridley for 29, and Kemp ran for 10. BG was on the KSU 14 but stalled out, ending with a sack from the KSU 15.  Kenner nailed the FG and it was 27-14 with 2:59 left in the 3rd.  BG gets a 3 and out.  0:55 left in the third, BG has the ball and a two-score lead.

Feeling pretty good?  Have you even HEARD of #maction.

BG went 3 and out.  We're in the 4th.  Kent was 3rd and 6 on their own 30.  (Right?).  They hit 35 and 28 yard passes on consecutive plays to get to the BG 7.  They go incomplete on first and second down, and on third down were passing again.  Durham-Smith put pressure on DeShields, who looked for Harris in the front corner of the end zone.  Josira Andrews was there and picked the pass off just outside the end zone.

Surely, now, right?  12:11 to play, BG at their own 2.  On 3rd down, BG hit Scoby at the 5 and he made a great run out to the 15 for a critical first down.  BG picked up a personal foul a couple plays later and punted from our 12.

8:57 to play. KSU moves from our 48 and scores in 6 plays, converting the touchdown down pass on 4th and 7 to Walt Harris in the end zone.  He had 3 grabs on the six play drive.  27-21.

BG gets the ball with 6:33.  All we need is a couple first downs, right?  Unfortunately, BG moved from its 31 to its 18 on the drive and punting.  Worst of all, BG had dialed up a bomb on 2nd down, and Ridley was behind the D.  No one could have thrown the ball any better than Novosad did, but it glanced off Ridley's fingers.  He scores, it's over.

BG was trying to move the ball not run clock, so there was 5:05 left.  BG's defense responded.  Myles Bradley got sacks on 2nd and 3rd down and Kent was on their own 32 with 3:31 left. It was 4th and 19.  They punt...everything seems fine.  Then, the officials are acting funny.

There's a penalty. Roughing the snapper.  Automatic first down. Again, the game was probably over.  It's an incredibly dumb penalty.  See below.

You know what happens now.  KSU hits a 28 yard pass to the BG 25 and then DeShields runs a QB draw for the touchdown and with 2:00 left, BG is now behind 28-27.

You can feel the heartbreak.

But #maction.

BG gets another good return, this one from Jahai Johnson to the 36.  We need a FG and we have a good kicker and KSU has 2 timeouts left.  Get them to burn the timeouts and the FG wins it.  Novosad his Safford for 16 yards to the Kent 48 and then BG handed the ball off to Amarchee who ran wide into a crowded boundary side but burst through and went to the house, to go with his first half 72-yard TD reception.

2-pointer fails....BG up 33-28...with 1:51 left to play.

On the first play, BG fails to contain the QB in the pocket and DeShields goes for 27 yards.  From the BG 48, BG gets them to 4th down and 10, but they convert.  Now from the BG 35.  Andrews breaks up the first pass AND NEARLY picks it and would've scored.  Bradley and George sack DeShields on 2nd down and then on 3rd and 13, DeShields was in the pocket.  A huge gap opened to his left.  But this time, BG had their best tackler (Pringle) spying him and George got off his block to help. DeShields was forced to throw with George right on him and Nick Sawyer picked it in the end zone.

Over.  Finally.  

Some individual performances.  With two games left, Myles Bradley has to at least be in the conversation for DPOY.  His dad was an honorary captain last night.  As Coach Carney said after the game, "he's a problem."  To the point where he said the best way to minimize him was to be able to run the ball.  They replaced a couple guys on the line...it made no difference.  Oh...five sacks, 9 tackles, one forced fumble, two pass breakups and 1 QBH.  If that works for you.

Dorian Pringle had 10 tackles, one TFL, one breakup and one hurry.

Eriq George had 6 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 TFL, 1 breakup and two hurries.

Overall, BG sacks DeShields 8 times and hurried him 10 times.  That's 18 in 46 pass attempts and doesn't count at least 3 balls batted down at the line.  

And then Nakai Amarchee.  BG ran the ball poorly, as did Kent.  But Amarchee had a 70 yard TD reception and that game-winning 48 yard TD run.  That's 118 yards of BG's 347 in total offense.  BG is not blessed with a lot of playmakers, but he's one for sure.

And Austin Novosad.  Highly recruited HS player out of Texas.  Goes to Oregon and gets essentially no action.  Comes to BG and loses the job to Jay Kastantin.  (Who has performed well for us).  Gibby said after the game that his family rents a suite at the Doyt and has been to every game.  He saw Austin's mom after the game in tears...this was the game where her son finally made it.

He was 15 of 25 for 229.  3 TDs, no INT, sacked 3 times.  Accurate.  Cool in the pocket.  After not playing a competitive game in four years.  Let's think about that for a second.

It's all more #Maction.

Carney said something odd after the game.  First, Novosad played against them last year.  And then Carney said: "#17, their starter, is a really good player.  I'm not sure...we've heard things..exactly what's going on with him."

OK.  #mactrigue.

So, here's the matchup.  No one ran the ball. Kent had a lower completion percentage but a bunch of big passes.  BG won the special teams battle...Kingston had his best game, Kenner made a long-FG, and we had two solid KORs.  Only the roughed snapper held us back.  BG won the turnover battle--and add in that both Kent turnovers were from our goal line back.  And BG tied the explosive play battle.  One thing is when your offense is not great, it's hard to "matriculate" down the field.  Too many chances for a driving killing mistake.  Anyway, BG also had an uncharacteristic number of penalties.

Next up?