Over The Pylon

There’s an old saying that any win is a good win, but after watching the Cardinals struggle and damn near give a game away on Saturday, I am not so sure that I agree with that statement. Yes, the Cardinals added another “W” to the ledger and that’s a definite good thing. But I would be remiss if I at least didn’t mention that there a three-point victory over a 2-4 double-digit underdog left me feeling a little bit underwhelmed. The thing that people, myself included, fail to realize many times, though, is that every team will have games where for whatever reason, things don’t go their way. The “average” teams lose those games. The good ones win them anyway, and after Saturday, I’d say that this team is definitely a good team, perhaps even better. And it’s nice to finally have tangible proof of that.

In a way, it’s strange that I learned more about this team from Saturday’s contest then I have at any other game this season. The UVA game was a great game to watch, but all it taught me was when BSU is on, they are nearly unstoppable. I was curious what would happen when BSU turned in the majority of a game with less than spectacular results. We’ve seen glimpses of it for short periods, but never for the length of time it was present on Saturday. Between the tipped passes, the interceptions, the failure to establish a dominant running game, etc. it was a frustrating afternoon. The fact that despite all that, BSU walks out of the Scheu with a win is exactly what I needed to see to have faith this team can respond when its back is against the wall. The great ones do. So, the final word for Kent State is…

affirming (v.)

• to state as a fact, to assert strongly and publicly

Some other thoughts on the victory…

• The attendance at the Scheu was dreadful on Saturday. Operation 20k was a resounding failure and the announced crowd was 16k and change. Standing on the sidelines chatting to a few people, we all thought we were well under 20k and estimates ranged from 15k to 18k. That is absolutely ridiculous. The damn tailgate lot was at capacity an hour before kickoff. Which tells me a couple things… people either came to tailgate and didn’t go to the game, or a family of four took four different cars, neither of which is particularly good. I will never understand the failure of this fanbase to come out and support this team. It was Homecoming. It was gorgeous. The team had just beaten UVA. They were 5-1. Tickets were cheap. THIS MAKES NO SENSE.
• Even on a less than spectacular day, Keith Wenning still goes for 300+. 305 yards was his final tally with 4TDs to go along with his 2 INTs and he may have thrown for 400 if he didn’t have so many tipped passes. I’m not sure what the deal is with that, but you can bet that tape will make its way to Kalamazoo for this weekend’s game.
• Kudos to the student section. When I was in undergrad at BSU, it was a rarity to see even one of the sections on the student side full. On Saturday, all but one was basically at capacity and the one that wasn’t was probably 70% full. The best programs in the country have student support and that kind of thing makes the position of head coach attractive should it become open.
• Speaking of, it’s time to start thinking about what this offseason could potentially be like. After talking with a few folks on Saturday, it’s entirely likely we’re replacing one of the all-time great MAC QBs and an entire coaching staff. That’ll be fun.
• The Pride of Mid America is still quite good.

Now, it’s on to Western Michigan and the joy and happiness that will be PJ Fleck for the next week. Batten down the hatches, boys and girls.

Filed under: Final Word |