Bowling Green 44 Akron 20

College Football
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Akron Zips
Venue: Doyt Perry Stadium (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Attending this game was a last-minute decision. Part of the deal I made with myself when I decided to go to the basketball game on Thursday was that I would skip this game. In the end, though, the call of the Friday night lights was too strong for me to resist. Sure, I could have gone to a local high school playoff game instead, but it wouldn't have been nearly the same as being in the stands to cheer on a team I'm invested in.

And I'm extremely glad I went, because the Falcons looked good. Really good, in fact, particularly on offense. Which is amazing, if you think about it--top receiver Corey Partridge was out with an injury, as were top running backs Willie Geter and Eric Ransom (who's been out since the first game). Anthony Turner really stepped up in his slash role, though, and Tyler Sheehan looked to be back in early season form. He was making good throws, and the receivers were making good plays on them, and everything was clicking on that side of the ball.

Defensively, well...the Falcons still don't know how to tackle. They created some takeaways at some key points, though, and that really helped a lot. They've really been hurt by injuries on that side of the ball as well, and it didn't help when linebacker John Haneline went down early in the game with a possibly broken foot. The guys who were pressed into service did some good things. I feel like the defense has a lot of potential. Here's hoping they can still put it together at some point this season.

I got pretty excited at one point when I noticed that Troy's high school football coach was in attendance, as I automatically assumed he was escorting a potential recruit from Troy's team. I think he was just taking in a game with his family, though.

It was a perfect night for a football game, and I'm really, really glad I didn't miss it. It was a little chilly, but there was no wind (which is an extreme rarity for Bowling Green), and I was perfectly comfortable in a sweatshirt over a long-sleeved t-shirt. I went down onto the field for the alma mater with the team after the game, which was my first time on the new FieldTurf. It's pretty sweet.

Just one more home game remains for the Falcons: the hated Toledo Rockets on the day after Thanksgiving. That comes during another perfect storm of Falcon athletics, as there's a men's basketball game (vs. Temple) the next day in Anderson Arena. I have a feeling that I'll be partaking in another double dip that weekend.