Week 7 2016

Results of Last Week's Games to Watch

1.  North Carolina State Wolfpack @ #3 Clemson Tigers 

The Tigers held a 10-3 lead at the half due to a quick touchdown drive at the tail end of the 2nd quarter.  That lead didn't last long thanks to the fast NC State defense.  On the first play of the drive, Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson's pass was intercepted by defensive back Mike Stevens and returned 28 yards for an NC State touchdown.  Adding to the frustration on offense, the next two Clemson drives each ended in another turnover.  The first time, a botched handoff led to a lost fumble.  The second time, Watson completed a 21 yard pass to top receiver Mike Williams who then promptly let the ball get knocked out of his hands which was recovered by the defense.  After the Williams fumble, the Wolfpack got the ball deep in Clemson territory but couldn't gain a first down.  When the resulting field goal was missed by kicker Kyle Bambard, the Tigers had dodged a major bullet.

This time, Watson led his team all the way to the endzone, scoring the touchdown himself on a short run.  The Wolfpack responded by going on a long TD drive of their own, powered by the well placed passes of quarterback Ryan Finley and a great run by running back Matthew Dayes.  Clemson's next drive looked very promising but they drove themselves into a ditch with two consecutive holding penalties. The Tigers punted and gave the ball back to the Wolfpack with more than 6 1/2 minutes remaining.  Much to the dismay of the fans in orange, NC State advanced slowly but surely down the field, using up all of the clock and set themselves up for a potential 33 yard game winning field goal. With the ball being in the middle of the field, Bambard had a straight shot to be a hero. The hold was good and the kick ... terrible! The ball sailed way to the right and the Clemson coaches, players and fans were ecstatic.  The game would continue in overtime.

Clemson got the first possession and put it to good use.  The Tigers overcame a false start and a holding penalty to get the ball to the 1 yard line.  On the next play, Watson let the shotgun snap slip past his fingers but was able to recover it.  Showing his well-known resiliency on the next play, Watson fired a low pass that was caught mere inches from the turf by wide receiver Artavis Scott for a touchdown.  Needing a touchdown to stay in the game, Finley decided to air it out on the first play of the drive, throwing a long pass into the endzone.  But a defensive back Marcus Edmond, the same guy who came up with a game winning tackle against Louisville, ran in front of the intended receiver.  Edmond secured the ball and his teammates dashed onto the field and dog piled on top of him.

The fans rushed the field and head coach Dabo Swinney gave another passionate postgame interview surrounded by wild cheering fans.

Final Score: Clemson 24 NC State 17

Most Exciting Game of the Week 

#2 Ohio State Buckeyes @ #8 Wisconsin Badgers 

Every week, College Gameday, the nation's premier pregame show, chooses a game to attend.  The game must be a top 25 matchup with high stakes for both teams. They bring their elaborate set to a site near the stadium or on campus and thousands come to show their support for the home team.  Sometimes the game turns out to be a one-sided affair but that certainly wasn't the case this time.

The first half was dominated by Wisconsin.  The Badgers defense seemed to be everywhere, severely limiting the production of an usually electric Buckeyes offense led by dynamic quarterback J.T. Barrett.  The Buckeyes did manage to scratch and claw into the redzone twice, but the Badgers prevented them from getting into the endzone each time. On the other side of things, the Ohio State defense kept the Buckeyes in the game. Wisconsin barged their way into the redzone three times, but Ohio State only gave up one touchdown.  Combined with a field goal, the Badgers scored 16 points in the first half, while the Buckeyes had only managed six.  Ohio State's chances to continue their undefeated season seemed quite tenuous at this point.

But as is the case in so many games, the second half was a different story.  Ohio State's first drive, which looked very promising, ended in an interception.  However, the Buckeyes would turn their setback into a great opportunity when their defense forced a three and out.  The resulting punt gave the ball back to the Buckeyes just inside Badgers territory.  Ohio State's drive was slow but just effective enough to get the job done. The Buckeyes converted two 4 and 1 scenarios thanks to the power and determination of running back Mike Weber and his blockers.

Late in the drive, a pass interference penalty was called on Wisconsin defensive back Sojourn Shelton in the endzone, giving Ohio State the ball at the 2 yard line.  Two plays later, Barrett ran it in himself to cut the Badgers lead down to three.

The Badgers offense, headlined by freshman quarterback Alex Hornibrook and running back Corey Clement, had been stagnant for the entire quarter.  Things went from bad to worse, when Hornibrook's pass was intercepted by Ohio State defensive back Gareon Conley on the third play of the drive.  Getting the ball in even better position than last time, Barrett got his team into the redzone on the third play of the drive when he fired a blazing pass to wide receiver Noah Brown.  Three plays later, Barrett scored another touchdown on the ground from eight yards out.

With 14 minutes left to play, Ohio State had all the momentum.  But the Badgers stole it right back with a 36 yard completion from Hornibrook to wide receiver Jazz Peavy early in the drive.

On 7 of the next 8 plays, Wisconsin ran the ball, pushing the Ohio State defense backwards in a hurry.  Fullback Austin Ramesh blasted his way into the endzone on the 8th play and the Badgers had the lead once again.

Down by 3 and with time at a premium, Barrett knew the time to score was now.  Four plays into the drive he was sacked, but then threw an awesome pass to receiver Dontre Wilson for 43 yards on the very next play.  But the Badgers defense clamped down and forced the Buckeyes into a chance to tie it.  Kicker Tyler Durbin nailed a 31 yard field goal and the score was deadlocked at 23.

Almost 4 minutes remained and Wisconsin had plenty of time to score on the final possession of the game.  The Badgers reached midfield but their drive was stalled when offensive lineman Brett Connors was hit with a holding penalty.  A third down pass by Hornibrook fell incomplete and overtime was assured.

Ohio State got the ball first in overtime, and the drive started off well with a 10 completion from Barrett to running back Curtis Samuel.  The next play was not so great: a 5 yard false start penalty on the offense.  Not fazed, Barrett came back with a 12 yard completion to receiver James Clark.  Unfortunately, a Buckeyes lineman was tagged with a 10 yard holding penalty on the next play and the Buckeyes had to do the moonwalk once again.  Showing his resiliency, Barrett fired two perfect passes on the next two plays, the second a 7 yard touchdown pass to Noah Brown.

Hornibrook knew he had his work cut out for him: score a touchdown or lose the game. On 2nd and 10, Hornibrook avoided a potential sack and threw off balance.  Somehow, Wisconsin receiver Robert Wheelwright caught the ball to set the Badgers up inside the 10 yard line.  Long-time Ohio State defensive coordinator Luke Fickell urged his defense to stand their ground.  After stopping Clement twice for no gain and forcing an incompletion, the Buckeyes were one play away for a victory.  On 4th down, the Ohio State defensive line busted through the gaps and were bearing down on the quarterback. Hornibrook saw that none of his receivers were open and was sacked by Tyquan Lewis.

The Buckeyes streamed out onto the field and filled the air with shouts of jubilation.

Barrett's teammates congratulated him on another fantastic game that proved he is one of the best leaders in college football.

Final Score: Ohio State 30 Wisconsin 23 (OT)

Top 2 Games to Watch: Week 8

1.  #17 Arkansas Razorbacks @ #21 Auburn Tigers: 10/22 at 6 p.m. on ESPN 

A resurgent Auburn looks to score a top 25 victory that will restore the Tigers to national relevancy while the Razorbacks are hoping to build off their big victory over Ole Miss last week.

My pick: Auburn

2. #6 Texas A&M @ #1 Alabama Crimson Tide: 10/22 at 3:30 on CBS

For weeks now, the consensus has been that the Aggies have the best chance to knock off Alabama.  They have a dynamic quarterback in Trevor Knight, a great running back in Traveon Williams, an imposing defense, and are well rested after a bye week.  Can they do it?  I cannot describe how much I want them to.

My pick: Texas A&M!!!

Extra Point 

Ball State Cardinals @ Buffalo Bulls 

Bulls quarterback Tyree Jackson had his best game this season, throwing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns.  The Bulls held a 14-7 lead at the half, due to a strong first half defensive showing.  In the 2nd half, Cardinals running back James Gilbert got cranking.  His quick feet keyed the Ball State offense to score 24 straight points while the Buffalo suddenly started to struggle.  The Bulls managed a late touchdown but they fell short in a 31-21 loss.

Two Point Conversion 

Another crazy finish caught my eye this week.  The annual rivalry game between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders went into overtime.  After a pair of touchdowns in the first overtime, the Blue Raiders got the ball first in the second overtime. Middle Tennessee quarterback Brent Stockstill led a touchdown drive, but the extra point was blocked by Western Kentucky tight end Deon Yelder.  Now the Hilltoppers could score a touchdown with an extra point and win the game.   An 11 yard completion by quarterback Mike White to Taywan Taylor and four scampers by running back Anthony Wales got the Hilltoppers into the endzone.  The ensuing extra point by Western Kentucky kicker Skylar Simcox was good and the Hilltoppers secured bragging rights for another year.

Final Score: Western Kentucky 44 Middle Tennessee 43 (2OT)

Week 6 2016

Results of Last Week's Games to Watch

 

1. #25 Virginia Tech Hokies @ #17 North Carolina Tar Heels

This game was played in the rain generated from the remnants of Hurricane Matthew. Why they didn't move the game to Sunday, I have no idea.

Whether it was just the rainy conditions or something else, the North Carolina offense was terrible.  This was surprising for no other reason than the fact that the Virginia Tech offense managed to be productive.  Virginia Tech quarterback Jarrod Evans threw for 2 touchdowns and ran for one, helping the Hokies to gain twice as many yards as the Tar Heels.  North Carolina scored a whopping 3 points and their early success in the ACC has come to a close.

Final Score: Virginia Tech 27 North Carolina 3

2.  #1 Alabama Crimson Tide @ #16 Arkansas Razorbacks 

Arkansas had to play a great game to beat the Tide and they couldn't muster anything close.  The Razorbacks showed a short burst of life when quarterback Austin Allen found tight end Jeremy Sprinkle for a touchdown to shrink Alabama's early lead to 14-7.  Other than that, Arkansas looked like they were sleepwalking, at least in the first half.  At one point, an Alabama running back looked like he was going to be forced out of bounds.  But the running back stayed in bounds and ran past 3 Arkansas defenders who did little more than stand around.  The Alabama Pain Train, belching smelly diesel fumes into the air, chugs on.

Final Score: Alabama 49 Arkansas 30

Most Exciting Game of the Week 

#9 Tennessee Volunteers @ #8 Texas A&M Aggies 

In four out of five of their previous games, the Volunteers have had to overcome sizable halftime deficits, sometimes as large as 21 points, in order to win.  They even needed a miraculous ending to walk away with a victory against Georgia last week.  The general consensus was that Tennessee's string of come from behind victories would be ended in the confines of Texas A&M's massive Kyle Field.

As expected the Volunteers fell behind early, trailing 21-7 at the half.  Things looked even more bleak for Tennessee when A&M running back Traveon Williams lengthened the lead with a 7 yard TD run early in the 3rd quarter.

But as usual, when backed against the wall, the Volunteers become ferocious.  On Tennessee's 2nd drive of the quarter, 3 excellent completions by quarterback Josh Dobbs got the Volunteers into the red zone.  Then, starting tailback Alvin Kamara, normally the backup, ripped off a 15 yard touchdown run that ignited the hope of Tennessee fans.  

The momentum for Tennessee slowed until five minutes into the final quarter when they began a long drive.  Dobbs threw a mix of short and screen passes that were effective in moving the ball slowly yet surely down the field.  On the 13th play of the drive, running back John Kelly powered into the endzone.  Incredibly, the Volunteers were mounting another comeback.

However, the Aggies appeared to shut the door when quarterback Trevor Knight knifed through the Volunteers defense on a thrilling 62 yard TD run.  Just over 3 minutes remained on the clock, and it seemed for just a moment that Tennessee's late game magic had run out.  But Dobbs and the offense would have none of that and kicked into overdrive.

Tennessee sped down the field, and after a screen pass to Kamara that netted 36 yards, Kamara bull rushed his way into the endzone with 2 minutes left in the game.

All Tennessee needed was a defensive stop to keep hope alive.  On the second play of the Aggies' ensuing drive, it looked like it was all over.  Williams darted through a hole in the defense and raced unimpeded toward the endzone.  At the last possible moment, defensive back Malik Foreman caught up to Williams and knocked the ball loose! Tennessee would gain possession of the ball in the mad scramble, giving the Volunteers the ball at their own 25 yard line.  Working the no huddle offense to perfection, Dobbs guided his team down into the redzone after only 5 plays.  On the following play, Dobbs got the ball to Kamara via a pass and watched as his teammate scored the game tying touchdown. 

When Texas A&M got the ball back, forty one seconds were still on the clock: plenty of time to set up a field goal attempt.  A run by Williams and two completions of 20+ yards by Knight later, the Aggies were getting ready to kick a potential game winning 38 yard field goal.  Tennessee players knelt down and hoped for another lucky break.  A&M kicker Daniel LaCamera shanked it hard to the left and the Volunteers celebrated.  Overtime loomed large.

Tennessee and Texas A&M each scored a field goal in the first overtime, necessitating a 2nd extra period.   The Aggies got the ball first in the second overtime and went to work. On 2nd and 10, Knight fired a laser of a pass to wide receiver Christian Kirk who caught it a yard short of the goal line.  Knight pushed his way into the endzone on the next play and Tennessee was backed up against the wall again.  Needing a touchdown to extend the game, Dobbs tried to get it all on the first play.  He fired a long pass toward the endzone, but it was intercepted by Texas A&M safety Armani Watts.

The win sealed, the Aggies ran onto the field to celebrate a hard fought victory.

Final Score: Texas A&M  45 Tennessee 38

Top 2 Games to Watch: Week 7

1.  #2 Ohio State Buckeyes @ #8 Wisconsin Badgers: 10/18 at 8 p.m. on ABC

Will the Buckeyes continue their trouncing of opponents large and small or will the Badgers eke out their third upset win of the year?

My pick: Ohio State 

2.  North Carolina State Wolfpack @ #3 Clemson Tigers: 10/18 at Noon on ABC

Will Clemson follow up on their thrilling defeat of Louisville two weeks ago with another victory over a quality ACC foe or will NC State grab a season defining upset of one of the best teams in college football? 

My pick: Clemson

Extra Point

Kent State Golden Flashes @ Buffalo Bulls

Back home for the start of Mid American Conference play, the Bulls were confident they could get their season back on track.  Unfortunately, Kent State running back Nick Holley, and his offensive line, decided it was high time he had a career day.  Holley used the ample space his blockers gave him to rush for 224 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Buffalo did show good offensive improvement, though.  Quarterback Tyree Jackson threw for 250 yards and a touchdown, but it was not enough.

Final Score: Kent State 44 Buffalo 20

Week 5 2016

Results of Last Week's Games to Watch 

1.  #3 Louisville Cardinals @ #5 Clemson Tigers 

Billed as the biggest game of the year so far, this crucial battle of ACC frontrunners lived up to and surpassed expectations.

After a scoreless first quarter, Louisville took the early lead on a short touchdown run by running back Jeremy Smith at the end of a drive fueled by the running and passing abilities of superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson.  Following that, however, Clemson took control of the 2nd quarter.  The Tigers went on to score 4 touchdowns before the half, 3 on beautiful touchdown passes by senior playmaker Deshaun Watson and the other on a short scoring run by talented running back Wayne Gallman.  Seeing how the last Clemson touchdown was mere seconds before the end of the half, I figured that the momentum was clearly in Clemson’s favor.  

On the other hand, these situations are breeding grounds for overconfidence.  Furthermore, five years of following college has taught me that no lead is safe.  It turned out to be true in this case.  

The Cardinals came soaring back in the next 20 minutes of play, their offense reaching new heights while the Tigers were plagued by complacency on offense.  Louisville scored 19 unanswered points to take a 29-28 lead.

When Watson, Gallman, and the rest of the Tigers offense came back onto the field, urgency marked their faces.  But on just the second play of the drive, Watson's pass was intercepted  by top cornerback Jaire Alexander, his second interception of the day.  Four plays later, Jackson darted through the right side of the defense to score an 11 yard touchdown.  Now down by eight, Clemson looked like they were in serious trouble.  

On the ensuing kickoff, Clemson wide receiver Artavis Scott broke off a spectacular return and was finally pushed out by the kicker after a 77 yard return.  Just two snaps later, Watson fired a bullet over the middle to receiver Mike Williams who muscled his way in for the touchdown.  However, when Watson's pass was batted then intercepted on the two point conversion attempt, the Tigers still trailed by 2.  The Clemson defense would have to come up with a stop.  

And stop them they did. On 3rd and 2, defensive tackle Carlos Watkins raised his muscular arm into the air and batted down Jackson's pass that would surely have been caught for a first down.  After the ensuing punt, Watson and Gallman took 7 plays to lead the offense to the Louisville 35 yard line.

On the next play, Watson realized Louisville had 12 men on the field (a 5 yard penalty) and the defense was very confused.  So he called for the center to snap the ball, caught the shotgun snap, and lofted a pass to wide receiver Jordan Leggett.  Leggett outran the defender covering him and ran untouched into the endzone.  Easy as pie, right?

Head coach Dabo Swinney decided to go for two again and this time it worked.  The Tigers now led 42-36, but over 3 minutes still remained on the clock.

Louisville took that remaining time and used it effectively.  Lamar Jackson continued to use his strong arm and fast legs to lead the Cardinals into the redzone after just 7 plays.  But after 3 ineffective plays and a false start penalty made them go a yard in reverse, the Cardinals were running out of chances.  On 4th and 11th, Jackson scrambled to the right and threw a pass to wide receiver James Quick near the left sideline.  Quick caught it and looked like he could make it past the 1st down marker.  But at the last moment, trailing cornerback Marcus Edmond pushed Quick out of bounds a half a yard short.  The Tiger defense celebrated around Edmond while thousands of Clemson fans within the confines of the affectionately named Death Valley cheered wildly.  

After Watson took a knee to run the rest of the clock out, Clemson fans rushed the field as they are known to do after big wins.  Coach Swinney gave another impassioned postgame interview surrounded by a mass of fans and the Tigers continued their run of impressive regular season performances.

Final Score: Clemson 42 Louisville 36

2. Oklahoma Sooners @ #21 TCU Horned Frogs 

Although this game was loaded with points and gigantic changes of momentum, it couldn't match the finish of the Clemson game.  As is the case in most of the Big 12 Conference, both teams have high powered offenses combined with porous defenses.  Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and TCU quarterback Kenny Hill turned the field into a playground where they could have a proper duel.  Hill had the hot hand at first and the Horned Frogs hopped out to a 21-7 lead.

Then Mayfield and Sooners running back Semaje Perine responded with an explosion of production on offense, helping Oklahoma to a 28-3 scoring run that gave them a 35-24 halftime lead.  The Sooners lengthened their lead with 2 touchdowns in the 3rd quarter, but 3 touchdown drives and a 2 point conversion by TCU in the 4th quarter got the Frogs back within 3.  But when all was said and done, the ending wasn't all that dramatic.  The Sooners kicked a late field goal and held on to win by 6.  This just proves that you should never count a good team out.

Final Score: Oklahoma 52 TCU 46

Most Exciting Game of the Week 

North Carolina Tar Heels @ #12 Florida State Seminoles

A key inter-divisional clash in the ACC between perennial front runner Florida State and young upstart North Carolina turned out to be more than Seminole fans had bargained for.

At the end of the 3rd quarter, the Seminoles trailed 28-14, having been outplayed by the Tar Heels for most of the game.

However, a sense of panic was noticeably absent among the Florida State players.  The Seminoles have built a reputation in the past few years of mounting successful comebacks in any situation.  It was almost as if the players were saying, "We've got them right where we want them."

On two successive drives separated by a Tar Heels punt, the Seminoles marched down the field with gusto.  Quarterback Deondre François was on target with his passes and running back Dalvin Cook used strong bursts of his well-known speed to tear through the Tar Heels defense. Cook finished each drive with a short TD run, bringing the score to a 28 point draw.  

Not about to give the game away, North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky and his offense went to work.  After a holding penalty on the offense early in the drive, Trubisky fired 3 straight completions that set them up in prime Florida State territory.  On the 7th play of the drive, Trubisky threw a screen pass to wide receiver Thomas Jackson.  Jackson broke two tackles, picked up a key block from a fellow receiver, and sped down the sideline for a 34 yard touchdown.  But kicker Nick Weiler's extra point was blocked, and the Tar Heels' lead was a precarious 6.

Two and a half minutes remained and the Florida State offense knew what it had to do.  On the first third down on the drive, François lobbed a screen pass to Cook who took it all the way down to the North Carolina 33 yard line.  On top of that, Tar Heels defensive lineman M.J. Stewart was flagged for roughing the passer, a 15 yard penalty, moving the ball into the redzone.  Seven plays later, the Seminoles had the ball at the Tar Heels 2 yard line, facing a 2nd and Goal.

As the chosen play called for, François scrambled to right, looking for an open receiver.  Once he saw that there were none, François knew it was time to run.

He dodged one tackle, ducked under another one and dove into the endzone for a touchdown!  When Florida State kicker Ricky Aguayo nailed the extra point with only 23 seconds left, North Carolina was left with just the smallest glimmer of hope.

But 23 seconds is a long time in college football.  Trubisky tossed a pass to wide receiver Mack Hollins, which netted 23 yards.  17 seconds left.  Then a second pass to star receiver Ryan Switzer fell incomplete.  9 seconds left.  On the next play, Trubisky tried to throw a deep pass to Hollins again, but the ball hit the turf.  Much to the dismay of Seminole fans, officials called defensive pass interference on cornerback Patrice Rene, a 15 yard penalty.  With the ball now on the Florida State 37 yard line, North Carolina Head Coach Larry Fedora was faced with a decision.  Should they try for a Hail Mary or attempt a very long 54 yard field goal?

Fedora decided to give kicker Nick Weiler a shot, even though he had missed a 51 yarder in the 3rd quarter.  There were few who thought that Weiler would make the kick, me included.  The snap was good, the hold was great and Nick booted it as hard and accurately as he could.  The ball sailed through the air and I though it would narrowly miss to the right.  Wrong!  The ball made it between the uprights and above the cross bar with room to spare!

The Tar Heels raced onto the field, led by Nick Weiler who mocked the Seminoles' Tomahawk Chop as he ran down the sideline!  

A truly remarkable win that is one of the most unbelievable victories of the year.

Final Score: North Carolina 37 Florida State 35

Top 2 Games to Watch: Week 6

1. #25 Virginia Tech Hokies @ #17 North Carolina Tar Heels: 10/8 at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2

Can North Carolina notch another important victory against a quality ACC foe one week after shocking Florida State or will Virginia Tech march into Chapel Hill and nab an upset?

My pick: North Carolina 

2. #1 Alabama Crimson Tide @ #16 Arkansas Razorbacks 

Arkansas has a real chance to knock off the puffed up juggernaut called Alabama in front of a crowd itching to see the Crimson Tide washed out to sea.  Can quarterback Austin Allen and the duo of Arkansas running backs (Rawleigh Williams III and Kody Walker) score enough points to outlast Alabama or will the Crimson Tide.... bleh I can't even write it.

My pick: Arkansas!!!

4th Down Conversion 

(new section describing an additional wild ending)

#11 Tennessee Volunteers @ #25 Georgia Bulldogs

With 15 seconds left on the clock Georgia freshman quarterback Jacob Eason lobbed a pass that looked very much like a Hail Mary into the waiting arms of wide receiver Riley Ridley for a 47 yard touchdown.  But on the ensuing kickoff, Tennessee kick returner Evan Berry managed to return the ball close to midfield.  Combined with a 5 yard offside penalty on Georgia, this gave Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs the ball at the Georgia 47 yard line.  On the final play of the game, Dobbs heaved the ball 50 yards into the endzone.  At just the right moment, Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings leaped in front of the wall of Georgia defenders and came down with the game winning touchdown!

The Tennessee players spilled onto the field alongside head coach Butch Jones who went down to a knee in a combination of celebration and relief.  The Volunteers' dream of having a magical season had come to life. (Not to mention they still have a good chance to knock off Alabama in 2 weeks)

Extra Point

A shout-out to Uncle Dave and cousins Mark and Mike Horgan

Buffalo Bulls @ Boston College Eagles

One week after a scoring a hard-fought upset over undefeated Army, the Buffalo Bulls charged headlong into Boston College's Alumni Stadium to take on the resurgent Eagles.

Despite fighting hard, Buffalo could score only 3 points against a Boston College defense that can shut down any offense and ended up losing 35-3.  However, with Mid-American Conference play set to begin for the Bulls next week, plenty of opportunities remain for the Bulls to reach a bowl game.