This was our oops game. Doesn't change the geometry of the MAC race for us at this point at least. Miami and Toledo didn't look that great either this week.

The next two are very winnable even though BG beat Fiami today. Win those two. Go 2-1 against Fiami/Buffalo/Akron, and probably a loss to Toledo. 8-4!

Computers hadn't seen #83 Tyler Conklin this year. Crazy game.

Has anyone checked to see if Peden was built on sacred Chippewa burial grounds? They have our number, no matter how good we are or how bad they are.

We're in the same position we were last year -- sweep the East and we should be going to Detroit the week after Thanksgiving.

CMU had size! We got out physicalled in that game. The refs made and missed some very key calls. Once again I witnessed a lack of on field communication which probably contributed to a lot of negative plays for us. Our secondary needs help. Conklin is a beast. The only rotation I saw on defense was on the line which led to tired Bobcat defenders on the last series missing key tackles. Rourke got blasted on a couple of those fumbles, but I do think he needs to be more protective of the ball when scrambling. I'm sure they will work on that. The injuries to our O line worry me the most. I see 8-4, if we can pull a MAC East out of that and get to Detroit, anything can happen.

Conklin had a good day against us. No doubt about that. However, we should have still won that game. It was definitely a self-inflicted loss. Turnovers, poor tackling late, blocked FG for a TD, dumb penalties, all decided the day.

The good news is that all that can be corrected. We didn't get our butts handed to us yesterday.

I remain guardedly optimistic about the rest of the season. The injuries are worrisome.

Here's a fact: Ohio has never gone undefeated at home under this regime. A lot of 5-1 and 4-2 with absolute head scratching losses.

Actually, to be clear, there were some serious butt-handings in '14 and '15. Granted, a loss is a loss, and it doesn't feel good either way. I just don't think the comparison between Saturday and those games is very valid.

My answer is...because it's football. Every team is going to have games where everything goes wrong. The only way you can avoid losing a game on a day like that is to be so much better than everyone you play that it doesn't matter. There are teams for which that applies, but Ohio isn't one of them. -3 on Turnovers, combined with a FG blocked and returned for a TD was too much for them to overcome.

These things tend to balance out, over time. NIU got a free win over Nebraska this year by virtue of 14 free points courtesy of 2 pick sixes. Then, they lost to San Diego State because they gave up 14 free points, via a pick six and a kick returned for a TD.

Why did people seem to think Ohio has no accountability for the turnovers or blocked FG? Like that was some result of mother nature or something.

Ohio lost because they screwed up. It was their fault. It wasn't bad luck ... an "Oh, shucks ... can't control that"

These excuses always follow these inexplicable losses.

Call a spade a spade. Ohio messed this one up. No one else.

They turned the ball over

They didn't block well on the FG try

They didn't line up right on the illegal formation penalty that wiped out the TD

They didn't tackle well late in the game

They got the pass interference on 3rd down

They didn't adjust to the TE murdering them all afternoon ... or the blitzes CMU threw at them

Quit chalking it up to bad luck or some cosmic happening.

These crazy losses happen every year ... and every year a sackful of excuses follow them. When does it end? For at least one year in the last 10+ yrs ... when do we get a year when they just don't lay an egg against either an inferior opponent or get absolutely blown out of the water by someone who really isn't that much better or sometimes actually worse?

Again ... same story, different year. You can set your watch by it

Puzzling losses by year

2006
BG 21-9

2007
Wyoming 34-33
Kent 33-25

2008
Wyoming 21-20
BG 28-3

2009
Kent 20-11

2010
Kent 28-6

2011
Buffalo 38-37
Ball 23-20

2012
Miami 23-20
BG 24-14
Ball 52-27

2013
CMU 26-23
Buffalo 30-3
Kent 44-13
BG 49-0

2014
The only year there isn't a real obvious one. Near loss at 2-10 Miami to end year

2015
WMU 49-14
Buffalo 41-17
BG 62-24

2016
Texas St 56-54
CMU 27-20

The thing is LC, it's turned into SSDD territory.

I grew up with Hoosier fans and anytime they watch a football game, they know that point where their team is going to blow it. It's just inevitable. Doesn't matter how you script it, it's like a verse in the history book that gets repeated time and time again. With Solich, we can write the history book before the event occurs. That's how bad it's gotten. Western Michigan changed its fortunes with Fleck, why can't we? Because we run the SSDD offense and defense which gives us the SSDD results.

bshot44- Maybe you forget the Pitt and Penn State wins or the the bowl win in Boise over Utah State or the win at Toledo last year or the win at Northern Illinois in Frank's second season with Kalvin at RB. These are just a few that come to mind. Sure there are some losses that are difficult to forget, but this program has won games that were unexpected or when they were underdogs. It is because of posters like you and the person that was booted several months ago that some Bobcat fans and alums choose not to post or read this message board. The constant negative posts are what drives fans away from this message board. I realize and I am certain that the players and coaches realize that everything isn't all peaches and cream, but this football program is WAY BETTER OFF than it was decades ago. You and others like you can suggest Frank should retire, but Ohio University has improved by leaps and bounds since he took over. Go Bobcats and bounce back at BG Saturday!