FB: American Southwest Conference

[rscl70]

The MU fans are so funny...I'm not sure they've ever see their team play like this at home. Haha. I'm not impressed with their fans...a little nasty for being such a historically dominant team. I don't think having 1/2 of the home fans sit on the visitors is a good idea. I could see the stands getting pretty nasty at times.

I apologize for some Alliance fans who are not hospitable, and can be, in fact, perennially,  obnoxious. Please know the majority of folks  respect your great team and you, their fans, who came all this way to Ohio and cheered your hearts out, a proud representation. Legitimately proud.

Our best to your seniors. Safe travels home. And hope to see you again soon. I'm sure we will.  Maybe in Texas next time! I could use an excuse to head south in December.

Well said Kehresma.  Sorry you had a bad experience yessir.  I've never understood the need of a few jerks to verbally tangle with opposing fans.  These idiots reflect very badly on a great team and a great University.

Congratulations to the CRU on a tremendous season.  Hope to see you again.

[Raider 68]

Congrats to UMHB for a great year. This was a great game between to great programs!
Safe travels back for all the Cru fans who made the trip.

[Teamski]

I get home after a day out with the missus, anxiously load the game on ESPN3 and watch my stomach fall through my feet.  ARGGH!!!  You have got to be kidding me!  What a heat breaker.  UMHB, you should have won this game.  The Crusaders had a lot of heart, and let the game slip through their fingers.  I am still ticked......

A great game that should have been the Stagg bowl.  Now we get to see the Tommies most likely get trashed on the biggest night of the season.  Sorry for being up front about it, but the Cru had the best shot of the year.  Sickening.  Onto next year and more thrills and spills.  So friggin' close.

-Ski

[Toby Taff]

To all the UMHB fans - I am not trying to dis the Cru by my above statement. I apologize if it sounds bad - but look at the box score. That is all I am saying. Mount owned every category - yards, passing, rushing, 1st downs, 3rd and 4th down conversions....and TO's. That was what kept UMHB in it. Yes UMHB forced the TO's but without them - it was not much of a game. It was not meant to offend. I wish you all nothing but the best - and congrats on a great game.

I don't want to dismiss what you're saying because the facts are that the Cru couldn't move the ball effectively on standard changes of possession. All 5 scores came off turnovers and the offense was able to ride the emotional tide and gut then at will on those drives. I'm not sure what was different on regular changes of possession, but the UMU did one hell of a job. That said, the Cru's d played well also and I think both teams found out that little lapses can cost you big.

Congrats to UMU. you earned a hard fought win. It was 2004 all over again but in reverse.
Congrats to the Cru. You made us all proud. I would have loved to see the walnut and bronze in Belton next fall, but it wasn't to be. Thanks for the most entertaining game of the season by far. Time to reload

[BillyRayJimBob]

My fellow citizens...
While normally verbose, please let me be brief:  I have now watched the replay two times ... second half only ... and I am still amazed at how MOUNT UNION managed to pull out this "SportsCenter" win!!!
I was a military Texan for a good many years, so I appreciate Texas (high school) football ... Judson Rockets!!!  The "Cru" are everything I would want them to be as a fan from that perspective, and as a wanna-be competitor at any level ... they are FANTASTIC!!!
I am a MUC (when they were a "college") graduate, and this WAS the national championship game ... Tommies prove me (the multitude) wrong!!!
CONGRATULATIONS to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor ... you have a two-hand grip on the future of D3 football, so continue to press the best, and become the best ... GO CRU!!!
(But never again beat Mount Union; sorry, but I am sure you understand!)

[CruAlum58]

That was a heart breaking loss. I was talking to several of my old teammates during the game and afterwards we were all upset. But, that showed me what an amazing program that UMHB has become. It is more than just a dominant football team, it is a family.
I am proud of this years team and I can't wait to see these seniors at Alumni Weekend.

It's a great day to be a Crusader!

[section13raiderfan]

Now you guys know how we felt in 04!  Take heart ,you guys are there with the best of D3 football. Your program is young. We stunk for decades before we won.

Regarding your take on the pressbox side fans...Mounts homeside fans are apathetic. I could sit over there with them, but would rather brave the sun, wind and rain to escape that attitude. To each his own, but my style is watching a game with binoculars....not white gloves and opera glasses.
The enthusiasm you witnessed from the Mount fans has never been displayed to that degree all season. The game was just THAT frustrating/exciting. Your fans were great IMHO. Even when you copied our first down cheer.  Good luck down the road. ( OH yeah, some of that obnoxiousness came in a bottle....if ya know what I mean).






d3

[SaintsFAN]

As an observer with no dog in the fight (you destroyed my alma mater in TX two years ago) I was impressed with what I saw from MHB yesterday.  You have a hard-nosed and tough team.  In the first half we sat on the MHB side and then second half behind Mount Union's bench.  I'll be honest with you, MHB had those fans on the other side VERY frustrated in the 3rd Quarter. 

Jones and that defense was VERY impressive and I could see MHB trying to strip the ball quite a bit, so I know 2 of those fumbles were not just happenstance.. and the third fumble was because you probably have the best punter in D3. 

Keep your heads up and we'll see you back on the National Stage next year. 

*Side note:  As a former division three player myself, I was excited for your team when I saw them celebrating the review being upheld and MHB going into halftime with the lead.  Gave me goosebumps.

[Jerry Bawcom]

Great game and great venue.  Wish UMHB could have held on; just made too many mistakes late in the fourth.  Impressive that Mt Union overcame five turn overs.
What was with the group of 18-20 guys without passes roaming the sideline?  They were the first to rush the field; perhaps if there had been better game management, the violation of "no fans on the field" rule would have been avoided.  Players and fans can easily get hurt.  Aside from the usual taunts that take place on both sides, this was the only non'score dissappointment.
Good luck Cru seniors!

[zipmac22]

It was almost eight years to the day (December 11, 2004) that a team had scored more than 35 points against Mount Union. That team was Mary Hardin-Baylor! The Cru came so close to going to the Stagg Bowl. Although next year might be a rebuilder year, I think the players know in their hearts that to beat a Mount Union they can't stop playing till the game is over. Great season CRu! You had a great run! See you next year in the new Cru Stadium! Go Cru!

[amonachino]

Thanks to DesertRaider for link up to the replay.  Really enjoyed watching it again.  The 4 td's that umhb got avg. 40 yds. Plus one int. for a t.d.  Mount had 5 t.d.'s that avg. 70 yds. plus 2 spec.team t.d.s.  Mount had 18 opportunities to score.   umhb had 17.  umhb scored 4 off. td's and punted 10 times and 1 on downs, 1 lost fumble(kickoff) and int. for t.d.  Mount on the other hand scored 5 t.d.'s punted 5 times, with 1 on downs and 5 turn overs  with 1 blocked punt and fumble recovery for t.d. This boils down to the Mount off. getting 16 chances to score giving up 5 of them which leaves 11 to which they scored 5 times out of 11.  It also put pressure on the def. to stop them and special teams to create t.d. possibilities.  umhb had 17 chances to score and got 4 t.d.'s out of 16 chances that avg. 40 yds. per drive not 70 yds. There only turnover was a  hail mary on the last play.  You can't fault them for that one.  In the end the Mount def. and Vince K. deserve a ton of credit.  They were creative and made this victory possible.  The special teams were just that very special.  The off. continue to work at until they got it right.  The off. line held their own against an athletic def.  Much praise to our visitors and their program, which is excellent.  For all of us, including the team, this victory will mean very little without a victory at the stagg.  Just as Rowan in 1999 and UMHB in 2004, getting a big semi win and not winning the stagg is meaningless.  Water, rest and feed the horses, time to finish the job.!!!!! 

[umhb2001]

So very sickened by the loss. We had it only to see it slip through our fingers. It was said on the OAC board that 'UMHB may not recover from this loss.' Well, they don't know us well, then. For those underclassmen who went through this, they will take some time, look back, and press on in January. That comes from the history, the team, and the coaches.

Best of luck Mount, as I've always said, root for the one who beat you, and I hope they beat St. Thomas badly. Till next year, UP WITH THE PURPLE, THE GOLD, AND THE WHITE!

[crufootball]

So very sickened by the loss. We had it only to see it slip through our fingers. It was said on the OAC board that 'UMHB may not recover from this loss.' Well, they don't know us well, then. For those underclassmen who went through this, they will take some time, look back, and press on in January. That comes from the history, the team, and the coaches.

Best of luck Mount, as I've always said, root for the one who beat you, and I hope they beat St. Thomas badly. Till next year, UP WITH THE PURPLE, THE GOLD, AND THE WHITE!

I read that comment too about UMHB not being able to recover and I thought it was odd. I know it was a bad loss, but if what I think will happen, happens then they will be able to say they went toe to toe with the champion and could have/should have won. Also our coaches are now going to be able to sell a brand new stadium to go along with a team that will have been featured on ESPN multiple times so we could get even better in the next few years.

[Josh Bowerman]

Did not watch the game and am just now having a chance to sit down and look at the scores from the weekend.  Please know that I'm not trying to rub salt in any open wounds by asking this question...

...but how does a rushing offense as prolific as UMHB's manage to give MUC enough ball possession to score 34 points in the fourth quarter?  I would think that would have been the time the UMHB O-Line would have been able to take over (after wearing down the MUC front seven all day)...

That stat just jumped out at me and made me scratch my head.

[Teamski]

Did not watch the game and am just now having a chance to sit down and look at the scores from the weekend.  Please know that I'm not trying to rub salt in any open wounds by asking this question...

...but how does a rushing offense as prolific as UMHB's manage to give MUC enough ball possession to score 34 points in the fourth quarter?  I would think that would have been the time the UMHB O-Line would have been able to take over (after wearing down the MUC front seven all day)...

That stat just jumped out at me and made me scratch my head.

Easy, stall in the second half and allow MU to get back into the game.  Do enough 3 and outs and you allow a good team to win and add a blocked punt for a TD to cap it all off.  I worried about that at halftime.  Just like the Wesley against the Cru, the Cru came out flat in the second and never recovered.  Just my personal opinion.

-Ski