FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[GRIZ_BACKER]

ADAM SAYER --  BRIDGE BOWL XVII

I know you're reading this.  See you Saturday.  First team to complete a pass wins!!!

It will be interesting to see how TMC handles the RB for MSJ.  Do you put everyone in the box and take a chance on him breaking one?  Does MSJ take a chance on throwing the ball to Autenrieb in the TMC secondary?  Which TMC QB plays.. the freshman or the sophomore? 

Does the TMC defense need to score for TMC to have a shot?


Lots of questions.

What is the Saintsfan take on FC and Hanover?   Upset in the making?

[SaintsFAN]

ADAM SAYER --  BRIDGE BOWL XVII

I know you're reading this.  See you Saturday.  First team to complete a pass wins!!!

It will be interesting to see how TMC handles the RB for MSJ.  Do you put everyone in the box and take a chance on him breaking one?  Does MSJ take a chance on throwing the ball to Autenrieb in the TMC secondary?  Which TMC QB plays.. the freshman or the sophomore? 

Does the TMC defense need to score for TMC to have a shot?


Lots of questions.

What is the Saintsfan take on FC and Hanover?   Upset in the making?

No sir.  No upset on Saturday.  But it will be within 14 points.  Hanover needs to take care of the ball on Saturday and their front 7 need a big day stopping the FC running attack.  On the year HC is giving up just over 4 yards per attempt on the ground.  Couple this with FC's ability to put the ball in the air along with having a rushing attack and you have the makings of a blowout.  BUT, it is a rivalry and is Hanover's playoff game.  I think 27-14 sounds right.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Just checking the scoreboard to find game times for tomorrow and saw the Earlham @ Rose Hulman game is listed as 'canceled' - anyone know the story behind that?

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Just checking the scoreboard to find game times for tomorrow and saw the Earlham @ Rose Hulman game is listed as 'canceled' - anyone know the story behind that?

Three Earlham students were hit by a train with one killed and 2 injured. All events this weekend have been cancelled.
http://www.earlham.edu/news/articles/classes-cancelled-friday-after-tragedy-depot-district

[Mr. Ypsi]

Just checking the scoreboard to find game times for tomorrow and saw the Earlham @ Rose Hulman game is listed as 'canceled' - anyone know the story behind that?

Three Earlham students were hit by a train with one killed and 2 injured. All events this weekend have been cancelled.
http://www.earlham.edu/news/articles/classes-cancelled-friday-after-tragedy-depot-district

That's just terrible.  My condolences to the family of the deceased and the entire Earlham community.

[BUBeaverFan]

My family and I offer our prayers and condolences to the Earlham community.  We hope and pray that the family of the deceased, the injured students and their families all feel God's healing presence during this tragic time and always.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Still midway through the first and Franklin is up 14-8. Looks like a shootout for the Bell today

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

A lot of lopsided 1st half scores...
Franklin now up 35-8 midway through the 2nd after 4 Hanover turnovers
Manchester up 28-0 at halftime in Anderson
MSJ is down 48-0 to Thomas More at halftime... but it is a non-conference game for an HCAC team

[SaintsFAN]

Bridge Bowl XVII Recap:

This is why you don't stomp the logo at midfield as a road team playing a very superior team.  Or why you don't allow your players to talk trash on twitter the day before the game saying things along the lines of "We own this town".

TMC was fired up.  MSJ went three and out on the 1st series (with 2 big penalties) and the rout was on.  MSJ was very slow to the ball defensively and TMC's athletes made the most of the gaping holes opened up by the offensive line today.  MSJ couldn't defend their running game as Thomas More averaged almost 6 and 1/2 per rush attempt.  The passing game averaged almost 14 yards an attempt with flat routes, crossers and deep passes open all day and the WR's and RB's made plays when thrown the ball.  The Saints defense played really well while holding MSJ to 3 3rd down conversions and 12 first downs all game.  MSJ's passing game was non-existent as they went 6-26 on the day -- most were bad throws, some was because of pressure, a couple were dropped passes while the majority being that their QB was off all day.  In my opinoin, James Clay is a good RB but had no help as he was harrassed as soon as he touched the ball.  He ran for 112 yards while beng held to only one big run (50 yards), which occurred after TMC was already up 55-0. 

TMC set 6 school records today:
*Most passing yards in a game (404)
*Most first downs in a game (35)
*Most total yardage in a game (703)
*Most TD's scored in a game (10)
*Most points scored in a game
*Margin of Vicory

Overall, these are two teams on two totally different levels -- this was TMC's 5th straight win the series and I'm hearing whispers that this could be the last one for awhile.  I thought we'd see a comfortable TMC win today but I never, ever thought I'd see 75-6 on the scoreboard at 3:30pm. 

While we've come to expect chippiness in the Bridge Bowl, the last few years it seems the frustration has boiled over for MSJ with quite a few cheap shots (and TMC reacting to it with a few of their own).  I know of three key players for TMC that have been knocked out of games/playoffs because of cheap shots in this game.  One kid even missed the entire 2011 season as a result of an injury in the 2010 Bridge Bowl.  I thought the refs could've maintained order a little better today and eliminated the spearing going on out there (especially with the renewed focus on player safety in the college game).  Also, stomping the logo at midfield is a really bad idea.. the teams were pushing and shoving at midfield as that happened. 

The real problem for MSJ is in recruiting -- if it comes down to a kid wanting to stay home and play in the Cincy area the kid is going to choose TMC with this score, especially if he's coming from a program that had success like Elder, Moeller, St Xavier etc.  I talked to a kid from a really big school in Louisville who was visiting TMC to see both schools play and his parents said that it looks like one team was head and shoulders above the other as far as where the programs are.  I did inform him and his father that he should choose a school based on where he thinks he can grow the most as a young man and not based on what the football program is doing but I think his mind was made up already. 

I hope this isn't the last Bridge Bowl and I wish Coach Sayer and his coaching brethren at MSJ much luck.  I've said it here before -- I root for MSJ 9 weeks a season.  Their work is cut out for them, but they have already a good committment from a transfer OL from the University of Cincinnati.  Meanwhile, this win will propel TMC into their off season.  The only good thing about not making the playoffs this year is they end the year on a really high note and they also get back their stud RB Dominique Haydon back from injury for next year.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

Congrats to the GRIZ on winning the HCAC and the Victory Bell.  Great game in front of a capacity crowd.  The Panthers jumped out to 8-0 lead before being pounded 45-8 by halftime.  58-29 was the final.  Hopefully FC will get a good seed for next Saturday. 

[Thunder44]

Congrats to the GRIZ on winning the HCAC and the Victory Bell.  Great game in front of a capacity crowd.  The Panthers jumped out to 8-0 lead before being pounded 45-8 by halftime.  58-29 was the final.  Hopefully FC will get a good seed for next Saturday.

I mentioned it in an earlier post that Hanover couldn't afford any turnovers giving the Griz a short field, and you can see what happens with 3 interceptions in the first half.  Unbelievable!

The last two weeks of the season really showed some of the weaknesses Hanover has to fix to win consistently.

Enjoyed the game atmosphere at Franklin.  With the exception of a few drunk TKE students, everyone was friendly and welcoming. Nice of Franklin to set aside the Physical Plant parking lot for Hanover fans.

[panthersfan]

Sad to see that we couldn't be competitive in that game. We have A LOT of work to do to make it to the next level.  Congrats to Franklin and good luck in the playoffs.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

It's official. Franklin is headed north to take on Adrian. Should be a good game in what appears to be a 4 vs 5 matchup. Going to be a long trip for the winner to most likely Mary Hardin-Baylor

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

Im sure both sides in the Adrian  v  Franklin game will be rooting for Louisiana College to pull the upset and make the long trip up to colder weather!

[Adam Sayer]

On behalf of the College of Mount Saint Joseph, I'd like to wish Franklin College the best of luck in the Playoffs.