BobcatAttack.com - For Fans of Ohio University Sports

We respect Utah State!

We respect the players on the Ohio University team and their overall effort.

You have to understand that we are the only MAC school who has been a member of the league since 1968 who has not won the MAC Championship. Before Jim Grobe, we endured 17 wins over a ten year period. To "Lay Such an Egg" in the second half Friday is very frustrating.

Yes, there were some plays in the second half our players did not make, but it is mostly the poor coaching and overall strategy that has us frustrated us. We had two solid running backs that have produced most of the games with yards up the middle, with yards after contact and they did not get a single carry Friday. Instead we watched a bunch of low percentage passes that stopped the clock and gave NIU the chance to win the game on the last play.

At last count there were 119 Division 1 teams which means that 59% of all the teams go to a Bowl Game including 6-7 UCLA. I love football but feel there are way too many bowl games. Going to a Bowl in 2011 does not have the same meaning as going to a Bowl 20 years ago.

Part of our frustration is wondering why the MAC has this deal with a game so far away, not the team we are playing.

Most of us understand the challenge of being an administrator or coach for a MAC school. There are budget challenges and challenges recruiting. If Eastern Michigan, Buffalo and Akron can win a MAC Title, there is no reason that we should not do the same.

It is great we have beaten our arch rival the past six years. Just a couple of years ago it looked like their program was headed to the bottom of the MAC for a few years and yet they won their 7^th conference title last year since 1968.

As someone posted on another thread, Alumni like us would remember a win last Friday off and on in the future years, but for the players, there will be few if any days they don't think about the lost opportunity. I could see the pain in the face of Noah Keller after the game at the press conference and feel bad for him and the team.

I hope that both teams play their best football with Ohio winning so each player on each team (in particular the Seniors) will feel they put forth their best effort with no regrets. While this game has a touch of being anti-climatic for some of us, we know this game is very important to the players and their families and we should not forget that.

Thanks for visiting with us and we look forward to posting with you guys the next couple of weeks.