Saturday’s loss to Northern Illinois, a game that ended an 11-game Bowling Green win streak and may have eliminated them from the Mid-American Conference title chase, came 371 days after the team’s last loss, Nov. 3, 2001 to Miami.
Thus, there’s a different mood in practice this week, as the routine has changed from highlight videos to extra running, from victory meals to more drills and from game analysis to team meetings.
The change is due to the fact that the Falcons did not look like the previously-unbeaten, No. 16 team in the nation for much of the game Saturday afternoon.
“This is the hardest week I’ve ever had,” Meyer said. “I sat down and had everyone stand up who didn’t make a mistake, and obviously no one stood up. Everyone made mistakes. We did not play our best game. There’s a lot of things that go into that. …
That’s a hell of a team we played, and we are on the 50- yard line with five minutes to go. That’s college football.”
The Falcons were shut down on offense for much of the first half, only mustering a field goal against a fast Huskie defense.
The Falcon defense performed admirably, essentially holding NIU’s offense to four field goals. The two Huskie touchdowns came on drives that began inside the BG 20-yard line, one was off an interception and the other was off an 80-yard punt return.
“I think it [NIU’s defense] was a little better than I originally thought,” Meyer said. “We saw it on tape, and I never thought they could just stuff our run like they did. I don’t think we played very well up front. They had two weeks to prepare for us, which was often overlooked. … Our offensive line is our bloodline, and they were getting knocked into the backfield.”
Yet, what is most promising perhaps for the Falcons about the loss is the fact that they had a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter. Josh Harris led his team to two second-half touchdowns, and led the team to midfield in the final minutes of the game, before he was stopped on fourth down. The Huskies kicked their fourth field goal to effectively ice the game.
“I think our defense played okay,” Meyer said. “I didn’t have a problem with how they played, they kept them out of the end zone. I thought we contained a great back; we compared him with Chester Taylor. We kept him somewhat contained. … You always try to find positives, and making them kick field goals with a 225-pound back in the backfield.”
Now, though, the team prepares for perhaps an even more daunting challenge, as they travel to Tampa to take on the 7-2 South Florida Bulls, a team who nine weeks ago downed Northern Illinois, 37-6.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Falcons’ persistent injury troubles have set them back again, as the secondary is now banged up. Cornerback Janssen Patton was hurt against Northern, and will not be at full strength this weekend, while Jerry Wagner (finger), Jason Morton (hip) and TJ Carswell are also banged up.
“I don’t know who’s going to play in our secondary, I have no idea,” Meyer said. “It could be Terrill Mayberrry, Jelani Jordan, Tim Arnold; It might be all freshmen, just because we’re banged up.”
Editor’s Note: For a full preview of South Florida, check tomorrow’s edition of The BG News.
