The Futon Report

Image by schoschie via FlickrBGSU doesn’t play this week, but if they beat Buffalo and Akron loses somewhere down the line, the Falcons can still win the MAC East. With three conference losses.

Also, mathematically 3-6 Temple can win the division as well, but that’s more funny than it is probable.

See, scenarios like this are why hope springs eternal in dirty puddles. BGSU has shown — of all things — the inability to score even when their defense plays halfway well. Look at four of their losses:

Boise State 20, BGSU 7
EMU 24, BGSU 21
Miami 27, BGSU 20
NIU 16, BGSU 13

This year they are 3-4 when the other team scores under 28 points. Last year that mark was 5-0. I didn’t expect the defense to improve this much, but they’re about 4th or 5th in the conference (out of 13) in many defensive categories. With Sheehan/Turner/Barnes/Partridge, this should’ve resulted to a three-, two- or maybe one-loss season thus far. They’re 5-5.

And even though they’re remarkably disappointing, they’re still in it. This reminds me of 2006, when they broke Temple’s magnificent losing streak, and yet still they were alive in November for a shot at winning the division. Oh, they certainly didn’t. But the same scenario is playing out now.

There are two more games for these guys. Just win ‘em both, put the record at 7-5 and finish strong with a quiet three-game win streak to end the season. That’s all I ask.