The Long Offseason: GGSM{UAB}

UAB will have to wait until next fall to try to get rid of that Shame Mask.  It is an unfortunate way to end the season, losing to a team wearing the Shame Mask.  UAB struggled early in the season, losing their first six, including a 49-10 loss to Tulane, the other team that would end the season with a Shame Mask.  A field goal with 40 seconds left game them a two point win over UCF for their first victory of the season, but then they lost their next two games by a combined score of 115-27.  However, they then won a game over the not impressive Memphis Tigers before doing something practically unthinkable--they upset 20th ranked Southern Miss.   A field goal put them up 37-34 with three minutes left, and twice Southern Miss crossed midfield, but twice the Blazer defense held firm to give Southern Miss only their second loss of the season.  Apparently they let this win go to their heads because in their next game, they gave FAU their only win of the season.

Exciting news for Shame Mask fans!  Both Shame Masks now reside on the heads of C-USA teams!  Could they finally meet up next season?  We can only wait with bated breath.

GGSM{FAU} 38, UAB 35

November 26--FAU wore the Golden Gopher Shame Mask into their game against UAB with an 0-10 record on the season.  That doesn't guarantee an unexciting game, however.  FAU's Treon Howard returned an interception 23 yards for a touchdown just two minutes into the game.   UAB mounted successful touchdown drives in the first quarter and early in the second to lead 14-7.  Then FAU's Alfred Morris got going.  The senior running back carried the ball 38 times for 198 yards and four touchdowns.  Not too shabby for the nation's 24th leading rusher.  The last one put the Owls up 38-28 with 1:38 left.  UAB rallied to score a touchdown with 33 seconds remaining, but the onside kick attempt went out of bounds to seal FAU's first win of the season. 

This win assured their head coach Howard Schnellenberger would not have his first losing season.  After a few years in the late 90s as a bond trader, the coach who built the University of Miami into a powerhouse returned to Miami to tackle a new challenge--start the FAU football program from scratch in 2001.  In August, he announced he would retire at the end of the season.  This season notwithstanding, I think his work building the team could be considered a modest success.  In just his third season, he led the Owls to an 11-3 season, losing in the I-AA semifinals, and then in his second and third seasons in the Bowl Subdivision, he won two bowl games.  And perhaps more importantly, this win assured he would not have to wear the Shame Mask into retirement.

The Long Offseason: OSM{Tulane}

November 19--Tulane wrapped up its conference season with a trip to Rice.  In a game without much offense, Rice slowly built a 13-0 lead until Tulane finally broke through with a touchown early in the fourth quarter, but Rice countered with a touchdown of their own to win 19-7.   The odd thing that stands out to me from the box score was that each team used two different punters.  These four punters combined to punt 14 times.

November 26--The loss at Rice was Tulane's ninth straight loss after a 2-1 start.  Apart from the game against Syracuse, in which they lost on a last second field goal, they lost all of these games by at least 14 points.  Now, most teams after reaching a record of 2-10 would be putting their pads away until spring practice.  Tulane, however, to advantage of the NCAA's rules quirk that allows a team to play an extra regular season game if they play one of those games at the University of Hawaii.  So, without being close to being bowl elligible, Tulane took a Thanksgiving trip to the islands.  They were not destracted by the lush scenery and held their own against the Warriors in the first half.  The even got a third quarter safety, which allows scores points in my book, and a touchdown early in the fourth quarter cut Hawaii's lead to only 28-23.  However, their defense gave up another touchdown that they could not recover from.  But they got to enjoy a season ending trip to Hawaii.

GGSM{Troy}

November 12--North Texas came into Troy knowing what it's like to have worn the Shame Mask, and they don't like it.  The Mean Green took an early lead, but then the Trojans fought back.  Two second quarter touchdowns gave them a 21-17 lead, but then they surrendered a touchdown with 0:42 left in the first half.  Troy regained the lead with a third quarter touchdown, but they missed the extra point.  At the start of the fourth quarter, however, they fell apart, and allowed North Texas two touchdowns in less than 20 seconds.  After a 46-yard North Texas touchdown pass, and Troy's Corey Robinson threw an incomplete pass and then was sacked and lost a fumble to set up a 6-yard North Texas touchdown run on the next play.  Troy rebounded with a 16-play touchdown drive to cut the lead to 38-33, but North Texas chewed up the clock with a 13-play drive consuming 7:28 and turning it over on downs giving Troy the ball with only 0:15 seconds to cover 74 yards.

November 19--Here's something you want when you are wearing a Shame Mask:  A team with a 12-game losing streak comes to visit.  That's exactly what Troy got in Florida Atlantic.  FAU allowed a game-winning field goal as the clock expired to Louisiana-Lafayette, but they had lost every other game by at least two touchdowns.  Also, the nation's worst offense was just what Troy's 114th ranked defense needed.  Both teams started sluggishly, but then Troy turned it on late in the second quarter and never looked back.  They beat the Owls 34-7.