... Yes, the Auggie football team lost on Saturday, 49-41 in an classic shootout at Carleton. It was a wild game; the teams combined for more than 1,000 yards of total offense, 90 points, and more wild and wacky plays than should be expected in a football game. As coach Frank Haege noted when we talked this morning, how many times in a SEASON, much less ONE GAME, would you see a successful "Hail Mary" pass, a successful onside kick AND a punt blocked for touchdown?Time to look at the positives (or in the immortal words of former Journey lead singer Steve Perry -- pictured at right -- "Don't Stop Believing"):
1. The Auggie offense is clicking on all cylinders. 564 yards of total offense on Saturday, 508 through the air ... This season, Augsburg is averaging 434.4 yards of total offense per game, an average of 5.9 yards per-play. Both quarterback Jordan Berg and wide receiver Royce Winford are having potential conference MVP seasons. Augsburg's offensive line has allowed just 11 sacks this season. Wide receivers Muneer Al-Hameed, Mike Nourie and Dan Brown are having solid seasons. Running back Jason Potts is a true multiple threat, both as a rusher and a receiver. And David Tilton and LeRoy Roby are giving the Auggies a lot of options in the running back position.
2. The defense is improving. The 49 points given up against Carleton may have been an abberation, considering the first four games of the season up to that point. On the year, the Auggies are giving up just 25.8 points per-game and 298.2 yards of total offense per game. Compare that to the 38.4 points and 476.0 yards of total offense surrendered by the defense last season.
3. The MIAC is wide open this year. Carleton, a team that was 3-7 last year and picked in this year's preseason coaches poll to finish eighth, is 5-0 and atop the MIAC standings. Eight of the nine MIAC football squads have at least three overall wins. Six teams are 2-2 or better in MIAC play. This race is by no means over. Heck, we're just at the halfway point of the season!
4. There's a lot of meaningful football yet to be played. For Augsburg, it starts this Saturday with a huge game against Concordia-Moorhead (Saturday, 1 p.m., Edor Nelson Field. BE THERE!). Augsburg still has big games against Gustavus, St. Thomas, St. John's and Bethel left on the schedule. Carleton still has to play Gustavus, St. Thomas, Hamline, Concordia and St. John's. St. Thomas has to play St. John's, Carleton, Augsburg and Bethel in league play. And Concordia has Augsburg, Hamline, St. Olaf, Carleton and Gustavus left on the schedule. No game will be a "gimmie" for any of those teams.
So don't get off the Auggie bandwagon. Show up and wear your Maroon and Gray proudly this Saturday for the Auggie-Concordia battle. This season is still going to be fun, fun, fun!
