Bobcats: Another Step In the Right Direction

By Weston Warner | @CorridorNews                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Weston@SMCorridorNews.com

Sometimes I hate the term “a must win”.  Isn’t every game a must win when it really comes down to it? I guess it just depends on who you ask and how dramatic you are.  Either way, it’s exactly what the Bobcats earned on Thursday night with a 45-27 victory over Arkansas State which in turn set them up for a possibility to reach the seven win mark for the first time in Coach Franchione’s second tenure.

The offense really controlled the game and played to their pace as Robert Lowe carried the Bobcat rushing attack by setting career highs in yards (236) and touchdowns (4), including a 50 yard touchdown scamper with 3:53 left in the game that all but sealed win number 6 for the Bobcats.  The offense tallied 370 total yards on the ground which really helped give Tyler Jones (192 yards and 2 TD’s) some extra time in the pocket for most of the night. 

C.J Best also played a huge role in the offensive attack and created what might have been the biggest momentum shift of the game in the middle of the second quarter when he hauled in a catch and took it 70 yards to pay dirt which made it a 21-7 lead.  The 45 points were the most that the Bobcat offense has put up since week one when they steamrolled over Arkansas-Pine Bluff 65-0. 

It was a nice way to end the home schedule and it was nice to get some more positive exposure from ESPNU, even though the game lasted until after the stroke of midnight.  The atmosphere was not the rowdiest that I have seen by any means but there were over 12,000 in attendance and it was just a weird time to start a mid-week game so I will give the benefit of the doubt to the Bobcat faithful in regards to not filling every seat.  I also have no room to judge because I did not attend the whole game, but it was only so I could go home and see how loud the crowd sounded on the TV broadcast; or at least that’s what I tell myself so I can feel better about leaving a little early to go pick up the best burger in Central Texas (I don’t think that I’m allowed to say who that belongs to).

All in all it was a nice showing in “a must win” situation against a tough Red Wolf team that got the best of the Bobcats last season.  They will now have a little extra rest and will then travel to Atlanta to face Georgia State next Saturday to round out the regular season.  Georgia State has been a doormat this season and is currently on a nine game losing streak, which will probably change to a ten game losing streak by the time they face the Bobcats as the Panthers still have to face #22 Clemson this weekend before taking on the Bobcats for the season finale on November 29th.  Of course every game is different and nothing is promised, but if the Bobcats play remotely close to the way they did on Thursday night they should be looking up at a seven win season and the possibility of going bowling in December.