Game 2: @ Rutgers 35-24 L

Rutgers University Scarlet Knights (0-0) vs. Milwaukee College Penguins (0-1)

Well the Run and Gun really worked. Ross (QB #1) doubled her completed passes from last game, successfully connecting with 22 of her 45 passes. What's more, she shared the wealth, passing to 7 different receivers. Sure, the defense we faced was much weaker than California's - for instance, their pass rush was pathetic; Ross had time enough to make a grilled cheese sandwich out there - but I like to think that by implementing the Run and Gun, I'm giving Ross the green light to do what quarterbacks love to do: toss that pigskin. And toss she did, to the tune of 298 yards. "You go, girl!"

So how did we end up losing by 11?

There's a weirdness I can't shake when I use the term "hubris" that is related to the nagging feeling that I am displaying "hubris" by using a term that speaks of my having read Greek tragedies.

But I think it was hubris when, down only one touchdown, and still in the 1st quarter, I went for it on 4th and 2. To do this when you're, say, 24-28 yards away from your end-zone is okay, but we were on the wrong side of the 50 yard line. 18 yards away from it, in fact. I run the HB Lead, Wetzel doesn't follow his lead (which in this case was actually Montgomery (WR #15) since I had Ross call this play as an audible) and he did what he is wont to do: jump to the outside. He was gobbled up by their strong safety.

Hubris often results in retribution, so I wasn't surprised when Rutgers goes on to score a TD seconds later to make it 21-7 in the first quarter.

So, as these things often turn out, gifting Rutgers seven points would haunt me for the rest of the game. For we rallied. Our defense woke up. Our offense scored on our first two possessions of the second half, a touchdown and then a field-goal. The latter should've been a touchdown had Sieczek (TE #86), who lines up as the fifth wide-receiver in my five-wide set, not dropped the ball in the end-zone. That, plus Goodman's (K #30) missed 45-yard field goal attempt, on top of gifting Rutgers a TD, represents the points that would've won me the game.

A Miller (RE #62) interception sets up another TD run by Wetzel and we take our first lead of our young history. Go Penguins. The lead would last about two minutes.

STATS: MKE @ RU

score: 35 - 24
first downs: 23 - 14
total offense: 433 - 460
rushes - yards: 26-135 --- 23-82
comp-att-TD: 22-45-1 --- 16-33-4
passing yards: 298 - 378
sacked: 0 - 2
turnovers: 2 - 2
fumbles - lost: 2-0 --- 3-0
intercepted: 2 - 2
t.o.p: 18:30 - 13:30

KEY PLAYERS (Offense)

Ross (QB #1) 103.0 rating 22-45 for 298 yards 1 TD, 2 INT
Wetzel (HB #47) 20-118 rush, 2 TD; 8-69 yards rec
Beaumont (WR #81) 5-69 yards rec
Buccheri (RG #59) 4 pancakes
X. Leplae (LG #69) 4 pancakes

KEY PLAYERS (Defense)

Melchior (SS #24) 7 tackles (1 for loss), 1 forced fumble
McClone (CB #46) 5 tackles (3 for loss), 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 deflect
Bushell (MLB #42) 3 tackles (2 for loss), 1 sack
Ziegeweid (FS #34) 2 tackles, 1 INT, 2 deflects
Miller (RE #62) 1 tackle, 1 INT

Notes: K. Anderson (SS #26) injured her pectoral muscle in the 1st quarter, putting her out for the rest of the game. The back-up strong safety, Melchior (SS #24) filled in remarkably for her, leading the team in tackles made with seven.