Bowling Green is not allowed to have nice things

I should rephrase. Bowling Green football is allowed to have some nice things. They have Chris Jones — a swallowing defensive tackle who has the potential to be an NFL starter. They have Anthon Samuel, a running back with a knack for shimmying between defenders like that squirrel you found in your basement. They have some other terrific players too, on which they've relied this year: Dwayne Woods, Gabe Martin, BooBoo Gates, Jordan Roussos, Brian Schmiedebusch ... well, I could just keep going. They have players entirely fun to watch.

And then circumstances just start happening against their favor. Some of these are plays that Bowling Green players fail to make. A missed tackle on an out route which turns into a touchdown. A shanked punt. Perhaps a playcall in which the running back is bottled up in the backfield. Maybe a bad pass. Or the other bad pass. Or the other bad pass. Or the other b—

And then sometimes it's plays by the other team. San Jose State, by all accounts, had a terrific passing day. The Spartans passed for almost 400 yards but ran for minus-17, a disparity which makes you think SJSU should never call a running play for the rest of their existence in the WAC.

Then there are the replays. Again, the consensus seemed to be that San Jose State fumbled the ball away for a touchback, but the officials didn't see it that way, be it wrong opinion or poor camera angles, and add it all up ... this didn't go BGSU's way, and it hasn't for a while. That's now three straight bowl losses for the Falcons, each miserable in their own regard, but they're just bowl games. The sport cares little for their impact, as they bum rush from one game to the next with little reflection. They let coaches freaking leave for other jobs before the bowl game. So why should I shed several tears about the sour ending to this season, if everybody else doesn't put much undue importance on it?

In the end, I'm happy that this team compiled a record worthy of a bowl game against a ranked opponent ... and the defense did keep them about a touchdown below their season average. Plus, much of this team returns for 2013, especially the offense and receivers, and they are not going to sneak up on anybody this time.