I Got NEXT! – Karsceal Turner
There isn’t a sentiment I can place on this situation other than to stick a fork in the Wildcats folks, with regards to the chase for a National crown for 2013…they’re done.
If one happens to be a Chanticleer fan, I suppose it was only fitting that it went down on the road against a Coastal Carolina team, who wanted to prove their first win against the Cats wasn’t a fluke.
CCU quarterback Alex Ross threw a career-high four touchdowns – two to Matt Hazel – to help lead No. 11-ranked CCU to a 48-24 dispatching of the Wildcats in the first-round of the FCS playoffs Saturday in South Carolina.
The Chanticleers set a program record with 11 wins, improving to 11-2, while the Wildcats drop to 10-3. Coastal Carolina will now travel west to face No. 8 seed and fourth-ranked Montana for the second round, Dec. 7 in Missoula, Mont.
“You don’t win 10 games unless you’re a good ball club,” said Jenkins of Coastal Carolina. “If you can find a team with 10 wins that’s not good, then I want to see them. They have a good team, and I tip my hat to them because they were the better team today.”
The Wildcats return to Daytona Beach, the seniors prepare for what awaits them later in life; undergrads will regroup and prepare for another go at it….NEXT season. As for Head coach Brian Jenkins, I really have no idea what he has cooking at this point. However, I do believe he has something cooking.
The Wildcats fall to 0-5 all-time in the Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs, as well as 0-6 lifetime in NCAA postseason play (including a Division II playoff loss to Cal-Davis).
With such stats, the buzz continues to be how B-CU can’t advance out of the First-round. We’ve all remembered teams in similar situations. I’m going to leave that alone now.
And now…the thrashing
Ross threw two of his TD passes in the first half, Mike McClure returned a fumble 39 yards for a score, and Lorenzo Taliaferro rushed for an 8-yard touchdown as the Chanticleers built a 27-10 halftime lead.
The Cats simply had nothing for him. Ross was 13 of 18 for 256 yards passing without throwing an interception. Taliaferro led the Chanticleers with 85 yards rushing. Niccol Mastramatteo led the receiving core with four catches for 51 yards. However, it was Matt Hazel adding two of the four receiving scores for CCU.
In the second half, Ross and the Chanticleers opened up with TD passes of 23 and 21. The scoring continued into the fourth quarter. That is the way to put your foot in someone’s behind.
In all, the CCU offense added 217 yards on the ground and two scores, while the four passing touchdowns is the most allowed all season by the Wildcats defense. The previous high was three in a victory over the MEAC’s Savannah State. Taliaferro led the rushing attack with 85 yards and his score,
There was action until the very end
B-CU added two late scores via senior receiver Eddie Poole’s 16 yard touchdown reception from Waters, and Water’s 27-yard burst.
B-CU was paced offensively by Quentin Williams with 202 yards passing on 16-of-29 through the air, while Waters came off the bench for 102 yards and a passing score. Brodrick Waters finished his B-CU career solid in the loss. He threw for a 16-yard touchdown and rushed for a 27-yard TD. Meanwhile, senior running back Isidore Jackson led the ground game with 59 yards, followed by Cary White with 47.
On the outside looking in, B-CU faithful can be happy with a winning season in which they won Homecoming, beat FAMU, and made it to the playoffs. They can also eagerly anticipate doing all that again and winning a playoff game at the same Damn time!
And NOW B-CU Hoops takes over
The Cage Cats are having a tough go at it on the road having dropped five in a row. They return to Florida for a showdown with cross county rival Stetson University on Dec. 3 at 7:00p.m.
Meanwhile, the Women’s hoops team has dropped three of their last four and will welcome the Edward Waters College Tigers to Historic Moore gymnasium for a Monday 7:00p.m. Tip-off.
Yours truly will pick up now with coverage on both teams because as you know, the name of the commentary is I Got NEXT!
