It wasn't the bad call.
The Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl has a history of being great games with climactic endings. No team has won by more than seven, the average point differential is now at four and a quarter and the game has ALWAYS come down to the last drive.
With that said, players, coaches and fans alike should understand that every second in this bowl game should be important.
I refuse to subscribe to the notion that one play can cause a team to lose a game, regardless of how controversial. Insert the failed two-point conversion in the fourth quarter for Alcorn State.
Now, I'm not going to waste anyone's time by arguing whether that catch was or wasn't a completion, what the letter of the law is for a pass completion or even why Alcorn State head coach Fred McNair was not given an explanation on the official's ruling.
Why? I just said why! Say it with me. A football game is played over a span of 60 minutes and every second is important. There you go.
So, now that we're on the same page, allow me to explain to you five reasons why that failed two-point conversion was NOT — let me repeat, not — the reason why the Alcorn State lost to North Carolina A&T 24-22 in the Celebration Bowl.
A Slow Start
The SWAC’s highest scoring team has scored at least 90 points in each quarter this season, with the most – 99 points in the first quarter, 107 in the second – coming in the first half. Now, you could blame it on the nation’s fifth best defense, which limited Alcorn to an average of 3.8 plays on non-scoring drive.
You could blame Braves’ offensive coordinator Ryan Stanchek’s play-calling or player execution. That interception that led to an Aggie field goal didn’t help. Either way, the Braves were held to two six points in the first half, their lowest first half output since their 24-3 win over Jackson State (3).
Red Zone
Yes, the Braves were 3-for-3 with scores within the red zone, but they came away with only nine points. Two of those drives happened in the first half, which I referenced earlier. Coming up short in the red zone was not just an issue that was limited to just this past Saturday.
Oh no! When you get a chance, go to my game preview and read the part about "red zone conversions” near the end and come back. I'll wait. SEE!!! Alcorn ended their season scoring touchdowns from within the red zone at a 67-percent clip. Settling for three points when every second and point is important.
Bad Penalties
The Braves have been snakebit by penalties all season long. Being one of the worse penalized teams in the nation in 2018 (109), Alcorn was flagged eight more times on Saturday. Three of which — an illegal block that pushed Alcorn back 34 yards on their first drive, a false start on a 3rd and 1 on their eighth drive and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after Alcorn gained a first down on a 14-yard run that placed them near midfield on their ninth drive – happened on three drives that totaled ten plays and would eventually lead to punts.
Questionable Late-Game Play-Calling
Again, Stanchek’s play-calling comes into question. After putting up a combined 16 points on their previous three drives, Alcorn would start, which would eventually be their final drive, with 7:30 remaining in the game on their own 16 and down by two. I know hindsight is 20/20 but you’re averaging a little over 18 yards per run in your last three drives, which included four runs of 30 yards or more.
The Aggies defense looked as though they were fatigued. Why would you anything else other than run the ball on 1st & 10? You just earned a fresh set of downs by running the ball for 11 yards on your last two plays. You’re been so successful running the ball. Force the Aggies to do what they haven’t done, especially in the second half.
Braves Final Defensive Stand
The Braves has just punted the ball away to the Aggies with 5:25 remaining in the game and starting on the A&T 26. The previous four A&T possessions in the second half averaged 2 minutes, 43 seconds, 28 yards and earned them a grand total of zero points.
If you play like you have for about 25 minutes in the second half, you might be able to get the ball back with over two minutes remaining on the clock, potentially starting on your own 20 and two timeouts.
At least you have a chance, but you allowed A&T, who entered that final drive 3/11 on third-down conversions, to finish the game 2/2 on third downs. And how would A&T extend that drive? By doing what was most successful for them on Saturday, passing the ball.
Alcorn, which game up 292 passing yards in the game — A&T QB Lamar Raynard's best passing day of the season and the third most passing yards the Braves gave up this season to an FCS opponent — allowed 41 yards in the air on that final drive.
The Aggies needed to not only run the clock but gain yardage, if they had to punt and play for field position. How else would A&T do that if they only rushed for a grand total of 29 yards throughout the entire game? The Alcorn’s defensive coordinator Cedric Thornton should have been aware of that.
Kickoff Catastrophe
Why did they kick it to Malik Wilson? Why would you even kick it into his direction? Coming into the game, he was third in the nation in kickoff return yards per game (34.5) and tied for first in kickoff return touchdowns (3). Two of Wilson’s KO returns, both of which were for 99 yards, would happen just as the other team was beginning to shift the game's momentum into their favor.
The first was when Jacksonville State took a 10-7 lead in A&T’s 20-17 win over the Gamecocks and when Norfolk State cut an A&T lead to 21-20 in the Aggies 37-20 victory over the Spartans. In this case, Alcorn kicker Corey McCullough had just scored on a 29-yard FG, capping an unanswered 13-point run. And then, the eventual would happen.
If you think about it, it was a two-fold setback for the Braves. Kicking to Wilson and only scoring three while in the red zone.
