Clock Management by CMU

[Rollo83]

Similar to our bowl game...

1st and goal at the 3 yard line with 1:26 left in regulation and the score is 31-26 Troy. And, Troy is out of timeouts.

CMU throws the ball three straight times and scores on third down pass with 1:17 left. They go for two pt conversion and make it to take the score to 34-31.

Troy goes 60+ yards and kicks game tying FG with with 30 seconds left.

Why wouldn't you at least try to run the ball at least once on first and goal from the 3 and try to take some time off the clock?

Teams now going to second overtime tied 41-41. MAC in danger of 16 game losing streak in bowls.

[Class of 61]

CMU stopped Troy with a blocked FG in 2nd OT... then their kicker hits on his FIFTH of the game to win it..the MAC bowl "losing streak" is over!!!

[musicman2343]

CMU stopped Troy with a blocked FG in 2nd OT... then their kicker hits on his FIFTH of the game to win it..the MAC bowl "losing streak" is over!!!

Thank God to that! Didn't see the first half because I was watching our ladies beat Akron at AA tonight, but got back home in time to see it from the 3rd quarter on. Way to fight back and win for CMU. I definitely saw shades of our bowl game coming back. Got a bit scary after CMU's last score in the 4th. What an amazing game and win for CMU and the MAC.

[AyZiggy97]

I'm not sure I understand the criticism of CMU. If they run the ball in on first down instead of throwing it in on third down, are they still guilty of poor clock management? For that matter, what hue and cry there has been about BG's clock management is off base too. In both cases, the opposition had 77 seconds or fewer to drive down the field for a tying or winning score. At some point the defense should make a play. If it doesn't, then that's the way it goes.

Seemingly clever plays like the one by Maurice Jones-Drew are highly risky.

[doughash]

I agree with Ay Ziggy in this case. When the game is on the line like that you have to do what you do best and for CMU that is throw the football. My only criticism from a clock management standpoint was CMU using a timeout to ice the kicker with 37 seconds left. Could have come in handy on the ensuing possession.

[AyZiggy97]

I agree with Ay Ziggy in this case. When the game is on the line like that you have to do what you do best and for CMU that is throw the football. My only criticism from a clock management standpoint was CMU using a timeout to ice the kicker with 37 seconds left. Could have come in handy on the ensuing possession.

I'll second that. I'd rather have an extra TO to use than attempt to freeze a kicker.

[musicman2343]

I agree with Ay Ziggy in this case. When the game is on the line like that you have to do what you do best and for CMU that is throw the football. My only criticism from a clock management standpoint was CMU using a timeout to ice the kicker with 37 seconds left. Could have come in handy on the ensuing possession.

I'll second that. I'd rather have an extra TO to use than attempt to freeze a kicker.

In CMU's defense though, the kicker's career long before that FG was 43 yards. I think freezing the kicker in that situation was a good play considering it was a 46 yard field goal (from the hash). It's also just as much mental as physical when freezing a kicker - he could have psyched himself out with the game on the line. You never know what could happen.

[Warthog]

I don't think you can compare the BG-Idaho situation with the CMU-Troy. Our game was tied and we scored with less than 35 seconds. We had no chance of losing the game in regulation if Barnes had fallen at the one. (Not saying that he could have, just using assumptions here).

CMU was down by 5 and there was a minute and a half left. Even if they run the ball, Troy could call their TOs to ensure there would be time left IF CMU got the TD. And Troy knew at worst they would be down by a FG. So they wouldn't ahve to move down the entire field to force OT (or win). Finally, when you are down by 5, you HAVE to play for the TD on every play. You can't assume that if you run it and don't get in, you will make it on the next play. In that situation, everything has to go to the endzone, IMO.

[kdog27]

Similar to our bowl game...

1st and goal at the 3 yard line with 1:26 left in regulation and the score is 31-26 Troy. And, Troy is out of timeouts.

CMU throws the ball three straight times and scores on third down pass with 1:17 left. They go for two pt conversion and make it to take the score to 34-31.

Troy goes 60+ yards and kicks game tying FG with with 30 seconds left.

Why wouldn't you at least try to run the ball at least once on first and goal from the 3 and try to take some time off the clock?

Teams now going to second overtime tied 41-41. MAC in danger of 16 game losing streak in bowls.

Though I was hoping they would kill some clock it is not the same situation. CMU was down by 5 and had to get a touchdown. You can't waste plays when the game is on the line.

Or what if they run the ball on first down and score anyway?

[daspollak]

Barnes did nothing wrong by scoring with 30 odd seconds left. We already had on FG blocked and quite possibly had another, or had what happened to Minnesota were you fumble the ball on a potential game winning score. We just need to make one defensive play.

[Rollo83]

Similar to our bowl game...

1st and goal at the 3 yard line with 1:26 left in regulation and the score is 31-26 Troy. And, Troy is out of timeouts.

CMU throws the ball three straight times and scores on third down pass with 1:17 left. They go for two pt conversion and make it to take the score to 34-31.

Troy goes 60+ yards and kicks game tying FG with with 30 seconds left.

Why wouldn't you at least try to run the ball at least once on first and goal from the 3 and try to take some time off the clock?

Teams now going to second overtime tied 41-41. MAC in danger of 16 game losing streak in bowls.

Though I was hoping they would kill some clock it is not the same situation. CMU was down by 5 and had to get a touchdown. You can't waste plays when the game is on the line.

Or what if they run the ball on first down and score anyway?

First, Troy was out of timeouts and couldn't have stopped the clock if CMU runs it on first down.

Again, I am not advocating not trying to score or to pull some Maurice Drew Jones stunt, rather just take a shot on running the ball on first down. If you score, Ok lets play defense. If not, you still have 3 downs to pass the ball AND you have taken 30-40 seconds off the clock. Your defense hasn't been stopping them so leave them as little time to work with.

It didn't seem to matter as Troy move in FG range in 40 seconds with no timeouts. I am just saying given the way the game was playing out I would have tried to take a much time off the clock as possible and still scored my TD.