End Zone: BGSU 9-06

9/6/2012

How can a team's home opener be considered a "trap" game?

Saturday the Falcons play Idaho at the Doyt for the first time this season. The game comes one week after opening against nationally ranked Florida in front of 85,000 screaming fans. What's more, it comes one week ahead of the MAC opener against Toledo.

It doesn't help that this week's opponent lost its opener to a FCS school, and is a program the Falcons went on the road and beat by 17 points a year ago. BG is dealing with the potential hangover from playing the Gators tough, yet not doing enough to secure the win.

"Coach [Dave] Clawson talks about how every game is a one-week season -- and Florida was last week," tight end Alex Bayer said.

Fair enough. Will the chance to play for the first time at home, where the crowd presumably won't be cheering for the Falcons to turn into some reptile's entree, be enough to avoid a trap?

"We are only guaranteed 12 games a season," Bayer said. "If you can't get excited for all 12 games, you're playing the wrong sport. It doesn't matter if you're playing Florida, Idaho, or a Division II or III team. You have to get excited to play this game."

Yes, the Falcons do. And their fans do, too.