It was a lovely dream, Colgate University being only the second nonscholarship team to reach the NCAA I-AA championship game since I-AA was formed in 1978 (the other, Lehigh in 1979), a dream that a small, 2800-student school could beat the big guys.
It would have been at least easier to take if it hadn't been a blowout.
Delaware beat Colgate 40-0 last night and won the 2003 I-AA football championship.
If you're a Delaware student, alum or fan, this was great for you. It was the first shutout in the history of this game, and the biggest margin of victory, and it was pretty clear in the first quarter that Colgate's defense couldn't stop Delaware's All-American QB Andy Hall, and that Colgate's offensive weapons, QB Chris Brown and RB Jamaal Branch, couldn't get any sort of rhythm going. Brown, in fact, had to leave the game for a quarter with a minor wrist injury.
Coach Dick Biddle said, and he's right, that this was the best team in Colgate history. Branch will be back for his senior season, and after that, I'd think you'll see him in the NFL, just as Colgate running backs Marv Hubbard in the '60s and Mark van Eeghen in the '70s made their marks with the Oakland Raiders.
I'm still proud of everyone there, and it was cool to see Colgate on national TV, even if I did wind up having to avert my eyes for a good portion of the game, and by the fourth quarter I drifted away from the TV entirely.
And now, on toward thoughts of baseball. 75 days till the Cubs' spring opener!
It would have been at least easier to take if it hadn't been a blowout.
Delaware beat Colgate 40-0 last night and won the 2003 I-AA football championship.
If you're a Delaware student, alum or fan, this was great for you. It was the first shutout in the history of this game, and the biggest margin of victory, and it was pretty clear in the first quarter that Colgate's defense couldn't stop Delaware's All-American QB Andy Hall, and that Colgate's offensive weapons, QB Chris Brown and RB Jamaal Branch, couldn't get any sort of rhythm going. Brown, in fact, had to leave the game for a quarter with a minor wrist injury.
Coach Dick Biddle said, and he's right, that this was the best team in Colgate history. Branch will be back for his senior season, and after that, I'd think you'll see him in the NFL, just as Colgate running backs Marv Hubbard in the '60s and Mark van Eeghen in the '70s made their marks with the Oakland Raiders.
I'm still proud of everyone there, and it was cool to see Colgate on national TV, even if I did wind up having to avert my eyes for a good portion of the game, and by the fourth quarter I drifted away from the TV entirely.
And now, on toward thoughts of baseball. 75 days till the Cubs' spring opener!