Montana Game A few more observations from a biased perspective.
UC Davis fans are not very energetic - don't really do much to inspire the team (3 yr. observation) - cheer/quiet at the wrong times.
Officiating was suspect at best, just review the tape. The obvious (not called) Pass Interference against Kris Vaughn, and the Personal Foul (blindside block) on Carson Crawford for blocking a defender that was in the vicinity of the (live) ball carrier were huge. Both costing Davis crucial first downs. There was also an incident where a Montana player clearly taunted a UC Davis player directly in front of the ref w/o so much as a warning. Now I'm old-school and could care less about an opponent mouthing-off, however, as I understand today's kinder / gentler game, taunting is a strict no-no (15 yd Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty?). Not so different from last year, I guess! There were numerous "non-calls" that affected play as well (stuff happens). And let us not forget the multiple "timely injuries" sustained by Montana's players, effectively resulting in both Davis momentum killers and uncharged Montana time-outs (or is it times-out?). Not an officiating issue, but I chose to mention it anyway.
With that said, I hope every player is ok! (real)
Now none of these things alone cost US Davis the game - they were dismantled. Viewed through the broader context of this contest, their impact cannot be summarily dismissed. It doesn't take much...
It's now time for the players and coaches to step up their game! Onward to Grand Forks, ND!