BIG PLAYS DOOM BEARS IN LOSS TO NO. 20 WILDCATS

[Seminole Indian]

"We just gave them too many big plays, starting with the first play from scrimmage,' said UCA head coach Steve Campbell. "We knew they had a good return guy but we had been good at coverage. But every year is a new year. And it showed up on the first play from scrimmage. Then they had a punt return for a touchdown.  Special teams really hurt us. We went in there at the half and I think it was 38-16, and it should have been 17-17. It should have been a tie ballgame."

http://www.ucasports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-big-plays-doom-bears-in-loss-to-no-20-wildcats.aspx?path=football

[GoHogs1091]

Kansas State won, but Kansas State got exposed as being a borderline top 20 team who will probably not finish in 3rd place in the Weak 12 Conference (where KSU was picked to finish before the season started).

Kansas State gave up 19 points to a FCS team who is missing their best Offensive Lineman (who got injured in a fall camp scrimmage and is out for the rest of the season).  UCA losing Offensive Lineman Stockton Mallett is like if the Razorbacks lost Frank Ragnow to injury.

In the future though, it might be best for UCA to schedule a game with a FBS team to be either the 2nd or 3rd game on a particularly year schedule.  It would allow for kinks to be ironed out because when the FBS team already has a total scholarship depth advantage to begin with, the FCS team can't be making errors during a game with a FBS team.

UCA will probably end up winning more games this season than Kansas State.

Some positives for UCA from this game;

Despite not having their best Offensive Lineman, was still able to score 19 points on the road against a P5 Conference team whose defense returned a lot of starters.  This means UCA should probably be able to average in the 30's in conference play.

Running Back, Carlos Blackman, rushed for 114 yards on 24 carries (4.8 yards per carry average).

UCA is still getting good play from WRs despite losing 2 all-time leading WRs from last season.

Negatives;

Need to work on Special Teams coverage.  Kansas State essentially scored 14 of their points off of Special Teams (the 7 points they did get from Special Teams and the other 7 points that resulted from being set-up by a big Special Teams play).

The Secondary coverage needs to improve, but that is a result of the following that needs to be worked on.

Need to improve getting more pressure on the opposing QB.  Kansas State's QB had too much time back there which allowed KSU WRs to get open.

[Seminole Indian]

I think Kansas State is a pretty darn good team.

[DeltaBoy]

Good Job for UCA cause KState is tough at home.