Bowling Green and Tennessee completed an almighty tussle for the NCR D1AA title, and when the dust settled Tennessee had, somehow, pulled it out.
Coming in powerful and undefeated, the Volunteers were up against a BGSU Falcons side that had put their losses behind them, beaten the team they had lost to (Louisville), and soared to the final.
We found out why quickly when some snappy ball movement got the ball to the Falcons’ all-everything captain and loose forward Phil Tracey, who charged down the sideline to score in the corner.
Joey Apel converted for a 7-0 lead.
But Bowling Green could not add to that advantage. It didn’t help that they lost semifinal hero Zach Szepiela to injury early. Tennessee also lost a second row, Jack Baer, later in the first half.
Both teams were hitting hard and whether it was that or the pressure of the moment or the importance of every chance, but both teams lost chances to knock-ons and mistakes.
Tennessee responded after Bowling Green opted to run out of their 22 instead of kick. The Vols forced a turnover and quickly shipped it wide where captain Brendan O’Neill scored in the corner.
Tennessee started to exert their power, working their hard runners inside. Bowling Green was up to the challenge, and held up the Vols in-goal. But that only delayed the inevitable as Tennessee was able to attack off the goalline dropout and Michael McGettigan powered through to score and give Tennessee a 14-7 lead.
Bowling Green had a few really good chances to build something, but they couldn’t complete the movements, and each time that seemed to carry more significance.
The first half ended with a big charge from Tracey, but the effort to go wide was stymied and Tennessee kicked to touch to end the half.
The game continued to be a slugfest. Bowling Green, however, seemed to get the run of play. Camped out in the Tennessee 22 the Falcons realized that they had the power int he scrum and opted to pack down at every opportunity. The result was, ultimately, an eight-man shove that set up Tracey for the simplest of tries. The kick was off-line, but soon thereafter Apel slotted a brilliantly-taken penalty goal in the wind to nudge Bowling Green ahead 15-14.
Then came the extra drama.
Back came the Falcons. They were in charge now and Tennessee didn’t have possession or territory. With ball and space the Falcons nudged a grubber through to the corner .The chase was on. Who would win, Tennessee, bowling Green, or the sideline?
Apel, the BGSU fullback, dove on the ball and seemed to ground it. Try called.
TMO check. Try called.
Coach’s challenge—in NCR’s finals coaches can throw a red challenge flag on certain called. They looked at it again. Grounding appeared good, but Apel’s leg might have hit the in-goal sideline before he scored the try. Call overturned, no try.
The Bowling Green players didn’t complain. They had the lead still, after all, but this turned a 20-14 lead back into a 15-14 lead. Was the evidence enough to overturn the try? Depends who you ask.
From the ensuing 22 dropout Tennessee was able to get the ball and move into BGSU territory. They got several penalties at this point and repeatedly passed up kickable shots at goal to got for the try. Why? According to Head Coach Scott Tungay that was a result of his habit throughout the season to insist his team always go for tries and always exert pressure.
