The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl has been around for five years now, and the National All-Stars have won every single last one of those five contests. But the 2016 edition of this game was by far the hardest victory for the National team to secure. It took SIX field goals by placekicker ANDREW BAGGETT (Missouri) and a huge tackle for loss on the second to last play of the game by his teammate and linebacker JATAVIS BROWN (Akron), to help the National All-Stars secure today’s 18-17 victory over the American All-Stars.
Baggett was named the MVP of today’s 2016 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl for his six successful field goals. Baggett who is the second leading scorer in Missouri history with 355 points (157 points on PAT’s and 198 points on field goals), connected on six out of seven field goals today with his last successful boot of 23 yards being the eventual game-winner. His six field goals gave the National team all the points it would need as his team had a hard time getting into scoring territory, let alone getting into the end zone.
Brown who was one of the better linebackers to ever play at Akron——–he left that school with 345 career tackles and 18 sacks; that sack total is second in school history behind the 21 sacks former Akron and NFL star defensive end/outside linebacker JASON TAYLOR gobbled up from 1993-1996——–had an outstanding game today. And he could also be the first Akron Zip drafted since 2008, when cornerback REGGIE CORNER was taken in the 4th round of that draft by the Buffalo Bills.
This game was a defensive battle and it wasn’t a surprise that the biggest play of the game and next to last play of the game came from a defensive player (Brown). Any NFL scout who saw this game got all the information they needed from defenders on both teams. There was spirited and tape-rewind-worthy plays from the defensive ends, defensive tackles, inside and outside linebackers, the cornerbacks, and the safeties.
As for the scoring, Baggett connected on his third field goal of the game which was a 42 yarder that helped send the game to halftime with a 17-9 score. The American team was still in the lead.
Early in the third quarter, Baggett had a chance to make his fourth three-pointer of the game. But the kick sailed to the right and then swirled back to the left and behind the uprights. This took place with 10:37 left in the third quarter.
Then on the ensuing American drive, receiver MAX MCCAFREY (Duke/2 catches for 29 yards) got behind the defense and caught and secured a tipped pass for a 22 yard gain to the AM 40 yard line. But that promising drive died a cruel death when American quarterback JOSH WOODRUM (Liberty/3 for 3 for 45 yards) fumbled the center snap. The fumbled ball ended up in the hands of National defensive tackle CALVIN HEURTELOU (Miami-Florida) who recovered the ball at the NA 40 yard line.
Heurtelou’s fumble recovery set up a successful Baggett 39 yard field goal, his fourth of the game. That field goal pulled the National team to within 17-12 with 3:36 left in the third quarter.
Woodrum suffered his second fumble of the game with this one taking place late in the third quarter. Woodrum on 3rd and 4 from the NA 45, had the ball stripped from his grasp just as he was about to uncork a pass down field, by National defensive end VONTARRIUS DORA (Louisiana Tech). Dora then recovered the fumble at the 50 yard line, just as he was processing what just happened while he was on the ground.
Dora’s strip-sack set up Baggett’s fifth field goal of the game, this one from 24 yards. That successful field goal cut the American team’s lead to 17-15 with 14:12 remaining in the contest.
On the American team’s next drive, quarterback TRAVIS WILSON (Utah/7 of 10 for 66 yards) dropped back to pass, scrambled around a bit, then he fought off a potential sack from National defensive tackle DESTINY VAEAO (Washington State). Then Wilson bumped into his own man, right tackle RYAN MACK (Memphis) which caused Wilson to fumble the ball, with National defensive end KYLE KRAGEN (California-Berkeley) recovering the ball at the AM 10 yard line.
Kragen’s fumble recovery set up the sixth, yes, the SIXTH successful field goal—-this one from 23 yards—-of the game by Baggett. Baggett’s sixth made field goal gave the National team their first lead of the game at 18-17 with 11:02 left in the game.
Then on 4th and 18 from the NA 41 yard line, former Los Angeles Valley Community College (2011-2012) and National cornerback WINSTON ROSE (New Mexico State), knocked away a potential first down pass that was intended for American receiver DEVIN FULLER (UCLA/1 catch for 9 yards). That was the American team’s second to last offensive drive of the contest.
Then a little later in the fourth quarter, Brown pretty much ended any hopes the American team had of winning this game, with an alert and huge tackle for loss of 6 yards on 3rd and 1. Then on the next play, American quarterback STEPHEN RIVERS (Northwestern State) couldn’t find anyone to throw to, so he threw a short pass that ended up bouncing off of one of his own teammates with the ball then landing on the turf. Game over.
